DECODE

OUR FOUNDER, DANIELLE ELSENER, HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE'S WORK TO PROVING ZERO WASTE AS A VALID AND ROBUST DESIGN MODEL. FOR OVER A DECADE, SHE HAS LEARNED FROM INDUSTRY, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND SELF-RUN INITIATIVES TO UNDERSTAND HOW BEST TO DO THIS. WHAT BEGAN AS A LOVE FOR PUZZLE SOLVING THROUGH ZERO WASTE PATTERN-MAKING, BECAME A WAY TO FIX THE FASHION INDUSTRY’S BIGGEST PROBLEM.

DANIELLE STARTED THIS COMPANY BACK WHEN SHE WAS 8 YEARS OLD, FIRST SELLING PAINTED ROCKS AND TRASH CANS TO SUSCEPTIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. WHAT STARTED AS “THE D COMPANY” EVENTUALLY SHORTENED AND EVOLVED TO “THE D.E. CO” AND TODAYS “DECODE.”
THOUGH THE NAME HAS GONE THROUGH ITERATIONS OVER THE YEARS, THE PROCESS AND OUTCOME HAS BEEN REFINED TO REFLECT INTRINSIC CORE IDEALS. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF CREATION IS NOT THE END RESULT, BUT THE WAY ONE GETS THERE.

SHE HAS SPENT THE LAST 10 YEARS FILTERING IN AND OUT OF INDUSTRY, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, ATELIERS, AND SELF RUN INITIATIVES TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, AND LEARN HOW A ZERO WASTE DESIGN SYSTEM COULD FUNCTION IN OUR CURRENT SYSTEM. SHE HAS WORKED WITH NUMEROUS BRANDS, MOST RECENTLY NIKE, REEBOK, AND URBAN OUTFITTERS, AND IS CURRENTLY PURSUING HER MASTERS AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART.