A vision and a strong desire to build a business based upon ethical processes of developing and producing products, are what prompted the establishment of this conscious brand.
The visionary behind the brand, Wendren Setzer, is an innovator, a sustainable and purpose-driven entrepreneur who founded WREN, in 2008.
The company’s primary goal is to make a tangible difference in the world, aligning business operations with a broader global sustainability mission.
Wrenden worked as a textile designer for many years, but made a conscious decision to leave her job to pursue a more fulfilling venture. This gave rise to WREN, a sustainable brand that specializes in handmade bags and accessories.
To date, Wren has become a well-renowned sustainable brand internationally. In 2008, they began to make accessories from ProtectPaper™ which was developed by the company and trademarked in 2023.
This innovative material is a groundbreaking fusion of paper, fabric, and nano-technology. The material combines the natural texture of paper with the strength of cotton fabric, resulting in a unique feel that “wears like leather” and transforms over time like a beloved pair of jeans. Coated with nanosilicon dioxide, ProtectPaper™ is water-resistant and durable, ensuring that Wren’s bags and accessories protect their contents from the elements.
Wren’s success journey began in a local design market called, The Biscuit Mill in Woodstock in Cape Town, where it quickly gained recognition. The company’s breakthrough came with an invitation to the Design Indaba as an emerging creative, where the famous PPC Cement Laptop Bag was launched.
This pivotal moment solidified Wren’s identity with paper and marked the start of its expansion into an international company known for sustainable manufacturing, fair business ethics, and quality workmanship.
Since 2009, Wendren, began crafting travel bags from jute coffee sacks and subsequently in 2016, she was asked to make a paper version, which initially raised doubts about its durability. Despite the skepticism, she ventured into this new territory, and the results were nothing short of spectacular
More about the Founder
After leaving her job as a textile designer and seeking a new challenge, Wrenden began crafting a handbag from fabric off-cuts, which sparked her curiosity about materials, textiles, and their potential roles in the creative process. This curiosity led her on a journey of innovative product development, resulting in a series of creative breakthroughs as her business took shape. Despite initial skepticism, her idea to work with paper as a durable material has flourished.
“The inspiration for Wren’s unique material came unexpectedly. While driving behind a truck loaded with cement bags, I wondered if paper could be made as strong as ballet shoes. My experiments led to the development of ProtectPaper™, a durable and adaptable material now used in all our products. By bonding recycled paper to cotton, I created a versatile fabric that reimagines origami into something both tangible and functional. Folded and stitched, it reveals the untapped potential of paper,” says Wendren.
She concludes by saying that, beyond practicality, ProtectPaper™ embodies Wren’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and quality, offering a material that is as functional as it is environmentally conscious.
