"I've always worked in retail," says Giselle van der Star (30), "first in purchasing and later in sales. So I know both sides of the profession." In her last sales position, the resident of The Hague became increasingly involved in various sustainability projects, from upcycling to alternative materials. "It was as if a whole new world opened up for me, which was still very small, but where there is plenty to discover."

That question was interesting enough to explore further, Van der Star thought. And not long after, she decided to quit her job and launch her own brand.

"Choosing a good basic collection"

One of the things you can do to avoid making clothing unnecessarily expensive is to choose to produce a good basic collection. "No unnecessary frills on a jacket, because there is a lot of labor time and material in that. And the chance that you will be tired of that jacket after one season is much greater. I think many people fall back on clean."

"chosen to do the production myself"

Many of the textile factories in Europe keep their doors closed to starting entrepreneurs, making it difficult to see what the working conditions really are, or how sustainably production is actually done. "Because the transparency often falls short, it is difficult to be truly sustainable. That is why I chose to do the production myself in the Netherlands and set up a workshop here."

Van der Star had never sat behind a sewing machine and therefore started discussions with the municipality of The Hague about a possible collaboration. She received a microcredit and was able to hire a number of skilled workers. "For these people, the job market is a challenge, because they do not master the language, for example, but they do have the skills, as they have previously worked as tailors or seamstresses. With me, they can work for a fair wage."

Working with ecological materials

At Atelier Jungles they work with ecological materials that consume relatively less water. "The fabrics are also dyed in a natural way and when purchasing fabric, we look at certifications and transparency." A fabric like satin is not inherently a sustainable material, but if Van der Star still wants to include a satin blouse in her collection, she buys dead stock. "That is the leftover material from large manufacturers and brands; it's a shame if that gets thrown away or burned." You are dependent on the fabric you find, but that's not so bad. "Sometimes you only get five tops from a leftover piece of fabric, and then it’s: when it's gone, it's gone." That also has an advantage, because this way the brand never has too much stock or leftovers. "In this way, we can guarantee transparency to our customers, and as a customer, you buy a product that is designed and produced locally, by real residents of The Hague."

Link to article on evajinek.nl

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