{{Short description|Anglo-Japanese apparel company}} {{Use British English|date=February 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{For|the Expo 67 pavilion|Canadian Pavilion#People Tree}} {{Infobox company | name = People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd. | type = Limited | industry = Clothing, home wares and food design, distribution and retailing; holding company | products = Clothing, fashion | website = {{URL|peopletree.com}} | founded = 2007 | founders = Safia Minney, James Minney<ref name=WWLPT/><ref name=PTJTOTB/><ref name=CSCSPT/><ref name=PTJ/><ref name=TEDBFF/> | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|James Minney (CEO)|CJ Wilson (director)|Richard Minney (director)|Hana Sim (trademark owner)}} | hq_location = London, United Kingdom | area_served = {{Unbulleted list|United Kingdom|Europe|United States|Japan|Australia|New Zealand|Scandinavia}} }} {{Infobox company | name = Fair Trade Company KK | type = Limited | industry = Clothing, home wares and food design, distribution and retailing | products = Clothing, fashion | founded = 1991 | founders = Safia Minney, James Minney<ref name=WWLPT>{{cite web |title=Why We Love People Tree |url=https://sanchosshop.com/blogs/news/why-we-love-people-tree |website=Sanchos |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=PTJTOTB>{{cite web |title=People Tree joins the OTB |url=https://www.organictradeboard.co.uk/news/2022/4/21/people-tree-joins-the-otb/ |website=Organic Trade Board |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=CSCSPT>{{cite web |title=Corporate Strategy Case Study – 'People Tree' |url=https://soraethicalfashion.wordpress.com/2017/03/14/blog-post-title-2/ |website=Ethical & Sustainable Fashion |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=PTJ>{{cite news |title=People Tree Jiyugaoka |url=https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/people-tree-jiyugaoka |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Time Out}}</ref><ref name=TEDBFF>{{cite news |title=This Earth Day, Boycott Fast Fashion And Try These Sustainable Brands Instead |url=https://plantbasednews.org/news/boycott-fast-fashion-sustainable-brands/ |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Plant Based News}}</ref> | key_people = James Minney (CEO), Hana Sim (trademark owner) | hq_location = Tokyo, Japan | area_served = Japan | website = {{URL|peopletree.co.jp}} }} {{Infobox company | name = People Tree Ltd. | type = Private | industry = Clothing, and home wares design, distribution and retailing | products = Clothing, fashion | owner = People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd (100%) | website = {{Unbulleted list|{{URL|peopletree.co.uk}}|{{URL|peopletree.eu}}|{{URL|peopletree.de}}|{{URL|peopletree.fr}}}} | founded = 1994 | founders = Safia Minney, James Minney<ref name=WWLPT/><ref name=PTJTOTB/><ref name=CSCSPT/><ref name=PTJ/><ref name=TEDBFF/> | defunct = {{End date|2023|10|18}} | key_people = James Minney (CEO) | fate = Entered liquidation due to bankruptcy | hq_location = London, United Kingdom | area_served = {{Unbulleted list|United Kingdom|Europe|United States|Japan|Australia|New Zealand|Scandinavia}} }}

'''People Tree''' is the trading or legal name of a number of current and former fair trade apparel, home wares and food businesses, starting with Fair Trade Company KK founded in Japan in 1991,<ref name=SAESITCI/> (trading in Japan under the name People Tree or ピープルツリー in Japanese) and People Tree Ltd founded in the UK in 1994.

In 2007, the businesses were organised into a group under People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd, United Kingdom (UK). The group formerly also included People Tree International Ltd (UK), People Tree Foundation (a UK charity), and People Tree Enterprises BV (Netherlands).

People Tree was one of the early proponents of fair trade and ethical fashion<ref>{{Cite web |last=Europe |first=WFTO |date=16 November 2015 |title=Our Members – People Tree |url=https://wfto-europe.org/our-members-people-tree/ |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=WFTO Europe }}</ref> and was the first fashion company to be awarded the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) Fair Trade product label.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WFTO Inside View: People Tree |url=https://www.commonobjective.co/article/wfto-inside-view-people-tree |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Common Objective }}</ref> People Tree Ltd was, prior to bankruptcy, a WFTO member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GUARANTEED FAIR TRADE ORGANISATIONS |url=http://wfto.com/guaranteed-fair-trade-organisations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316181248/http://wfto.com/guaranteed-fair-trade-organisations |archive-date=16 March 2015 |access-date=25 February 2026 |website=World Fair Trade Organisation}}</ref> Fair Trade Company KK remains a member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=People Tree Japan |url=https://wfto.com/members/people-tree-japan/ |access-date=2026-02-25 |website=World Fair Trade Organization |language=en}}</ref>

