Seeking Sustainability
Every successful business seeks a higher purpose. Thao, the founder of TextileSeekers, asks how we may reconsider our connection to nature and nurture a global shift towards sustainable innovation, mindful creativity and curiosity surrounding our place within the world.
Fast fashion, the production of inexpensive clothing in rapid response to shifts in global trends, is one of the most significant contributors to pollution in the world, and leaves many victims in its wake. It is only by taking advantage of women and children in developing countries that big companies can market products for incredibly low prices. This business model decimates vulnerable populations and relies on consumer cognitive dissonance; exciting low prices distract from any questioning of how the items can cost so little to manufacture.
After witnessing the effects of fast fashion on the environment and different communities, Thao wishes to use TextileSeekers to raise awareness and actively contribute to changing this unsustainable fashion world. Here enters the idea of slow fashion, re-defining what luxury ought to mean and striking a balance between education, experience and self-transformation for consumers who are keen to make a difference.
Thao, who was born in Vietnam, began her search for answers for fashion industry reform when she visited a safe home for the victims of human trafficking in Vietnam in 2018. Then, she encountered the problem first-hand. Globalisation is pushing the younger generations in ethnic minorities away from their communities and artisanal traditions. Younger people want to make money in the city, and they become susceptible to trafficking scams and fall prey to unethical labour factories.
These are the children of master craftspeople, endowed with the responsibility to carry on artisanal techniques and ensure the survival of ancestral knowledge. However, the lure of city life and modern career prospects has led them away from their traditional way of life, gradually resulting in a loss of heritage, while exposing them to danger.
To combat this issue, Thao wants to show the younger generation that there is a market for their ancestral trades, and along with it, a brighter future. Showcasing the skilled embroiderers of the Red Dao Tribe to those within the fashion industry, for instance, opens a dialogue between designers, manufacturers, consumers and the local people, whose textile traditions have been largely untouched for centuries.
Experiential travel is gaining momentum in today’s world. After Thao visited her cultural home, she began dreaming of sharing her heritage with others who seek opportunities to widen their horizons, and reshape their ideas of philanthropy. While threatened, the intricate cultural methods of weaving, dyeing and embroidery are alive and still possess the ability to captivate designers and consumers.
It was as if the stars were aligned and after her life-changing trip to Vietnam, Thao decided to lend her skills in the pursuit of a sustainable and ethical fashion industry.
If you are keen to explore sustainable and artisanal developments for your business, connect with Thao by sending her an email to discuss what we can achieve together.