Interview with Joey Li and Thuta Khin - Founders of Leiho

This week we caught up with Joey Li and Thuta Khin - Founders of Leiho

to talk about the inspiration behind the brand, what Leiho means, why they decided on a ‘buy one, give one’ model and much more.

Can you tell us the story behind Leiho – what inspired you both to start the brand?

We met during 2019, whilst studying for a Masters at City University (Bayes Business School). After bonding over our shared experiences of growing up in Asia and moving to the UK, we discovered a mutual passion rooted in a deep understanding of structural inequality, something we both witnessed from a young age and felt “helpless” about the situation. This passion drove our vision to create a feel good brand dedicated to inspiring others to do good and give back. With every purchase,

we wanted a percentage of proceeds to creatively help lend a hand to those in need.

Leiho started with socks – why socks, and how did that evolve into a wider range of essentials?

There are two factors that made this decision easy. Everyone wears socks, it’s an essential item. Secondly, socks are one of the most requested items of clothing at homeless shelters. So to start, we wanted to make a positive difference with something as simple as the pair of socks you put on in the morning. To kick things off, we started a ‘buy one, give one’ model that meant every pair of socks sold, we gave another to someone in need.

What does it mean to run a “buy one, give one” business in practice, and what challenges come with that model?

A buy one, give one model is a great way to support local charities but practically and operationally, it comes with many challenges. In perspective, if we sold a million pairs of socks, that would mean we’d have to donate a million pairs of socks and that didn’t sit right with us because as much as socks are a great item to donate, we wanted to give something more. Leiho means ‘how are you’ in Cantonese and that embodies all

our core values of being caring, kind and checking in on one another. That’s why after four months into the business, we pivoted our impact model and now dedicate 5% of our monthly revenue towards funding projects and opportunities that really uplift and empower the people we support.

What have been some of the most meaningful partnerships or collaborations you've done?

Since pivoting our impact model from buy one give one to funding opportunities and skill development projects, we’ve had some great partnerships with councils and charities. One of our proudest achievements was collaborating with a candlemaker,

Anu Chandy, to teach two clients from The Baytree Centre how to make soy wax candles which we then launched. Not only were we able to pay the clients an income for helping us create the products but the products were also featured in the likes of GQ, Forbes and Daily Express but were sold at a store in Brixton Village. Witnessing the impact is also touching - one of the women said “Before starting the project, I was nervous as I thought it was going to be hard. But as we went along, I grew confident

and enjoyed working with this amazing team. They were very encouraging and supportive.”

What’s next for Leiho – any exciting launches or ideas in the pipeline?

We have just launched a new division for custom branded merchandising, named House of Impact by Leiho. Where we partner with businesses who are in need of ethical branded merchandising solutions, to also help fund impactful initiatives that support local communities. We’ve produced customised products for global brands like Spotify, LinkedIn, HubSpot and Howden for their events, employees and clients. This includes branded, trendy bespoke tote bags, stationery and socks, made from

sustainable materials. We are hoping to expand our network of partners and join forces with more like-minded brands that are interested in making a difference with us.

Where do you hope Leiho will be in five years’ time?

We hope to see Leiho partnering with leading event organisations such as Formula 1, Wimbledon and even go as far as collaborating with hospitality companies to change the way they currently produce merchandise. Whilst all of that is happening, we hope Leiho continues to roll out limited designs of everyday essentials that customers can enjoy whilst making a difference with us too.

What would your ideal day in London be like?

Joey: My ideal day in London would start with brunch at Where the Pancakes Are in Southwark. I don’t usually go for pancakes but I do love savoury pancakes. Then I’d go for a walk at Battersea Park with my dog Ralphie, have an afternoon drink at Joia Rooftop (the best view in the city), before heading to Scott’s in Richmond for a boujee dinner. I would end the day sitting by the river with a nice sunset and a pint of

Guinness from The White Cross.

Thuta: On the weekends, my perfect day would start with walking my dog, Hugo in Epping Forest (which I don’t live too far from currently), exploring nature and taking in the fresh air. I’d end the walk with a well deserved lunch at the Oyster Shack & Seafood bar where the lobster rolls are a 10 out of 10!

The afternoon would be spent thrift shopping at either Notting Hill or Portobello Road as they have an amazing variety of vintage and second hand shops - I love finding unique pieces for my wardrobe. I’d end the day with dinner at Kiln in Soho where they serve the best claypot glass noodles. If you like Thai food, this is a must try.

To learn more about Leiho click here.

Photography courtesy of Leiho