The group laid off all UK and European staff in 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hu |first=Zoe |date=7 September 2023 |title=People Tree cuts jobs amid restructuring |url=https://www.drapersonline.com/news/people-tree-cuts-jobs-amid-restructuring |access-date=12 September 2023 |website=Drapers }}</ref> amid financial trouble,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=12 September 2023 |title=Peopletree is rated "Poor" with 1.9 / 5 on Trustpilot |url=https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.peopletree.co.uk |access-date=12 September 2023 |website=Trustpilot }}</ref> and continued its founding company in Tokyo. People Tree Ltd, the UK trading business, went into liquidation in September 2023, with debts of £8.5 million,<ref name="EFBPT8.5M">{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Sarah |date=27 September 2023 |title=Ethical fashion brand People Tree puts UK arm into liquidation, owing £8.5m |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/27/ethical-fashion-brand-people-tree-uk-liquidation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230927103120/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/27/ethical-fashion-brand-people-tree-uk-liquidation |archive-date=27 September 2023 |access-date=27 September 2023 |website=theguardian.com |publisher=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> of which £4.8M were debts to directors and to other group companies, whilst £1.9M were debts to trade creditors including Fair Trade producers in developing countries.<ref name=":3">People Tree Ltd Directors' Statement of Affairs October 2023</ref><ref name="EFBPT8.5M"/>

People Tree businesses no longer own the trademarks to the name "People Tree" - see {{Section link||Trademarks}}

In March 2025, Fair Trade Company KK transferred its profitable People Tree food business into a new entity, People Seed Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AiiA Corporation<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=食品部門の資本・事業提携に関するお知らせ |url=https://peopletree.co.jp/pages/food-250630 |access-date=24 February 2026 |website=ピープルツリー公式オンラインショップ |language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805050716/https://peopletree.co.jp/pages/food-250630|archive-date=5 August 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=会社概要 {{!}} AiiA Corporation アイア株式会社 |url=https://aiia.co.jp/company |access-date=24 February 2026 |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=31 July 2025 |title=フェアトレードチョコレートの輸入販売等を手がけるグループ新会社「株式会社People Seed」設立のお知らせ |url=https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000250.000118144.html |access-date=24 February 2026 |website=プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES |language=ja-JP}}</ref> without any ownership remaining within the People Tree businesses. Fair Trade Company KK stated they had granted permission to People Seed for the use of the People Tree trademark<ref name=":7" />, despite the People Tree Japanese trademark no longer belonging to Fair Trade Company KK or any People Tree business as of October 2024.<ref name=":8" />

People Tree businesses have been funded primarily by commercial lenders including {{ill|Johnan Shinkin Bank|ja|城南信用金庫}},<ref name=":4">Fair Trade Co KK annual Accounts Report</ref>, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation,<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=会社概要 |url=https://peopletree.co.jp/pages/about |access-date=24 February 2026 |website=ピープルツリー公式オンラインショップ |language=ja}}</ref> Shoko Chukin Bank,<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /> {{ill|Kansai Mirai Bank|ja|関西みらい銀行}},<ref name=":4" /> Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group,<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /> Oikocredit Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society,<ref name=":3" /><ref name="EFBPT8.5M" /> Shared Interest Society<ref name=":3" /><ref name="EFBPT8.5M" /> together with non-bank lenders such as Stella Bernrain<ref name=":3" /> and a variety of corporate and individual bondholders - many of whom lost their investments in 2023.<ref name=":3" />

