The ordinand who sold 4,000 T-shirts in a month

Can you buy an ethical, sustainable, organic cotton T-shirt for the price of a pint in a London pub? In a word, YES! When Daniel made it a reality, his premium quality T-shirts - 4,000 of them - absolutely flew.

Daniel Kim is an MPhil student researching mysticism and modern spirituality and preparing to be ordained in 2025. Alongside his priestly calling, he has also committed to challenging social injustice in the fashion industry. Just prior to coming to Wycliffe, he co-founded a fast-growing clothing brand - Yes Friends - offering a strongly ethical alternative.

ELEVATING THE HUMAN DIMENSION

"Fast fashion is one of the worst industries environmentally and for modern slavery", says Daniel. "Through Yes Friends we’re lifting up the lives of the garment workers and humanising the people at the sharp end of the industry."

Daniel caught the vision from his co-founder and friend, Sam Mabley, who had been involved in the space for several years. It was being confronted by the issue that convinced him that these global challenges matter deeply - and need innovative, intelligent responses. Daniel says, "It doesn’t have to be protest and activism. Much of the ethical fashion space feels quite angry with a heightened rhetoric. From the start we wanted Yes Friends to be a joyful, gentle brand with a sense of fun."

Yes Friends also creates a human link between producer and consumer by enabling the customer to directly tip the workers who made the garment they bought. "We're the only company that we know of to offer this option", says Daniel.

MAKING THE ETHICAL AFFORDABLE

Typically, ethical fashion brands have been prohibitively expensive. "You can’t change an industry if you're out-pricing most of the people who'd like to buy from you", Daniel insists. "What we're doing is making the ethical more widely affordable."

Incredibly, Daniel reveals that adding as little as 10 pence onto manufacturing price of a T-shirt can enable you to produce ethically with the best possible accreditation. "It's such a small overhead. It's feasible for us because we work at large scale to small margins, while operating a very lean business. For example, we spend almost nothing on paid advertising and rely solely on word of mouth to propagate our message."

It's 4 years since Yes Friends launched with those 4,000 T-shirts. The range has expanded to other high-quality staples - fleeces, hoodies, sweatshirts, beanies, underwear, denim. Autumn/Winter 2024 will be the largest collection so far.

LINKING EVANGELISM & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Church and fashion industry don't immediately spring to mind as an obvious vocational pairing. Yet it's this very juxtaposition that has helped inspire and give expression to Daniel's faith. He says:

"I used to work in a Soho advertising agency! I'm from a corporate background where most people's lives are not consumed by their faith - and while this doesn't mean you can't hold a faith that's very important to you, it's just a bit harder than in a religious environment. But to be honest, the most inspiring Christians I've met have been devoted Christians in industry. They really live out their faith."

He feels it’s good for pastors to have other interests in life: "It keeps me grounded. My primary vocation is as a priest. But the Lord has given me other talents. I hold this scripture close to heart: where it says ‘to whom much is given, much will be required’ – I’ve always felt that very deeply. It’s both very challenging and motivating."

REFLECTIONS ON WYCLIFFE

Reflecting on his experience at Wycliffe, Daniel likens the daring texture of the evangelical tradition - which "feels exciting and it would be a shame for Wycliffe to lose" - to the entrepreneurial spirit.

"Wycliffe has given me a lot of freedom to explore my wider talents and interests and never tried to straight-jacket me into a particular shape", he says.

"If evangelical means anything, it means the individual can lean into the particular vocation God is calling them to."