People Tree
| Company type | Limited |
|---|---|
| Industry | Clothing, home wares and food design, distribution and retailing; holding company |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founders | Safia Minney, James Minney |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Area served |
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Key people |
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| Products | Clothing, fashion |
| Website | peopletree |
| Company type | Limited |
|---|---|
| Industry | Clothing, home wares and food design, distribution and retailing |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founders | Safia Minney, James Minney |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
Area served | Japan |
Key people | James Minney (CEO), Hana Sim (trademark owner) |
| Products | Clothing, fashion |
| Website | peopletree |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Clothing, and home wares design, distribution and retailing |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founders | Safia Minney, James Minney |
| Defunct | October 18, 2023 |
| Fate | Entered liquidation due to bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Area served |
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Key people | James Minney (CEO) |
| Products | Clothing, fashion |
| Owner | People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd (100%) |
| Website |
People Tree is the trading or legal name of a number of current and former fair trade apparel, home wares and food businesses, starting with Fair Trade Company KK founded in Japan in 1991, (trading in Japan under the name People Tree or ピープルツリー in Japanese) and People Tree Ltd founded in the UK in 1994.
In 2007, the businesses were organised into a group under People Tree Fair Trade Group Ltd, United Kingdom (UK). The group formerly also included People Tree International Ltd (UK), People Tree Foundation (a UK charity), and People Tree Enterprises BV (Netherlands).
People Tree was one of the early proponents of fair trade and ethical fashion and was the first fashion company to be awarded the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) Fair Trade product label. People Tree Ltd was, prior to bankruptcy, a WFTO member. Fair Trade Company KK remains a member.
The group laid off all UK and European staff in 2023, amid financial trouble, and continued its founding company in Tokyo. People Tree Ltd, the UK trading business, went into liquidation in September 2023, with debts of £8.5 million, of which £4.8M were debts to directors and to other group companies, whilst £1.9M were debts to trade creditors including Fair Trade producers in developing countries.
People Tree businesses no longer own the trademarks to the name "People Tree" - see § Trademarks
In March 2025, Fair Trade Company KK transferred its profitable People Tree food business into a new entity, People Seed Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AiiA Corporation without any ownership remaining within the People Tree businesses. Fair Trade Company KK stated they had granted permission to People Seed for the use of the People Tree trademark, despite the People Tree Japanese trademark no longer belonging to Fair Trade Company KK or any People Tree business as of October 2024.
People Tree businesses have been funded primarily by commercial lenders including Johnan Shinkin Bank,, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Shoko Chukin Bank, Kansai Mirai Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Oikocredit Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society, Shared Interest Society together with non-bank lenders such as Stella Bernrain and a variety of corporate and individual bondholders - many of whom lost their investments in 2023.