EnviroFern and YES 2008

Year:          2008

Team :        Envirofern

Managing Directors:    Louis O'Brien (year 13)/Tom Scott (year 11)

Mentors:    Di Humphries - Director of Hallensteins/Glassions Ltd & Keith Yardley - Chartered accountant  - Christchurch

Product:     Sustainable Hemp Hats     Sales: New Zealand

Awards:      Canterbury Regional Sustainability Award (2008)

As St Thomas's has had a very successful history, participating in the Young Enterprise Scheme with teams such as Stopcom and Urban Warriors, our aim was to make 2008 no different. We decided to create a product that would solve our social issue which was to put the marijuana plant to better use as there is so much negative publicity towards it. Many people only hear of how it damages society and not of the many alternative uses it has. From this idea came weeks of brainstorming as to how best create a product that would show the positive uses of marijuana. We then agreed that Hemp Hats were the best product to meet our social issue. Hemp, best known for its spiritual uses is a material made from the marijuana plant. It has many positive uses such as natural UV protection and has a high tensile strength. These features made it perfect for using as hat material. We believe that our hats would 'help to raise the awareness that much good can come from the marijuana plant.

With the help from our mentors Di Humphreys who is on the board of directors for Glassons and Keith Yardley who is a Chartered Accountant we started researching ideas and following up contacts from our mentors in order to start making our product idea. At our first competition, the oral and business plan presentation we did very well, but unfortunately did not win any awards as we did not have a prototype of our product yet. Then after much work and research we found a company in Auckland called Hemptech which could supply us with large Hemp material off cuts for a discounted price. We then found a shop in Christchurch called The Hat Shop which could create a prototype of our design by sending the design up to Hills Hats.

After receiving the first prototype we decided we needed to get a large amount of hats made, so an order of 50 hats was made. After we received the hats we then had the Trade Fair in The Palms where we did very well selling a large quantity of hats to a range of different sexes and ages. Shortly after the Trade Fair, Cheapskates wanted to retail our hats which was great as Cheapskates shops are located nationwide.

Throughout the year we received a great deal of publicity from The Press, Norwester and Christchurch Mail. This media coverage helped raise awareness for our social issue. Our biggest challenge was to put together our company's annual report. We chose to put the document onto recycled paper and to stitch it onto a backing of calico and hemp. With the aim of having a sustainable business and product we arranged for our report to get to Wellington via public transport and so the three of us cycled the report to the train station. From there it arrived in Picton had a boat ride and another cycle trip to Upper Hutt! At the Christchurch regional finals we achieved the Canterbury award for the most sustainable business.

The team thanks teachers: Mrs Shields and Mr McLeod and our mentors again for all their help, advice and guidance during our economic, business and learning journey.