TD: Looking at TT on a larger scale, what is the ambition for the business? 

RK: To create a brand that encourages its audience to get outdoors and move their body, not so much focusing on fitness, but to do so just for the fun, challenge and enjoyment of it. I’d also love to educate everyone about how to lessen their impact on the environment and what small changes they can make to make a really big difference.


TD: Is there a clear goal you're measuring that ambition against? Do you have a moment you've been dreaming about and when/if it happens you'll feel like TT is a success?

RK: The goal is always changing, as I’m really proud of what I’ve managed to achieve so far, however the next step is building out the team, as there’s only so much one person can achieve (and there’s very good reasons, most businesses have more than 1 employee).).


TD: Your first collection of clothing was released after huge support of your crowdfunding campaign (Raising over $19,000). From a business perspective the crowdfunding obviously enabled TT to begin, but what did seeing that much support for your TT concept mean for you personally?  

RK: Crowdfunding was incredible and not just for the financial outcome. Access to the capital to fund production was important, however what was a bigger success was the community and audience it created. It was so amazing to have people that you’d never met before so invested in bringing the business to life, voting for their favourite prints and voting with their wallets for what kind of world they want to create. I honestly couldn’t have imagined how important and incredible the community could be.


TD: Along with TT there's a growing popularity for other start up brands that are using more environmentally friendly materials. How would you feel if the largest clothing companies (Nike, Adidas etc.) followed your lead and began using recycled materials too? Would the benefit to the environment outweigh the disappointment of losing the niche market and passion/purpose for yourself and other brands like TT?  

RK: Some of the large brands actually are using recycled and more sustainably materials already, such as Adidas. However unfortunately it’s typically only a small portion of their product range right now, I actually can’t wait until all brands use more sustainable materials and reduce their impact. Right now it feels like that all Team Timbuktu talks about and I love it and I’m so passionate about it. But I also personally can’t wait until its just industry standard to not take advantage of people or planet within supply chains. And by then hopefully we’ll have carved out our niche of encouraging and supporting everyone to get outdoors to move their bodies, which is inclusive and community based and I’d be very happy if that was our point of differentiation then.

TD: What's the next step for the brand?

RK: We’ll actually be crowdfunding again in the middle of June to increase our range, we’ve launched two collections which has been incredible and all revenue has been funding the businesses growth, but to expand the range and introduce more styles is quite cost prohibitive and so we’re going back to the community hoping they’ll support us again (but shhh this is top secret- you’re the first to find out!)


TD: On a more personal note, what else can we expect to see from Rhianna Knight in the coming years?

RK: So many hikes! Depending on if I can squeeze any time off from the business…. but on the to do list is the Larapinta, Overland, Thorsborne, Te Araroa and Annapurna trails!


TD: Any final thoughts you'd like to leave us with?

RK: It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the negativity in the world and the very real and terrifying consequences of human’s negative environmental impact, but it’s easy to make little changes, like saying no to plastic bags, straws and single use coffee cups. So start from there and slowly start educating yourself about how you can lessen your impact, rather than get overwhelmed and do nothing at all.