By now, you have probably already heard of Piñatex- a sustainably-produced fashion material made from piña (Spanish for pineapple) leaves, and interestingly began its journey in the Philippines. The Piñatex Story Some time in the ’90s, Dr. Carmen Hijosa worked as a specialist in the design and manufacture of leather goods. Visiting a tannery in the Philippines led her to witness the true and devastating impact mass leather production has on people and the environment. Upon leaving the country, she was determined to find a more sustainable alternative to leather. She resigned from her job to spend the next seven years researching and developing what is now a patented material and…
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Small Business Big Impact – How 5 Local Brands Choose To Be Eco
It is so refreshing and exciting to see local businesses playing a proactive role, not only with spreading awareness on the zero waste movement but also in setting a good example on reducing waste, and not creating more unnecessary waste, especially plastic. On this post, we highlight five home grown small businesses who are making a big impact through their packaging choices. Ritual Ritual is a small general store and cacao & coffee joint that focuses on locally-sourced, eco-friendly, and organic products not wrapped in plastic. You can purchase a range of food & drinks, pantry essentials, bath & body products, and natural cleaning agents for the home – buy only…
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Olivia + Diego – Upcycled Out of Happiness
In my search for finding local,sustainable brands, I first learned about Olivia & Diego on Instagram and immediately thought, well, here is another successful local label that not only helps keep unnecessary waste out of the landfill, but also offers empowerment and livelihood to women in rural communities, particularly in Davao, Philippines. You may have heard or come across this label too, as they have retailers not just in the Philippines but overseas as well, such as in Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, and the United States. Olivia & Diego makes fashion accessories out of discarded t-shirts. Their products are made by hand and come in vibrant, joyful colours – which is very fitting…