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Organic Essentials from Indigenous
Posted by Whole Earth | 11.06.2019
Organic Essentials from Indigenous
What do you look for when you shop for clothing? Style, quality materials and craftsmanship? Are fair trade and ecological sustainability important issues for you? If so, Indigenous may be just what you’re looking for. Indigenous creates versatile, stylish knits that are foundation pieces for your wardrobe. Whether you’re aiming for a dressy or a casual look, Indigenous’ elegant lines, subtle colors and soft, comfortable feel will help you look your best.
Whole Earth Provision Co. is pleased offer a selection of Indigenous’ Organic Essentials Collection in our stores. This line features timeless silhouettes that work into your wardrobe with ease. These organic cotton basics are soft, non-toxic and entirely natural. You’ll feel the difference when you wear these classic tops, soft knit sweaters and timeless tees. Organic Essentials make dressing simple.
Indigenous believes that fashion can be a force for good. For over twenty years they have been working with artisans to create organic, fair trade, sustainable clothing through a system of cooperatives in the Peruvian highland communities.
Their clothing is made from organic cotton and alpaca, sourced from South America. The cotton includes varieties that are naturally colored and need less water. Alpaca is sourced from small scale ranchers where family-owned alpaca roam freely as a natural part of the highlands environment. These fibers are strong, warm, absorbent and comfortable to the touch. Indigenous does not use dyes that will harm the planet and requires mills that finish the fibers to meet environmental standards that protect their workforce, families, communities and Indigenous customers as well as well as the local and global ecosystem.
With a network of artisan cooperatives and knitting groups, Indigenous uses fair trade standards and provides above fair trade wages for artisans while helping to preserve traditional knitting and textile skills. Finished fibers are matched with the specific skills of the artisan cooperatives: handknitting with needles, hand-held knitting looms, machine handknitting or hand-weaving with foot looms. Each handknit garment is made completely by one artisan as part of a small handknitting group in their community, not in a factory. This is more time and labor intensive but results in a garment of higher quality, fashion detail and care.
Foot looms are often found in the artisan’s home where they hand weave organic cotton materials. These materials are taken to the Indigenous factory where they are cut by hand and an expert tailor or seamstress sews together the entire piece. Nothing is produced on an assembly line. This results in a woven garment of the highest quality and fit.
Indigenous does not consider itself to be a charity. The company values partnerships with artisans and believes that their fair trade model is one of the most stable, equitable and profitable foreign trade models in existence. Their supply chain goes beyond fair trade to provide artisan communities with the resources they need, from affordable childcare, access to clean water, training and support for women to become independent income earners, and much more.
Indigenous believes that you should never have to sacrifice fashion and style to be a good global citizen. When you wear an Indigenous garment, you can feel the special care taken to create each piece. To create a link between the wearer and the artisan maker, Indigenous has created a Meet the Artisan tool which allows shoppers to scan a QR code on the tag and learn more about who made the garment.
Whole Earth is proud to be your source for Indigenous clothing. We support their commitment to artisanal quality fashion, fair trade practices and environmental sensitivity. Come visit our stores and see what Indigenous has created for you!
Read more about Indigenous Sustainable Development Goals here:
