About José Hendo

José Hendo is a Ugandan-born British eco-sustainable designer who takes a fresh approach to fashion design, challenging the throwaway culture. José Hendo has won multiple awards. She promotes the use of organic, eco- textiles and recycled materials to create unique often avant-garde garments and accessories for both women and men. She supports ethical values and the environment.
Designing clothes now requires an awareness of the impact of the fashion industry on the environment. In her desire to get away from fast fashion, ‘sustainable by design’ is her mantra, from material choices to clever cutting and simplified production processes. “The clothes we wear are a direct expression of our personalities, beliefs and lifestyles. Therefore the history of a garment is just as important as its future.”
She chooses to work extensively with barkcloth. Barkcloth making is a centuries-old technique. It is considered the oldest cloth made by man and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Material in 2005. As the tree regenerates another bark to be harvested every year for up to sixty years, this organic cloth that predates the weaving era is the best ambassador for sustainability.
In 2014 José Hendo launched an initiative called BARK TO THE ROOTS (B2TR). She is now connected to the Bukomansimbi Organic Tree Farmers Association (BOTFA) in Uganda who have preserved this heritage of making cloth.
Collections produced by the label are inspired by a mixture of José’s African heritage and British influence. Barkcloth features in all collections, used innovatively alongside other organic fabrics such as organic cotton, silk, hemp, bamboo, end-of-line fabrics such as linen, wool or denim and upcycling.
Garments are produced at the design studio, ‘José Original Ltd’, situated in London