PHILOSOPHY

Etrican was established in Dec 2009 by Yumiko Uno (head designer) and Dragos Necula (head of business development) partners with similar beliefs and compatible skills. It is one of Singapore's first green fashion labels and a pioneer of the local eco lifestyle movement.

The philosophy behind the label is simple - we believe the choice of an environmentally responsible lifestyle should be desirable and accesible to everyone regardless of their circumstances. We design wearable eco friendly clothes and accessories that do not compromise on style and quality and yet are kept affordable by running an efficient business and keeping our profit margins low. Our aim is to bring responsible fashion into the mainstream and become the standard rather than a niche. Only then can it improve our livelihood and the state of our environment.

NOT JUST ECO FABRIC

Of course all Etrican apparel and accesories are made using eco fabrics such as organic cotton or recycled materials (for details see the next section) but we believe that manufacturing is just one step towards a sustainable business (for an explanation of the issue of sustainability see the Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability). We try to be environmentally responsible every step of the way, from keeping our production regional to reduce carbon footprint, to reducing energy consumption in our office and printing our name cards on recycled paper.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

As a label promoting a sustainable lifestyle, we see it as part of our responsibility to work with the community, on initiatives to raise awareness about environmental issues. We are frequently involved in such projects, some past examples include Re-Live by Eco Singapore (http://www.rethinkrelive.com/), Project Pebbles (http://www.facebook.com/ProjectPebbles), Green Carnival by SAVE, NUS (http://www.nusfightsclimatechange.com/gc2010/index.html) or Clean and Green Singapore (http://www.cgs.sg) to name but a few.

Are you plannning an eco themed event and would like us to get involved? Send us an email at contact@etrican.com and we will get back to you.

Although it is not the only requirement, "green" production is certainly a necessity for an eco fashion label. Etrican apparel is made using environmentally friendly fabrics and materials. Here is a breakdown of our responsible production credentials::

ETRICAN CLOTHING - 100% ORGANIC COTTON

All Etrican clothes are made by a responsible factory in India using 100% organic cotton, certified by the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard, http://www.global-standard.org) , one of the leading bodies of certification for organic cotton worldwide.

Unlike regular cotton, organic cotton is grown naturally, without any chemical fertilizers or pesticides, from plants which are not genetically modified, making it considerably more eco friendly than "regular" cotton. The result is a superior quality fabric that is:

• grown and harvested naturally
  • better for its farmers
• free from harmful chemicals
  • better for the environment
• soft and comfortable
  • better for your skin

You can read more about organic cotton and its benefits for people and the environment on the relevant Wikipedia page as well as here and here. A good overview of the pesticides used in regular cotton growth and their harmful effects on people and the environment can be found here.

ETRICAN ACCESSORIES - UPCYCLED RUBBER & LEATHER, WASTE FABRIC, JUTE

Our accessories (including wallets, hand, sling & tote bags, etc.) are handmade with the help of GtG, a non profit organisation in India offering fair employment to people from disadvantaged backgrounds. With the exception of jute, which is a renewable crop grown naturally, all other materials are reused / recycled, or as the fashion industry likes to call it, upcycled ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling), which is probably the best way to create eco friendly apparel. They include reused rubber and leather, as well as waste strips from large fabric mills.

In addition to protecting the environment, working with these fabrics has a few other advantages as well. For example, jute and upcycled rubber are very durable, ensuring a long life for your chic accessories while waste fabric usually comes in very small amounts. Because of this it is only possible to create a few pieces with each pattern, which in turn makes the items unique, often one of a kind.

ETRICAN GIFTS

Our gifts range has a conscience too - they are handmade / hand painted by a group of deaf and other physically challenged people employed by Silence, a centre for socio-economic rehabilitation based in India. Silence is certified by the World Fair Trade Organisation (http://www.wfto.com/) which ensures fair wages and decent employment conditions for the workers.

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