Quality over quantity
What impact do our clothes have on the environment? Sally Tam-Hadi (TCFS 2007), founder of clothing label We The Earth, realised fast fashion was negatively impacting our natural world, and decided to act.
‘You don’t know it, but you are a small, small fish in a big pool of sharks.’
Sally Tam-Hadi’s father was realistically blunt when his daughter floated the idea of partnering with him to start a conscious clothing business.
Daniel Tam had extensive experience in the clothing manufacturing industry in Indonesia, supplying apparel to major global fast fashion brands, and understood the corporate giants they would be up against. Despite not always liking the business models of the companies that were his customers, Daniel saw it as a way to support his family. However, the immense waste generated by the industry deeply concerned him.
That waste was exactly what drove his daughter to try a different approach. Having grown up in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sally’s childhood memories are peppered with images of rubbish – including old clothing – piled high on street corners and plastic being washed up on the shoreline, and an early realisation of the vast chasm between rich and poor.
Despite her growing awareness of environmental issues, it wasn’t until Sally joined Trinity College’s Foundation Studies program in 2007 that she discovered her real passion for sustainability through the elective subject Environment, Development and Design, which inspired her to study a Bachelor of Social Science (Environment) at university. ‘I never really questioned where my clothing came from until I started studying these things,’ she admits.
After spending 10 years working in the education sector after graduation, Sally had a ‘crisis moment’ and challenged herself to really think about how she wanted to spend the next 10 years of her working life. ‘Every time I go back home, I feel really sad,’ she says, referencing Indonesia’s overwhelming environmental and social issues and her desire to do something about it. ‘I know I can only do what I can as a responsible human.’
For Sally, the action she ultimately took was creating the environmentally conscious clothing company We The Earth.
Daniel, despite his initial reservations, came on board as a mentor. Together, they started from scratch, researching small-scale, family-run manufacturers in Indonesia and Australia who shared their ethical mindset, used eco-friendly fabrics and learned the ropes for starting a small business.
Two years later, We The Earth launched its first collection. Was it easy? Far from it.
‘We’re competing with fast fashion, which is quick to market using the cheapest fabrics at the lowest prices. But we want to select high-quality fabrics that are environmentally friendly and well-made.’
Part of We The Earth’s strategy is education – trying to convince consumers that there are better choices than those offered by the fast fashion industry, particularly if you choose quality over quantity, and that these options are not necessarily expensive. ‘Buy quality clothes that are versatile and durable,’ Sally suggests.
We The Earth also reduces plastic waste wherever possible. For instance, there are no hang tags on products, and packaging is both recyclable and made from recycled materials. Customers are also discouraged from requesting express shipping — another environmental foe that many people don’t think about.
‘I realise the power of taking one step at a time,’ says Sally, reflecting on her journey. ‘I tell myself, start small, and then you can witness these small steps having a ripple effect.’
READ NEXT STORY >>> POLITICS: PART-TIME POLITICIAN MISSION
<<< BACK TO CONTENTS
Built with Shorthand