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We have talked about skincare in our previous Ethical Goods series, and now we are going to explore more about sustainability in the world of fashion and find out if Indonesia has ethical and sustainable fashion brands.
Sustainable fashion is defined as a fashion practice that puts environment and social concern on a high pedestal. In this way, other than being able to work through the products they produce, the business can also contribute to protecting the environment and the people.
The Slow Fashion Era
You may have heard the term “slow fashion” more and more these past few years. It was coined by Kate Fletcher, a professor of Sustainability, Design and Fashion, as a response to the over-exploitative system of fast fashion.
“Fast fashion utilizes trend replication, rapid production, and low quality materials in order to bring inexpensive styles to the public.”
– Audrey Stanton, The Good Trade
Slow fashion disrupts this unsustainable model by putting the people (the makers of the products) and the planet (the materials being used and how it was manufactured) at the center. With a production process that works with the capacity of the producer, smaller batch collections, and zero waste designs, this model aims to reduce the textile waste clogging our landfills and industrial synthetic fabric colouring chemicals polluting our rivers.
Slow fashion brands thrive in creating pieces that are classic and versatile. They are also mindful with the materials they are using for their creations – one that has greater durability. This gives customers the ability to keep garments for a lifetime. Now, you may wonder if there are any sustainable fashion brands in Indonesia that work in line with the slow fashion model. Indeed, there is a growing number of fashion startups with sustainability as their mission.
Our Local Sustainable Fashion Brands
Apparel: Sukkha Citta
Founded by Denica Flesch, a development consultant, Sukkha Citta was born out of her deep concern of the disparity of wealth between the urban and rural areas in Indonesia. She also found out that only 2% of all women who make our clothes worldwide earn enough to cover their most basic needs.
Her concern grew even bigger when she found out that fashion is considered as one of the most polluting industries. She then founded Sukka Citta to prove that sustainable fashion is possible. She’s now working with more than 350 local artisans and farmers, who have now been able to increase their earnings by 40% on average.
Accessories: Cinta Bumi Artisan
Cinta Bumi Artisan was founded in 2015, when its founder, Novieta Tourisia came across the fact that the culture and tradition in barkcloth creation that have lasted for hundreds of years was about to go extinct. As the world becomes more modern and seeks for things to come instantly, the demand for slow processes of human-made fabrics decreases significantly.
From this, Cinta Bumi Artisan was founded and started working with 29 artists as well as weavers in Bali to produce eco-friendly products. In the production process, Cinta Bumi Artisan uses bark materials from the Bada Valley of Poso in Central Sulawesi. They only use natural fiber fabrics, yarns, plant dyes, other non-timber forest products, and recycled and repurposed materials in their creations. Some of the products that they sell are necklaces, and scarves.
Shoes: Pijakbumi
The journey of Pijakbumi started when its founder, Rowland Asfales, got his sneakers stolen. Instead of buying a new pair of shoes, he decided to design his own shoes. This new mission of his led him to discover the poor living conditions of shoemakers in West Java. After his experience, he came up with the idea to work with these local craftsmen to promote their own local brand.
In 2016, Asfales established Pijakbumi, a shoe brand that focuses on creating eco-aesthetic footwear and leather goods. This brand empowers the society to conserve natural resources and consume less energy products.
Those are just some of many sustainable local fashion brands that are now sprouting in Indonesia. This shows that we can, indeed, create a business that balances profit with the people and the planet. We are confident that there will be more and more ethicalpreneurs showing up in our beloved nation.