==History==

===Early years=== The People Tree business developed from Global Village, an environmental campaigning non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by British born Safia Minney in Tokyo in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |title=People Tree takes root in Japan |url=https://japantoday.com/category/features/executive-impact/people-tree-takes-root-in-japan |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Japan Today }}</ref><ref name=SAESITCI>{{Cite journal |last=Goworek |first=Helen |date=1 January 2011 |title=Social and environmental sustainability in the clothing industry: a case study of a fair trade retailer |url=https://doi.org/10.1108/17471111111114558 |journal=Social Responsibility Journal |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=74–86 |doi=10.1108/17471111111114558 |issn=1747-1117|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wakabayashi |first=Liane |date=2 February 2015 |title=Going the extra mile for fair-trade fashion |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2015/02/02/issues/going-the-extra-mile-for-fair-trade-fashion/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=The Japan Times }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Awardees |url=https://www.schwabfound.org/awardees/safia-l-minney/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Safia L. Minney |url=https://www.weforum.org/people/safia-l-minney/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=World Economic Forum }}</ref> It began as a clothing catalogue which featured hand woven and natural dyed hand bags, clothing, and clogs made by women from Bangladesh.<ref name=FTMDEC>{{Cite book|title=Fair Trade: Market-Driven Ethical Consumption|last=Alex Nicholls and Charlotte Opal|year=2005}}</ref> Because it was difficult to find fair trade apparel products of a high enough quality for the Japanese market, Global Village started to do its own design in house.<ref name=":0"/> Safia Minney said, "When I started out [...] we were investing in labour-intensive process while the industry was going in the other direction: mass-manufactured fashion, using synthetics instead of natural materials. We were dealing with very disadvantaged people in remote places."<ref>{{Cite book|title=More to Life Than Shoes: How to Kick-Start Your Career and Change Your Life.|last=Finer|first=Nadia and Emily|year=2011}}</ref>

Initially the Global Village business was run from the home of Safia Minney, and her then-husband James Minney, also her business partner in founding People Tree.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I whispered in Prince Charles's ear, as I had with the Dalai Lama, 'you really should be wearing organic cotton' |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-simple-things/20140103/282355447680577 |access-date=21 April 2022 |via=PressReader}}</ref> In 1995, Fair Trade Company KK was formed as a limited company in Japan by transferring the fair trading activity of Global Village, and a shop was opened in the fashionable Jiyūgaoka district, in Tokyo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.peopletree.co.uk/content/43/a-brief-history-of-people-tree|title=People Tree - OUR STORY}}</ref> In 1997, Safia Minney added a Fair Trade Fashion Collection, using eco-textiles, including organic cotton, to the products sold by Fair Trade Company.<ref name=EESM>{{Cite web |date=13 October 2012 |title=Ethical Entrepreneurship: Safia Minney |url=https://ivycity.wordpress.com/achievement/ethical-entrepreneurship-safia-minney/ |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=Ivy City Tribune }}</ref> People Tree was working closely with textile artisan groups to help them meet environmental standards and develop their market potential, with two full-time designers.<ref name=EESM/>

In 2005, People Tree Japan launched its first 'prototype franchise' store in Tokyo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=People Tree |url=https://www.fashionabc.org/wiki/people-tree/ |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=fashionabc }}</ref>

===British Expansion=== In 2000, People Tree's business expanded to the UK<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awardees |url=https://www.schwabfound.org/awardees/safia-l-minney/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship }}</ref> where the brand formed a partnership with The Co-operative Group.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}} In 2006, then-chief executive officer (CEO), Safia Minney persuaded Topshop executives to take People Tree into Topshop as a concession.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/how-we-met-safia-minney--jane-shepherdson-1788494.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/how-we-met-safia-minney--jane-shepherdson-1788494.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=How We Met: Safia Minney & Jane Shepherdson|website=Independent.co.uk |date=22 October 2011}}</ref>

=== Recent History === By 2004, the UK company was selling to 20 different countries and turned over $1.79 million.<ref name=FTMDEC/>

In 2015, founder and CEO, Safia Minney, left the business and separated from her husband James Minney, who was the chief financial officer (CFO).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Kirsty |date=21 April 2022 |title=Power from the people: Safia Minney's sustainable fashion mission |url=https://www.drapersonline.com/insight/analysis/safia-minneys-mission-to-make-fashion-more-sustainable |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Drapers }}</ref>

In 2021 an e-commerce was launched as 'the new home of People Tree in Europe'.<ref>{{Cite web |title=People Tree EU - the new European home of the ethical fashion pioneer |url=https://peopletree.eu/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230920195505/https://peopletree.eu/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=People Tree }}</ref> Since 2023, it has not had staff in the European Union (EU).{{citation needed|date=February 2026}}

{{As of|2021}}, James Minney was CEO of People Tree.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fair Trade's Hall of Fame |url=https://wfto.com/fairtradeday2021/Hall-of-Fame.html |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=wfto.com}}</ref>

In August 2023, People Tree Ltd laid off the majority of UK staff. CEO James Minney set out the problem in stark form:<blockquote>"We are figuring out what is the right way to go forward and how we can build up from this minimal base to restart"</blockquote>In September 2023, People Tree Ltd entered liquidation<ref name=":1" /><ref name="EFBPT8.5M" />. People Tree Foundation Ltd and People Tree International Ltd were dissolved.

