Interview with Samantha Jones

I quote you from a news item (in New Zealand Herald): "I think people don't want to inadvertently buy products that have child labour or forced labour or are damaging to the environment, but at the moment often you can only go on what a brand is telling you or their social responsibility policies, which are often quite vague or not easily understandable." My question: do you think big businesses or brands are so warped and convoluted in their statements because they are themselves not clear about issues at hand? Or, is it because sustainability is fast becoming a greenwashing tool.

You have moved around a lot: from studying in Indonesia to working as a logistics officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and from going back to studies and then launching Little Yellow Bird. Do you see this as one single journey?

Yes, they all interlink actually, and have all been crucial elements in what has led me to do what I'm doing now.

How did fashion happen? Was it because of what you noticed in supply chains while being in the air force? How did that transition to LYB happen?

Please tell us more about the Start Up Challenge that you won at the University of Canterbury in 2015.

What made you look to India after that? Why India (for sourcing), and not any other country?

How did you go about doing your groundwork? Was it difficult to get/put things in place?

Yes and no. You really need to be in India or wherever you're planning to manufacture to identify good partners and establish that personal relationship.

Do tell us about your India sourcing, please.