A connection with the Royal Ballet School and its main ballerina has brought the young company of sustainability entrepreneur Helen Banks a big leap forward.
Covent Garden’s prestigious home for aspiring dancers has given the 50-year-old’s sustainable ballet clothing a new look.
And its emerging Brazilian star Mayara Magri has signed an exclusive contract to wear outfits only supplied by Helen’s Stockport-based company Imperfect Pointes.
She was contacted by the school – she wanted to bolster her own green credentials with small businesses – shortly after starting her start-up.
Her outfits are now sold exclusively at the Royal Ballet School’s London headquarters, which is also the home of the Royal Opera.
Helen’s collection is made from ECONYL yarn, which uses regenerated materials from landfill waste, combined with industrial plastic waste and ghost fishing nets.
The main ballerina of the Royal Ballet School dances in Mayfield in an outfit by Imperfect Pointes
The dance clothes can be restored and recycled and eventually given to disadvantaged communities around the world, including the UK, one of Helen’s fundamental goals.
“Mainstream dance clothes are mostly made of nylon, which is extremely damaging to the environment,” says Helen, mother of three.
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“My outfits can be repaired and reused several times. That appealed to the Royal Ballet School.”
A picture from the Victoria Baths photoshoot for Imperfect Pointes
The material for the outfits comes from Italy via a supplier in Altrincham and is manufactured in South Yorkshire.
In line with her sustainability agenda, Helen was encouraged by her 14-year-old elite ballerina daughter to encourage more inclusiveness in the ballet world.
Helen explained, “We were in the middle of the Black Lives Matter thing when I was considering starting my business. It was driven by my daughter and we thought about how we represent ballet flats.
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On the subject of matching items
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On the subject of matching items
“There are a lot of stereotypes around ballet flats. They need to be broken down in order for us to move forward. There is a combination of discipline and wellbeing from practicing ballet techniques.
“There is no reason why anyone shouldn’t do it, regardless of shape, belief, race, age, or gender. Because of this, some of my ballet clothing is suitable for people who are not actually ballet dancers.”
A male ballet dancer modeled at the Victoria Baths in Chorlton. imperfect pointes outfits
“I’m not a ballet dancer, so I don’t let convention hold me back. I’m not one of those mothers who drag daughters to ballet because that’s what I wanted to do.”
Helen’s journey to running her own business began in a not unusual way. She was released.
“It was a great job at a sportswear company,” she said. “I loved it. I was in Amsterdam for four years and even learned Dutch.
“But there is something liberating about finding yourself in a situation where you have been released and it was now or never. It set me free. “
Prior to that, the Wakefield-born businesswoman worked for Co-op in Manchester for 16 years, where she learned the basics of ethical practice.
Helen said, “That’s where I learned my responsible retail fundamentals. I’ve always believed in responsible sourcing and ethical trading.”
Then she found herself in the fast fashion industry and was a company’s first female social responsibility manager.
“But it was like sticking a square pen in a round hole,” she continued. “I loved it because of its excitement. But it was fast fashion in the purest sense. It shook me up. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to get them to commit to responsible recycled fabrics.
“The problem is, we’re all so used to paying low prices for everything. I think we should buy less, but better quality.
“I haven’t bought anything new for almost 18 months. I have three children – I’m a realist – but I wanted to strive for sustainability. In lockdown we tried to get by with less. “
Helen started her business after securing the maximum available loan from the Manchester-based Business Growth Hub.
Another picture from the Victoria Baths photo shoot
She continued, “I’ve invested a lot in a website that gives my products that shine.
“I wear 70-piece women’s and 30-piece ballet clothes for men. But I’m moving towards gender-specific clothing.
A photoshoot also took place at the listed Victoria Baths in Manchester, and 27-year-old Mayara also filmed a video of Matthew Ball, the Royal Ballet’s first dancer, at the former Mayfield train station near Piccadilly.
Helen said, “Mayara’s time is very limited because she is so dedicated to her art, but during the lockdown she was more open to working with brands, hence the movie we made together which looks amazing. She is so talented and charismatic. “
Helen has now made sure that the packaging for products ordered online is compostable.
“There is nothing that won’t disintegrate in a food container,” she said. “While I was in lockdown, I took a sustainability leadership course at Cambridge University. I really believe in sustainability. We all have to change. We all have to stop buying so much stuff.”
They also offer a free repair service if a jersey starts to wear out.
“It’s not sales prevention,” she added. “It’s about sustainability.”
