Why is SLOW FASHION about social design!

Its all about HOW its made. And that its MADE BY SOMEONE.

We are passionate about goods made with better-than-good practices. Its what we are all about - Improving the social design of our world and the people in it one product at a time :).

In a time of globalisation and mass automation, it is a privilege to partner with established brands who are not only purveyors of people-first production, but true masters of their craft. 

There is something of unparalleled value knowing that the traditional techniques that many of our clothes and gifts have, are skills passed down through generations, carrying with them a spirit of preservation and dedication to the artistic process.

Each artisan skill such as embroidery, block printing, jewelry making, and screen printing, are truly unique, their individual variations are celebrated by us and our customers as a reflection of the time and effort invested.

Block Printing is an art form practiced in India since the 12th century, block printing can be simple or can involve many layers of color. After designs are carved from wooden blocks called “bunta,” large pieces of fabric are prepared for printing and affixed to a tabletop. The carved blocks are then dipped into colorful dyes and stamped on the fabric, forming an intricate pattern that fills the entire sheet. Block printed fabric is characterized by small imperfections, stray ink or an overlap in the print, all charming reminders of the handiwork involved.

Screen Printing.  A design is transferred to an emulsion-coated screen by exposing the screen to light, then fabric is secured to a tabletop. Ink is pushed through the screen with a squeegee to transfer the design onto the fabric, and the fabric is left outside to dry. As the fabric sheets can be quite large, the process often takes one person on either side of the table, passing the squeegee across and positioning the screen as they move.

Hand Embroidery. If you’ve ever noticed the embroidery on our clothing, you know the attention to detail that goes into each garment. It starts with a hand carved block and washable ink is printed onto fabric, the embroider uses this as a guide. 

Hand Made Jewellery: These are made using a variety of techniques and materials. Any metal pieces are brass, having been electroplated for a silver, gold, or copper tone finish. Pieces are either die-cut, soldered, or cast from a sculpted mold and then sanded and smoothed. Natural materials like wood, shell, bone, or raffia are typically carved or cut and finished by hand. Once all components have been formed, they’re assembled by hand into necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings.

Fabrics:  While much of our fabric is woven with power looms or commercially knit, we are sometimes able to include very special fabrics using handloom or hand dyed processes like ikat, a combination of hand dyed fibers and weaving that got its start in Southeastern Asia. The use of organic cotton, Tencel, and modal continues to grow as sustainability efforts improve.

In both screen printing and block printing, there can be complex additive and subtractive processes. Some of our prints are made by printing with a resist, dyeing the fabric, and then removing the resist to reveal the original fabric underneath. Printing with other agents and then steaming the fabric at high temperatures creates other effects that can be layered with colors on top.

Woven baskets:

Each basket is unique 100% this is because the weavers own the creative and design process. Each basket represents hours of work & has it’s own unique qualities & reveals layers of stories woven into the strands. Each basket is made from 100% locally grown environmental friendly sisal with high quality fiber's. .

Purchasing one of these baskets supports it’s makers and helps preserve an ancient craft tradition.

Everyone in the process matters:

While the detailed processes described above has the romanticized idea of “handmade,” It needs to be highlighted that the many hands involved in garment and accessory making do not start or stop there. Our items pass through many people before finding its final home. Such as the pattern master,  the designer, the expert cutter and finishing teams. For us they all matter and we choose only brands that feel that way too.