BEEN London

Genia Mineeva, the founder of BEEN London, initially pursued a career as a political journalist and gained extensive experience working in the BBC newsroom. However, her curious nature led her to delve into the world of campaigning, where she organized campaigns for various organizations such as the UN, Change.org, and Natalia Vodianova's Naked Heart Foundation. Among the various causes she worked on, one issue deeply resonated with her: the wastage of coffee cups. She was troubled by the fact that these recyclable objects were being discarded simply because there was no market for the recycled material they contained. Driven to take action, Genia decided to utilize her strength in communication and engaged in conversations with individuals from various backgrounds. She spoke to local and international recycling plants, innovative material manufacturers, educators, artisans, designers, and sustainability experts. Each discussion reinforced her belief that there was significant untapped potential in what was commonly perceived as "waste." Eager to explore this potential further, Genia pursued studies in Sustainable Value Chains at Cambridge University. This endeavor led her to the realization that innovative recycled materials, rescued from landfills, held immense value waiting to be unlocked. Genia's passion for handcrafted, high-quality products made by skilled artists with generations of expertise motivated her to merge innovation with local skills and heritage. After completing a program in Accessories Design at the London College of Fashion and discovering one of the few remaining bag makers in East London, the first BEEN London bag was introduced through a Kickstarter campaign. The journey of BEEN London has been marked by collaborative efforts from beginning to end. It has been shaped by numerous conversations with peers about design and development, as well as the generous financial support from hundreds of people. The initial launch on Kickstarter in 2020, followed by SEEDRS, garnered valuable customer feedback that played a crucial role in the company's progress. The incredible community support has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today. Currently, our team consists entirely of talented women located near Victoria Park in East London. We take immense pride in naming each bag after our favorite places in the area. The shared intention among everyone involved in BEEN London is to make a tangible impact on the fashion industry by demonstrating that waste can be transformed into something beautiful, both in appearance and purpose. And this includes you – we sincerely thank you for your incredible support, as we wouldn't be here without it.