Far Afield was founded in 2016 by Mark and Chris Scholes, two British brothers.
Having worked in different menswear companies over the years, the Scholes brothers decided it would be better to team up and combine their varying experiences.
They wanted to create a brand that could produce conceptual, high-quality garments that they would both wear themselves – and, most importantly, with a sustainable angle.
And so, Far Afield was born.
Far Afield offers premium-made products at affordable prices, “which is the reason we have such a diverse customer base”, Mark Scholes proudly declares.
As early as the beginning, the brothers made sure they did everything they could to reduce their environmental impact: introducing a zero plastics policy across all their trims and products, using sustainable materials, sourcing responsibly, and, of course, packaging responsibly. “We choose manufacturing partners whose values and commitment to craftsmanship reflect our own; we strive for small-scale ethical production that enriches customers’ lives and we always put the planet before profit.”
Among the decisions made on that issue was not to use plastic packaging. Far Afield first tried paper bags, but soon discovered that the durability was poor during transit. Whilst on a business trip to Portugal, they spotted TIPA bags being used on the production line by another brand. Their reaction was immediate: “Those bags are much better than what we are currently using, especially in terms of thickness and durability”. They reached out to TIPA – and the rest is history.
Mark also finds that the new packaging adds more value, is very premium “and creates a ‘wow factor’ when the end consumer receives it.”
In spite of the fact that this is the first full season using exclusively TIPA bags, the Scholes brothers were delighted with the positive response to the packaging last AW22 season, and they look forward to seeing the reaction to the packaging this summer season.