In a sea of fashion brands using a variety of ways to be ethical and ecological, it is hard to distinguish the one's that are truly making a difference, and not just doing it for show. I bring you the company tonle; a Cambodian based, truly ethical online shop that ships worldwide. This is a brand that not only recycled every last thread in their clothing, but also employs Cambodians and pays them a salary that is way past the minimum. To find out more about what exactly it is that tonle does, here's an interview I did with Kaitlyn from tonle a while back.
What's
next for tonle? Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations or
campaigns?
It has
been an exciting year of growth for tonlé. We recently launched
online retail in Australia and will be launching in the US this
month in time for the holidays.
What kind of innovative fabrics has tonle created and how?
Where
and how are the materials sourced for your clothing?
Each
week our sourcing team goes to the remnant materials markets to
source fabrics for our production runs. It is a difficult job as
they need to scour through piles and piles of factory cast offs to
find quality fabrics that are the correct color, material, texture,
and weight needed for production. More information can be found
here.
What is
the design team for Tonle clothing? What is the design process like?
Rachel
Faller, tonlé's ceo and creative director, is the brand's lead
designer. She creates the concepts for each collection and then
works with a team of Cambodian technical designers to turn the ideas
into wearable garments.
Where
is Tonle headed? What are some long term goals you are hoping to
achieve?
We are
excited to expand our international presence with more and more
worldwide wholesale clients and online distribution. We want to keep
growing so that we can employ more people and make a larger dent in
the piles of factory waste produced here each day.
How did
you decide on basing the company in Cambodia?
Rachel
Faller came to Cambodia in 2008 on a scholarship to study the fair
trade business model. She fell in love with the people and the
culture and felt inspired to start her own workshop and fashion
label.
Does
Cambodian lifestyle or culture affect or inspire the design or the
process of making the clothes in any way?
Many of
tonlé's screen printed designs are inspired by the natural beauty
of Cambodia. Cambodian culture is woven throughout the brand from
our logo and designs to our packaging. tonlé clothes are wearable,
comfortable and versatile and encompass elements of Cambodian
culture with their colorful prints and patterns.
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