Hi, I’m Jo Salter, and I founded Where Does It Come From? in 2013. Just like you, I was concerned that the clothes I was buying for myself and my family were not being created ethically, and that I may indirectly be helping to sustain cruel labour practices and contributing to the world’s pollution problems. I wanted answers to my questions and these were hard to come by, so I had the idea of putting a code on the garment to unlock its creation story.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t focused on social justice and environmental causes. I worked for a major telecommunications company for 15 years (whilst also volunteering and studying in areas of international development) before transitioning to social entrepreneurship. In 2013, I founded Where Does It Come From? which has become an award-winning social enterprise renowned for its transparent approach to clothing production, allowing customers to trace their garments and explore the stories behind their clothes.
A firm believer in the need to inspire people to embrace positive change, I a published writer and regular speaker – you can access some of my media interviews and read articles here.
I am also a director of Khadi London CIC a regenerative textiles knowledge hub, a regular speaker/writer and host of the Where Does It Come From? podcast (listen here or on your favourite podcast platform. You can also watch the videos on our YouTube Channel).
I’m grateful for recognition of what I do – including being selected as a DEFRA Year of Global Change ambassador in 2019, a Pioneers Post/NatWest WISE 100 in 2020, and a top 50 Sustainable Fashion Influencer in 2022. I was recently a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023.
You can find me on Linkedin or follow me on instagram, for more regular updates on what I’m up to.