In March 2025, Fair Trade Company KK transferred its profitable food business to People Seed Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AiiA Corporation.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" />

{{As of|2025|08|14}}, People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd has applied to be struck-off from Companies House, the UK company register, the application signed by the companies three directors: James Minney, Richard Minney, and CJ Wilson.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PEOPLE TREE FAIR TRADE GROUP LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06092687/filing-history |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Strike-off Application showing signatures of Directors of People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd |url=https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6ntj4qnybj26oqcju5hiw/Strike-Off-06092687_ds01_2025-08-29.pdf?rlkey=bihtf22xdi2igk9457sr8jo5f&dl=0 |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=Dropbox}}</ref>

=== Trademarks === In 2024-25, People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd transferred its Japan, UK, Chinese, European, United States, South Korean and Taiwanese trademarks into the personal ownership of Hana Sim,<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Japan Platform for Patent Information |url=https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/?uri=/c1801/TR/JP-1999-075389/40/en |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=People Tree {{!}} UK Intellectual Property Office |url=https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/History/1/UK00003733270 |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=trademarks.ipo.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Marcaria Chinese trademark search for People Tree trademark |url=https://trademark-search.marcaria.com/en/result?trademark=people%20tree&country=CN&classes=&status=1&mode=1&searchby=1 |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=Marcaria}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=EUIPO record for People Tree trademark |url=https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/002178218 |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=euipo.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=USPTO record for People Tree trademark |url=https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=77983119&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=tsdr.uspto.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=KIPRIS Trademark Record for People Tree trademark in South Korea |url=https://doi.org/10.8080/4020120015099 |access-date=14 February 2026 |website=doi.org/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Intellectual Property Bureau Trademark Search System |url=https://cloud.tipo.gov.tw/S282/S282WV1/#/tmark-detailed-report?docid=dYJUK+KkA88WrP03WDbMbfHELxa8OOlnLCHY |access-date=18 February 2026 |website=cloud.tipo.gov.tw}}</ref> CEO James Minney's current wife. People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd allowed its Hong Kong and Australian trademarks to lapse due to non-payment of fees in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hong Kong Trademark Search |url=https://esearch.ipd.gov.hk/nis-pos-view/#/tm/details/view/115934_300229635/0/0/1/10/1/1/0/null_null/KCggIV4hKCAhXiEodG1UZXh0OigvcGVvcGxlIHRyZWUuKihbXmEtekEtWl0qKShbIFxuXS4qKT8vKSkhXiEgIE9SICAhXiEodG1UZXh0X3NpbmdsZTooL3Blb3BsZSB0cmVlLiooW15hLXpBLVpdKikoWyBcbl0uKik_LykpIV4hICkhXiEgKSkgQU5EIHRtUmVjb3JkU2VxOjE=?lang=en |access-date=18 February 2026 |website=esearch.ipd.gov.hk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Trade Mark 1005750 {{!}} IP Australia {{!}} Trade Mark Search |url=https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/search/view/1005750?q=1005750 |access-date=18 February 2026 |website=search.ipaustralia.gov.au}}</ref>

== Products == People Tree designs, manufactures, and markets its own label. It implemented the first supply chain for organic cotton and was the first organization in the world to achieve Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification for a supply chain located in the developing world.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}} In the past it has worked in collaboration with designers like Orla Kiely and Bora Aksu,<ref name=SMMBE>{{Cite web |title=Safia Minney MBE - People Tree Founder &#124; Gordon Poole Agency |url=https://www.gordonpoole.com/talent/Safia-Minney-MBE/}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |fix-attempted=yes |url=}}</ref> as well as London's Victoria and Albert Museum.<ref>{{cite web |title=People Tree x V&A Collaboration |url=https://www.peopletree.co.uk/edits/va-collection |access-date=8 September 2021 |website=People Tree |publisher=People Tree Ltd}}</ref> People Tree is sold in 500 stores around the world including ASOS.com.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}} The company also runs its own e-commerce business.<ref name=SMMBE/>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom Category:Retail companies established in 1991 Category:Fair trade brands Category:1991 establishments in Japan