As International Women’s Day (8th March) calls for a better balanced world, new-to-market pyjama label Pjoys unveils their first collection of luxury gender-neutral PJs, with the aim of making mental health an everyday conversation for everyone.
Pjoys is set to give pyjamas a purpose, using them as a blank canvas for international artists and a symbolic vehicle for delivering mental health messaging, the brand will also share helpful and hopeful stories through their website and foundation. One of their first exclusive collaborations is with MadC (Claudia Walde), a mother who has emerged as a World leading graffiti artist with a following on Instagram of over 125K.
Following their successful Crowdfunder campaign, Pjoys is launching online on March 8th at pjoys.co.uk, with a range of limited edition sustainable organic cotton gender-neutral PJs, t-shirts and accessories.
The launch collection includes collaborations with MadC, Remi Rough, Augustine Kofie and Nicky Hirst.
The purpose led business will be raising money from the sale of each product for the Pjoys Foundation whose launch beneficiary is Samaritans, the mental health charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress. Pjoys care labels and packaging carry the charity’s helpline number.
“When I started painting graffiti I didn’t want to draw attention to the fact I was a woman. I wanted to be judged by my art and not by my gender. I chose a name that was neutral, and I avoided painting with pink for the first five years.
In my 22 years of being part of this culture I have experienced everything – being hated, praised, laughed at, adored etc. It’s been an emotional roller-coaster and I had to learn what made me happy, what kept me focused and what made me stand strong no matter what came. I actually found my peace and happiness in the art I was creating.
Today, I have so much respect for women, I understand how much they do in all aspects of society and that we would be truly screwed without their commitment, implicitness and emotional as well as physical strength. I am proud to be one of them and I am proudly using pink in my paintings today.” – Graffiti artist, MadC
“I’m thrilled that we are launching Pjoys today on IWD with our MadC collaboration – Claudia is a quiet yet powerful example of a woman successfully finding a way to make her art across the globe, that works for both her career, her happiness and her family, in what is still a male dominated sector of the art scene.” – Founder, Michelle Morgan
Pjoys is founded by entrepreneur Michelle Morgan a winner of EY Entrepreneur of the Year, the Lloyds Business Awards and the Queens Award for Enterprise. She is an Ambassador and instructor for MHFA England championing mental health first aid training.
The start-up will be following the ‘slow fashion’ business concept, they believe the supply chain itself is a mental health issue to both people and planet and are committed to packing their business model with purpose and positive social impact throughout.
Pjoys was inspired during the middle of Founder and award winning serial social entrepreneur Michelle Morgan’s burnout, anxiety and depression. During her recovery, she wondered if she could take the symbolism of ‘the PJ day’, both good and bad, to help make mental health an everyday conversation. Partnering with her husband, abstract graffiti artist Remi Rough and her best friend, brand expert Susie Moore, she is launching Pjoys, a new purpose-led pyjama brand.
Pjoys PJs are a twist on the classic cotton PJ set, enhancing style and comfort. MadC, Remi Rough and Augustine Kofie’s designs have their roots in graffiti art, each baring their own vibrant and futuristic identity. Whilst sculptor and installation artist Nicky Hirst has created Pjoys’ Z’s, using a rubber stamp with the extra ink transferred left included, to represent feelings of vulnerability, acceptance and humour.
“I believe that talking about our mental health more easily and openly is rooted in business benefits and is an essential element of creating inclusive and more balanced cultures, which we know make for stronger businesses.
I’m so proud of the team we have organically built around Pjoys, some fathers, but mostly mothers, all equally keen to flex their talent in our purpose-led start-up whilst navigating the school run. On a weekly basis we find ourselves interrupting a quick conference call whilst one of us picks up a poorly child from school or we all dash to do the school pick up and then regroup 30 minutes later to continue our business planning from London and Bath – that is joyful, that is smart and that, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, is bringing balance for better.” – Founder, Michelle Morgan
Pjoys are uniquely placed to shine a light on the diverse range of campaigns and organisations that are working in the space of mental health to remove stigma, educate, innovate and provide services to people regardless of gender, age, religion and sexual orientation. Their PJs create a joyful, accessible and inclusive way into this important topic.
For more information and to shop: http://pjoys.co.uk
