Transforming communities, one garment at a time. That was the inspiration for Matt Reynolds and me to start Santa Rosa-based Indigenous Designs 15 years ago. Since 1994, Indigenous has created top-quality fashion with minimal environmental impact, while at the same time enriching communities throughout the developing world. From the outset, Indigenous has supported organic agriculture, renewable resources, community capital and ecomanufacturing at all levels of its supply chain. Indigenous has also staunchly supported local sustainability programs and educated consumers about how mindful acts and purchases have a ripple effect both locally and globally.
In many cultures, knitting has significant cultural meaning and purpose, but it often doesn’t yield enough financially to support its artisans. Indigenous Designs works to elevate knitting and hand-looming artisan cooperatives in some of the poorest regions of South America (we now have more than 300 artisan groups in our production network). These artisans make a fair, living wage—well above what they might earn working independently. We also partner with nongovernmental organizations and agencies that provide training, educational materials and equipment that might otherwise not be affordable. Some of these partner organizations offer no-interest assistance loans in these communities.
Indigenous is helping TransFair USA launch the Fair Trade Certified Apparel global initiative, a first for the clothing industry. “This new draft standard gives consumers the opportunity to use their purchasing power to guarantee fair prices for farmers and social justice for the workers who knit their clothes,” says Paul Rice, president/CEO of TransFair USA.
The development of our clothing starts from the ground up. Indigenous uses only certified organic cotton and nontoxic garment dyes that don’t harm people or the planet. Partners like Root Capital and RSF Finance provide additional organizational support to their South American artisans and organic cotton farmers to maximize both quality and community benefit. As a company, we’ve always believed that, when consumers know their mindful fair trade purchases really improve the lives and communities of other people, they feel better about that purchase. They’ll enjoy the clothes, the style and the quality, and feel good that they’re building something positive for everyone.
“A lot of companies try to jump on the green bandwagon by claiming they’re eco-friendly,” says Matt Reynolds, cofounder and president. “Maybe they use recycled paper in their packaging. While that’s a good start, more needs to be done to distinguish businesses as truly green across their entire supply chain, and that’s why we urge businesses to become certified B Corporations.”
Through B Corporation and other third-party certifications, Indigenous Designs demonstrates to its customers and other companies a positive way to conduct business. From design inception to the hands of mindful shoppers, we follow practices that treat people with dignity and the planet with respect—without compromising quality or style.
Shop local
Reynolds and I catalyzed the launch of GoLocal Sonoma to support a resilient, thriving Sonoma County economy. Through its work in both local and global sustainability, Indigenous has recently been acknowledged with several prestigious awards, including the Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey Certificate of Special Recognition for Leadership in Sustainability, the 2010 Honoree for Leadership in Sustainability by the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy, and the Certificate of Honor for Business by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors at the 2010 Leadership in Sustainability Awards.
Here in Sonoma County, we can make a difference by making mindful purchases—a mindful purchase not only affects us at a local level, it also has great impact on communities around the globe. We welcome folks to explore more about what the power of a mindful purchase can do on our website.
One example of the power of a mindful purchase is well illustrated in the story of Maria and Mario Huisa. When Indigenous first met Maria and Mario, they lived in a modest home in Peru’s highlands. They wanted to work within their village while practicing their ancestral knitting heritage. Starting with one knitting machine and the passion to make a difference in their community, the Huisas have built a new home, now own 10 knitting machines and provide work for as many as 40 local artisan knitters. Indigenous Designs’ revenue has brought improvements in medical, educational and living conditions for their community. Maria and Mario are among the more than 700 individuals who’ve collaborated similarly with Indigenous.
We never could have imagined when we started that we’d be as successful as we’ve been in creating change in communities, but I believe it’s a testament to the dedication of our supporters and customers as much as it is to us. In those 15 years, ecofriendly, organic business has gone from the fringes of the economy to knocking on the door of the mainstream. We’re proud that Indigenous Designs has moved that needle a bit right here in Sonoma County.
Scott Leonard is CEO and cofounder of Indigenous Designs. You can reach him at scott@indigenousdesigns.com.
