APPROACH
ETHOSSLOW FASHION
My aim is to design and manufacture clothes with great care, and to make decisions that prioritise quality, the planet, and the people in our supply chain.
By talking about this I hope to generate awareness around sustainability challenges in the fashion industry.
I continuously strive to do better.
PROCESS
FROM SKETCH TO GARMENT
First, I dream up new ideas with sketches and collages of inspirations. Then I work with Penny, right-hand woman in my Cornwall studio, to develop the patterns and samples. When the design, fit, and sizing has been perfected, we hand the designs over to our manufacturers in Bali, who make a final sample for us to sign off before putting the finished style into production.
MANUFACTURING
DYE + CUT
In Annie's purpose built family-run factory in Denpasar, Bali's capital, her team organise the dyeing of the fabrics, then cut and sew the garments.
Next, these base garments are sent to Mariati in the north of Bali. She weighs out the sequins needed for each piece, and distributes everything to her neighbours, who stitch on the sequins from their homes. Often a few women will gather at one home to sew together.
Mariati and her team determine the price we pay for their work on each piece, based on how long it takes to make.
We carefully design the stitching to follow the form and flow of the garment, so that the sequins lie perfectly over the body when worn.
Last, the embellished garments are sent back to Annie’s team, who carefully quality check every piece.
They add any final elements such as buttons, press studs, and tassels, before meticulously folding and packing everything ready to send.
CAREFULLY CONSIDERED
SKILLFULLY HANDCRAFTED
We work on design ideas for more than a year (sometimes even two) before they’re ready to go out into the world, and the full making process takes several months. Even then, the work isn't over: I regularly make tweaks and improvements to existing designs in my pursuit of perfection.
The result: carefully considered pieces, skilfully handcrafted.
This is slow fashion.
[01] Photo credit: @tlynnmcknight
CONSCIOUS CHOICES
MATERIALS
Each material is chosen with the intention of putting responsibly-made clothes out into the world.
ORGANIC COTTON
I source certified organic cotton yarn from India, which is grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. Avoiding harmful pesticides preserves soil biodiversity and protects the health of surrounding communities. Our organic
cotton fabrics are made using yarns that are certified by the Control Union’s Organic Content Standard (OCS 100).
Making our clothes from organic cotton is a milestone that was achieved after years of research and sourcing challenges.
SEQUINS
Rosa Bloom pieces are embellished by hand with highest quality custom-made PET sequins.
The first sequins used in the early days of the brand were PVC, a more common (and cheaper) material. I soon learnt that the manufacturing and disposal of PVC were damaging to the environment, and made the decision to switch to PET, the most easily-recycled form of plastic.
Plastic has (understandably) had a lot of bad press in recent years, and in particular single-use plastics are a huge problem. Currently, PET is the best (though far from perfect) option available for sequins.
Recycled or biodegradable sequins are not yet commercially available at the scale or quality that we need, but I keep my finger on the pulse, and innovation is happening in this area. I am in talks with two different companies working on developing bio-sequins and bio-iridescent pigments. It’s early days, and the materials are still in development, but the future possibilities are exciting. Watch this space.
MANUFACTURING
Our clothing is produced in small runs to help prevent over-production and wastage. I design with longevity in mind, not seasonal trends.
Older collections will be available to buy alongside newer pieces, and we occasionally hold studio sales for discontinued lines. We NEVER discard or destroy returned items or older pieces.
Since the brand’s beginnings in 2008, I have spent many months with our manufacturers in Bali, learning about the island’s rich culture and way of life.
This time spent working closely alongside Annie and her team means we have a great level of transparency, and a nuanced understanding of the manufacturing process.
GROWING TOGETHER
A RESPECTFUL PARTNERSHIP
Flexibility is key. When Annie asks for an increase in prices, it is given. If orders arrive later than planned, there is an understanding that this is the nature of making handcrafted products in a
culture where religion, family, and community play an important role.
Even factors such as the tropical weather can cause problems – in the rainy season, it takes longer for dyed fabrics to dry in the high humidity.
Although my trips to Bali are less frequent now that I have children, regular and open communication remains the priority. I talk often with Annie and her team, and we have a strong working relationship built on mutual trust, integrity and respect.
Having a positive impact on the humans in my supply chain is a top priority. I continue to educate myself and work towards ways I can do better.
MINIMISING WASTE
We work to reduce waste wherever possible throughout the business. We design products that use up surplus materials. Second-quality sequins that don’t meet the high standards we require for garments are incorporated into our sequin bunting.
When our sequin supplier has excess stock of certain colours, we try to incorporate these into designs so that we can buy them from her and help prevent wastage.
When ordering from us, you can opt to have your goods sent in a re-used box, and for every box re-used, we donate £1 to charity.
