Sam Mabley, founder of Yes Friends, was the third business to pitch in Dragons’ Den tonight.
Yes Friends was launched in 2021 to make ethical clothing more affordable.
The startup’s T-shirt – which costs just £12 – is made from 100% Fairtrade and organic cotton and produced in a solar-assisted factory.
Sam sold 4,000 tees in its first month, and the company’s range has since expanded.
However the BBC’s first approach to him almost never happened as Sam received a ‘No Caller ID’ phone call.
“It was either a scam or a prank call from [his] niece – but he answered anyway,” the company said.
Yes Friends, based in Bristol, hired its seventh member of staff earlier this year.
“The fashion industry is known for modern slavery, toxic dyes in rivers, a huge amount of waste and poor wages for garment workers,” says the company. “Nobody wants that.
“But £80 for a sustainable T-shirt?! Nobody wants that either. And not buying clothes isn’t an option either (nobody wants to see that).
“So we started Yes Friends to make ethical clothing affordable and transform the fashion industry.”
Yes Friends runs a pioneering bonus scheme for garment workers; works with ethical factories; and these recycle 100% of the water used in production.
The other businesses pitching in the Den tonight are Fingagolf, Sea Sisters and ReVibed Drinks.
All Dragons’ Den investments made by Deborah Meaden
All Dragons’ Den investments made by Peter Jones CBE