Our Story

Braintree was founded in 1995 in Australia, with the aim of promoting hemp as an environmentally friendly alternative to cotton. It soon became one of the largest hemp clothing companies in the world.

Arriving in the UK

In 2002, after 11 years of growth and knowledge of the Hemp industry, Braintree began operatin in the UK. Armed with a desire to let the good peope of the United Kingdom & Europe experience hemp that was contemporary, stylish and the best alternative to man-made fibres, we made the move from an Australia basking in summer to a cool winter.
At first the going was tough, but an amazing piece of luck came at just the right time. In late 2002 we got the chance to open a store on the iconic Portobello Road. The team worked from dawn to dusk to fit out and open the shop in just two days.
The response was immediate and the reaction to the product was fantastic, giving us renewed faith and confidence.

Portobello to Camden

Running the shop in Portobello was a great learning experience for us. We built up an amazing clientele and were a perfect fit into the local retail community.
Unfortunately rising rents forced us to close it down. We didn't feel that we could afford the financial risk as such a young, small company. However during this time we were able to focus on building up our wholesale business and also produced our first private label order for a big customer.
In 2004 we opened our current store in Camden. We were apprehensive but felt that the melting pot that is Camden would suit our brand. We guessed that vibrant mix of tourists and unconventional and bohemian people who frequent the area would be open to our sort of offering. Thankfully we were right!
The shop is a great way for us to promote who we are and what we're all about. If you're ever in the area, pop in and see us at: Braintree Hemp Store, Unit 9, East Yard, Camden Town, NW1 8AL

Braintree on show

We knew that if we wanted to expand the wholesale side of our business, we had get out there and start meeting other clothing retailers. So in 2004 we also took part in our first trade fair, Pure at London's Olympia.

This proved a great success and we've continued to exhibit at various trade fairs each year, including Pure Womenswear and the Spring Fair at the NEC. Please feel free to contact us for details of our forthcoming shows.

Where we are today

Our first six years in the UK have seen us grow into a thriving company with a successful permanent shop, private label customers and active wholesale accounts in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Africa, Sweden, The Netherlands, Israel and even Trinidad!

We've introduced lines in new eco fibre fabrics, like bamboo and soybean. We now produce seasonal ranges for men, women and children, and each year we introduce fresh new styles.

We're proud of where we are today. It's taken a lot of hard work and determination, as well as a big dose of luck. We hope to continue to grow and improve our business, as a brand and as an innovator.

We'd welcome your comments. So if there's any area where you think we need to pull our socks up, let us know. And of course words of encouragement are always welcome too!