Sustainability values

They prioritize sustainability through the utilization of recycled materials and deadstock textiles, often in the form of pillowcases and aprons. their ethical dogma translates to their employment of skilled female artisans employed in bulgaria. through the cultivations of a community of seamstresses they are able to create job opportunities for women passionate about rejuvenating cultural heritage through the preservation of traditional techniques. the objective of their design and production of distinctive garments is to usher in a system of ethical consumption with a focus on appreciating skill, craft, time and consideration for impact on the environment.

My contribution to their sustainability practice would be to use old table cloths, made from Tais (traditional timorese fabric), as much as possible. These are generaly offered as a gift in several occasions but oftentimes forgotten about and tucked away in drawers. Tais is a fabric that is completely locally sorced and processed, from picking cotton to natural dyes, it’s very sustainably produced so I also plan on employing Timorese artisans to produce more fabric with specific patterns as a means to spread timorese culture while also inforcing the local economy.

Key competitors

Priya Ahluwalia, the designer and founder of menswear brand Ahluwalia, draws inspiration from her Indian-Nigerian heritage by repurposing vintage materials in factories that employ rural women and pay them fairly.

Addressing the tension between tradition and modernity, between the masculine and the feminine, the Bianca Saunders brand is spearheaded by award-winning Designer & Creative Director Bianca Saunders. Taking inspiration from her British and Jamaican background, the brand approaches design with a multi-disciplinary attitude that brings cross-cultural references into a modern and reinvigorated evolution of menswear.