Branded clothing, merchandise & print manufacturer Wild Thang is now officially one of the most sustainable firms in Merseyside after its B Corp certification – and this step change is set to pay dividends for the business. Tony McDonough reports

 

Wild Thang founder Andrew Dwerryhouse described the securing of B Corp status in 2025 “one of the biggest milestones” in its history.

Now, as the business gets set to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026, Andrew adds it will be making more ESG (environmental, social and governance) progress than ever. And he insists that is not just from solely an ethical perspective, but a practical business one too.

B Corp Certification is a “rigorous and comprehensive” process that evaluates a company’s impact on its workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. It officially makes Wild Thang one of the most sustainable businesses in the region.

From its manufacturing facility in Bootle, as well as from bases in Ireland and the US, Wild Thang supplies branded merchandise to blue chip customers such as McDonald’s, Paddy Power, Sony and Formula One.

Launching the business almost 30 years ago with a £1,500 Prince’s Trust grant, Andrew has shown himself to be a canny operator. Building a business so strong and resilient it was able to continue with a £2m investment at the height of the COVID pandemic.

In the six years since its senior team placed sustainability central to the company’s long term vision for growth, security  and stability have now developed into something even bigger with investment into solar panels, carbon offsetting and meticulously ensuring its supply chain is as sustainable as possible.

But Andrew says while it is central to his own beliefs, taking the business in this direction is not merely an indulgence in his own ethical sensibilities – “its what great companies of the future will look like”. 

“There has been a major shift in recent years,” he told LBN. That means demand for more sustainably produced and ethically sourced products will grow exponentially.

“Because of the major steps we have made to become one of the most sustainable and certified in our sector, it has helped mitigate our own corporate risks while protecting our own world class business standards and values.

“In this day and age you cannot be truly world class without placing ESG central to the company and team culture.”

“Wild Thang now employs more than 50 people. They have families and mortgages and bills to pay. That is a big responsibility and one which I and the rest of the senior management team takes very seriously.

“This is exactly why we have clear ‘Wild Thang Way’ family values. We see team and family as exactly the same, placing ethics and values central to everything we do as a business.

“One of the reasons we’ve been able to get the buy-in from the whole team on our sustainability journey is that we have shown them that it is not just the right ethical thing to do, but it also future-proofs this business and puts it ahead of the business curve.”

Back in early 2023 Wild Thang publicly launched Wild Thang’s eight-point Long-Term Sustainability Pledge at the Good Small Business Awards, with pledge eight sharing its intent to become B Corp Certified.

Carrie Dwerryhouse, Wild Thang’s ESG manager, has spearheaded this strategy and says the firm’s own analysis of its changing customer demands has been a big driver of the change.

She added: “One of the biggest sectors we supply is tourism and the visitor economy. Visitors in person or purchasing online now expect premium, memorable souvenirs that reflect a brand’s story.

“Yet, the consumer also rightfully demands ethical sourcing, more environmentally responsible production, and long-lasting value.

“This is where leading attractions and global brands are turning to partners such as Wild Thang to deliver one world class solution that elevates creative branded clothing, merchandise and print by producing retail-ready products that align with both their commercial, ESG and environmental goals.”

 

 

Just one of the many customers it supplies with branded goods is The Beatles Story in Liverpool, the city’s world-renowned Fab Four museum which attracts visitors from all over the world all year round – and they have high expectations.

Carrie explained: “At Wild Thang, we’ve seen first-hand how the expectations of not only international visitors, but also general consumers have evolved.

“Well-founded research shows they now look for apparel and merchandise that not only represent the brand they love but also meet modern standards of sustainability and craftsmanship.

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“Retail outlets and attractions need high-quality garments or retail products that can be ethically sourced, branded and replenished quickly, while maintaining consistency across large product ranges, and still deliver that all-important retail finish.”

She concluded: “Our team works tirelessly to protect our clients’ brand reputation, reduce supply chain risk, and provide measurable ESG impact. For every order received, we will even be planting trees and investing in carbon reduction projects.

“This commitment ensures that every partnership we build not only delivers exceptional results and products but also contributes positively to people, the planet, and the wider community.”