How Four Leaves Is Pioneering A Supercool Socially Conscious Lifestyle Brand

Coming out of the Netherlands, Four Leaves is one of the most interesting sustainable and socially conscious lifestyle brands I’ve come across in a while. And when I found out that the company gives back to good causes in Sri Lanka, I had to interview the founder, the charismatic and determined Shiran Gort.

“Four Leaves started out as a bed linen and towel brand. Rooted in textiles and fashion I wanted to add more consciousness and experience to the home linen industry, as I strongly believe that daily routines like a good night rest and that me-time moment in the shower, go way beyond thread counts and weights per square centimeter. Don’t get me wrong, quality matters and we love fabrics, but the same goes for design, sustainability and social impact,” shared Gort.

“My vision for the company is trifold: first of all, we are developing Four Leaves into a full fledge ‘lifestyle brand’ with its own distinctive look & feel. Following this brand objective, we are extending our assortment too; think scented candles, room sprays, but also bathrobes, lounge wear and furniture, with bed linen and towels as a strong and steady core. In both ambitions, we have recently made massive steps, that should find its way to the market in 2022.”

“The third pillar are the donations: Sri Lanka has been a great start for a very personal reason: I was born in a convent on the island and adopted as a baby by Dutch parents. Like myself, I would like Four Leaves to mature in the years to come: our social component should outgrow Sri Lanka and Four Leaves should support children in their sleeping and bathing routines and education, also outside my country of birth. Wherever in the world actually; whether on the streets in Rio de Janeiro, in the refugee camps in Turkey or Greece and even closer to home with the recent events in Ukraine.”

Gort shared how Sri Lanka has not only been a core part of his journey but also an inspiration for the brand. “Sri Lanka has an enormous cultural heritage that is not always done justice to. Raised in The Netherlands I might also know just the top of the iceberg, but I’m exploring this treasure chest every day. Our name, core values and branding are directly derived from the national flag of Sri Lanka. On the flag the four Bodhi leaves stand for the four abodes of Buddhism, which we interpreted into our four company values: Excel with Friends, Empower Children, Respect our Globe and Care about Product. The four leaves are also visible as branding on our products, sometimes subtly embroidered or in jacquard, in other cases more ‘in your face’ as a statement.”