Helston-based organic and ethical children’s wear company Frugi has reported a big rise in sales.

The Frugi Group – comprising Frugi and reusable products brands TotsBots and Bloom & Nora – has reported that its consumer business increased sales by 51% for the seven months from June to the year ended December 2020.

Frugi, which has also decided to repay its furlough funds to HMRC, says the growth has been driven by the continued momentum in shoppers buying from D2C businesses, especially throughout the pandemic. This coupled with the behavioural shift of consumers increasingly buying from ethical and sustainable brands.

CEO Sarah Clark said: “Although the economic situation has been and will remain a challenge, the strength of the Frugi community and continued interest in our core value, of putting people and planet first, has helped support the growth of our business these past 12 months.

“We have some exciting plans in our pipeline this year that I anticipate will support momentum in the domestic and international growth of our brands.”

Frugi received private equity investment from True in 2018 to help the business expand and promote its sustainable ethics as a way of life. With the acquisition of reusable brands TotsBots and Bloom & Nora in 2020, Frugi has spread its sustainable credentials into a rapidly growing sector.

In addition to a strong financial performance the business won two Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development and International Trade last year and was one of only four companies to achieve a double award. In the New Years’ Honours list, co-founder Lucy Jewson was awarded an MBE for her services to ethical clothing design.