Sir Plus is a sustainable menswear label that uses 'cabbage' or for those of you unfamiliar with the term, off-cuts from shirts, strips of silk and various fabrics that are upcycled to create an array of dapper clothing, from waistcoats to boxer shorts, knitwear and even fedoras. We spoke to founder Henry Hales about all things fuelled by cabbage (not the vegetable) and what led him to creating the label.

Displaying more than a touch of English eccentricity, Henry grew up in a village in Warwickshire and moved down to London to start the business and is very much "self taught in the industry", selling online, at market stalls and at a few stockists, Wolf and Badger, Young Thread and Cad and the Dandy to name a few. The fabric for the boxers, waistcoat and t-shirt pockets are sourced by "going around tailors and buying excess shirting," making every piece unique in its own way. The cotton poplin boxers come with a little bit of humour etched on the label and the whole ethos of the brand is built on "injecting fun into design."

Despite having no background whatsoever in design, having studied Real Estate at Oxford Brookes University, the passion for upcycling and fashion is evidently shown with an energy and enthusiasm to showcase the use of cabbage and making something out of nothing. The line "expanded organically" from the boxer shorts to using other surplus fabrics, such as tweeds and velvets to make waistcoats, flat caps and baseball caps.

A sartorialist at heart, drawing inspiration from Madmen, Chariots of Fire and well made clothing, there is ample use of paisley print, which Henry loves as a pattern, with most of the material sourced from tie makers and cleverly upcycled. The real focus is the menswear line, although there is also womenswear and 2013 will see the introduction of a few more styles to the waistcoat range, which have a great cut.
There is a trend towards more smarter wear in men's clothing and there is a "big movement for dapper clothing, but you know fashion continually changes and I try not to have one look and make what I wear and my clothing a bit more adaptable." There have been highs and lows, as with any new business, but he is excited by the recent video, "shot on a shoestring budget," that really tells us, in a nutshell what Sir Plus is all about, you can view the spiffing video on the website, www.sirplus.co.uk, it certainly put a smile on my face.

Interview by Nardip Singh