This article is written to inspire all readers to be more conscious on their fashion choice. Especially the fact that many of us is still supporting a fast-fashion retailers. They produce inexpensive trendy clothing that's meant to be bought, worn and then quickly discarded for something new. But do we ever stop for a while and wonder, where did all our old clothes ended up ?
Answer : about 85 percent of unwanted textiles in North America end up in landfills — which amounts to more than 11 billion kilograms a year. And not just that, the mass productions is contributing to the extinction of weaving tradition in South East Asia.
The tradition of weaving is almost extinct. Because of the influence of the modern world and high market demands, this tradition is hard to preserve. Handmade fabrics takes up to 6 months to process, and they are usually only up to 4 meters, while machine-made fabrics can be much longer.
From consumers point of view, hand made fabrics are often perceived as expensive compare to fast-fashion retail. When in fact, the price is unprofitable considering the long process and deep care given to the product.
The majority of weavers today are elderly women, and they have a small income. Society and government must care about the tradition of weaving. This culture must be preserve. If not, this tradition will become extinct in the next generation. In fact, if preserve, this culture can improve the welfare of the people in the villages.
In Paul Ropp, we are sustaining a dying industries by living creatively. Every piece of Paul Ropp collection is done by hand. ( Hand woven, hand loom, hand cut, hand embroideries, hand stitches, and hand painted ) We implemented zero waste on our production house. Every piece of the offcuts is made into a creative piece of wearable art.
PAUL ROPP ACCESSORIES
LIVING CREATIVE FOR THE BETTER OF TOMORROW
WWW.SHOP.PAULROPP.COM
