Era of slow fashion

Over a year after the Rana Plaza disaster, during which the collapse of the factory building in Bangladesh killed over 1,300 people, intricately made apparel with traceable origins has become more appealing to consumers with a conscience.

Now, despite the continuing demand for $10 tank tops to don and dump, the notion of buying a $200 scarf that took four days to handcraft isn't quite as foreign as the ingestion of chia seeds to a McDonald's devotee.

"Because we are so used to mass-produced goods at affordable prices, consumers often neglect to recognise that someone else is actually trading their own precious time and effort to physically create a product," says Colin Chen, co-founder of Tyrwhitt General Company.

"We decided to focus on artisanal and crafted goods because we believe that there is more to buying than just the physical transaction and ownership. Consumers have a right to know how the goods came about, the story of the makers behind the goods, why they are doing it and even the social impact of production."

Back to the source

Established in late-2012, Mr Chen's retail store located above Chye Seng Huat Hardware cafe attempts to support artisanal labels, many of which are local.

Perhaps a counter-movement in reaction to the environmental and social evils of fast fashion, several independent retailers and designers are pivoting their attention from maximising profit margins to sourcing for reliable creators of quality wares.

Case in point: Apart from committing to much lengthier, artisanal modes of production, "socially motivated" brand Matter relies on craftsmen personally sought out by its founder Renyung Ho to ensure its products are ethically created and of a high quality.

"It kicked off last year when I drove a tuk-tuk covering 3,000 km from North to South India for a charity drive," recalls Ms Ho, a former associate director at Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts.

"I fell in love with the country and met some key people I work with now. It was sort of a domino effect. Each of our supply chain partners is chosen through a set of criteria emphasising product integrity, community integration and good business practice. We personally visit each partner to establish that long-term relationship."

Besides relying on socially responsible manufacturers, some homegrown designers such as scarf-maker Linda Solay, a Singapore-based Swedish designer who creates "nuno-felted" scarves, personally craft each product they sell.

Relatively time-consuming and completely bucking the trend of high volume fashion production, these designers give new meaning to the notion of a "hands-on approach" to business.

For now, Ms Solay, who moved to Singapore to pursue a master's degree in fine art, makes every scarf herself by hand, from selecting the wools and silks, to laying out a design; rolling, shaping, detailing; and labelling and packaging. It takes from 10 hours for a scarf of regular size and complexity, to over four days for a larger scarf or shawl with detailing.

The manual felting process also involves laboriously applying water to slowly interlock wool fibres with a fine silk base. Hence, plans to start training and employing a couple of dedicated staff with a keen eye for detail are under way.

"At a time when anything can be purchased with money, appreciation for the slow and genuine craft form is being revived, not the least because it allows to further have a piece custom-made according to one's wishes," says the artist, who recently held a nuno felting workshop here, and adds that half her sales come from local customers.

Likewise, it takes 80 days to make a pair of Matter pants - about a month for the fabric to be woven, another month for printing, and 20 days to cut and stitch.

Weaving and printing require more time as the fabrics are hand-woven and the silk-cotton blend used comes directly from only one supplier; block printing, on the other hand, involves multiple steps where the production process is highly dependent on weather conditions.

"We see the rise of the 'maker culture' and indie labels. There's a definite growth in the demand and valuation of buying local," says Ms Ho, who co-founded a collaborative workspace for creative entrepreneurs called Kennel prior to kick-starting the apparel company, which currently retails a line of trousers for women and dwells on provenance and quality.

"Singaporean shoppers, however, still prioritise affordability and convenience. And although conscious consumerism is on the rise, businesses still have to ensure they can provide that."

Pricing craftsmanship

While the majority of shoppers may pay stratospheric prices for the perceived value of a designer product, they may still baulk at shelling out for relatively unknown labels - especially if they are local.

Which is why Tyrwhitt General Company manages a blog to showcase its designers as well as holds regular workshops to introduce old-school skills such as leathercraft and box-making to educate customers on the effort that goes behind a handmade object.

"When you can find a decent pair of Oxfords in, say, H&M for $80, you will find it shocking to see another pair costing $400," says Mr Chen, who also helms accessories brands Fabrix and Miller Goods.

"We've just held a series of shoe-making workshops during which participants handcrafted a pair of slip-on leather shoes from scratch. It took each participant nearly 10 hours just to complete a very simplified pair. Most of them have a newfound respect for shoe-makers now."

For some designers, the act of personally creating products is not just an outlet for creative expression, it stems from a desire to shift consumers' pursuit of cheap and instant gratification.

Founded by sisters Paige, a former primary school teacher and marketing officer, and Lynette Lee, a fresh graduate, two-year-old homegrown label 30Versions features only accessories handmade by its owners in a home studio.

The duo describes their designs as "art wearables" rather than mere jewellery, and, indeed, pieces such as a silver necklace embellished with pyrite - a type of mineral - have an almost sculptural quality.

"It'll take more than just awareness to alter the mindsets of people who are more inclined to follow trends and pay for lower-quality, fast fashion products," admits Paige.

"We believe that brands like us are generally spurred on by a different motive as opposed to fast-fashion producers. We create with a purpose in mind, hoping to either share our love of well-designed goods or spread a certain message to people through our designs. Profits are not our main source of motivation."

Shopping subculture

With the convenience of online shopping and ubiquity of cookie-cutter styles from massive fashion chains, our national obsession with shopping has ironically spawned an aversion towards mass consumption.

"Indeed, the fast-paced life and mass consumerist patterns of Singaporean have indirectly spun off another subculture of individuals seeking to break free from the homogeneity," mulls Mr Chen.

"In a way, everyone wants to be unique and special, down to their personal styles and things they own. Hence they seek options by crafters and makers that resonate with their own individuality. In a way, it's all about going back to basics and back to the roots."

Just like how some gourmands who crave a connection to their sustenance have turned to foraging to determine the precise source of ingredients for dinner - Sengkang Riverside Park is apparently a frequent haunt of such "locavores", serious shoppers want to be clued in on the origins of their purchases.

Apart from learning how to make their own shoes, they would perhaps shop at flea markets such as MAAD to engage in a conversation with the makers of a necklace they wish to buy, or visit online shopping portals such as Haystackt which curates a group of indie creators and offer some insights into their work processes.

"With the rise of conscious consumerism, even the fast-fashion industry knows that their model of fast, disposable fashion is no longer the way forward. H&M's Conscious Collection is a great example of a fast-fashion giant moving in a different direction," says Ms Ho.

"Our label isn't just a place for people to buy pants; it's about understanding where a great product is made and by whom it's made. This personal experience with the brand is something fast fashion cannot deliver."

This article was first published on June 7, 2014.
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