Indigenous Designs: Driving the Eco-Fashion Trend

While some companies may claim that they are eco-fashion forward by adopting green or pseudo green practices in the past few years, other companies have been driving the eco-fashion trend for more than a decade, and one such company is Indigenous Designs.

The Santa Rosa, California-based business couldn’t be more eco-oriented. Their clothes are made from organic cotton, alpaca, merino, tencel, or other natural fibers. They also use low-impact dyes or none at all; instead, the materials are left natural white, brown, tan, gray or black. Not only is the simplicity beautiful—it keeps workers from being exposed to toxic dyes.

Merging “smart design” with “quality perspective,” Indigenous Designs manages to stay fashion forward and maintain ethical principles. With high-fashion designs that “reach far beyond the granola crowd,” these clothes are irresistible to the eco-savvy shopper.

Indigenous Design’s eco-friendly fabrics are produced adhering to strict fair trade standards. That means the designs you purchase come straight from local artisans in places like Ecuador, India, Guatemala and Peru, and the artisans benefit directly. The craftspeople weaving these garments are provided professional training and skill development, earning three times more than typical wages. These artisans are part of knitting cooperatives that work with Indigenous Designs – there are over 300 of them worldwide, via nongovernmental organizations – to match their skills with the California team’s designs. And all the company’s fabrics are sourced within 400 miles of each knitting co-op. This lends Indigenous Designs’ clothes a local spirit, absent from conventional clothing companies.

Scott Leonard founded Indigenous Designs 15 years ago, following his 1993 trip to Ecuador. There, he met a woman who owned her own fair trade knitting co-op. After hearing that the artisans were paid below their worth, used outdated tools and couldn’t access quality fabrics, Leonard was inspired to start Indigenous Designs.
“At the heart of Indigenous is a truly symbiotic relationship,” Leonard tells triplepundit.com, “one that mutually benefits all three parties: the consumer, the employee, and the planet.”
Last year, the fashion company reached sales of $4 million, thanks in part to distributors like Dillard’s, Whole Foods and the Sundance catalog. Perhaps the main draw is their “commitment to connect ecology, cultural preservation and social justice.” It’s no wonder Indigenous has gotten press from the likes of the Wall Street Journal and CNBC.
The name Indigenous Designs is synonymous with social responsibility. The company has no qualms about telling customers exactly how organic the clothes they purchase are—down to the percentage. And their “eco wool,” sourced from free range roaming sheep and protected from flea dipping, chemicals, dyes and bleaches, is even PETA-approved.

This fall, you can purchase pieces by Indigenous Designs from Jute & Jackfruit. In the meantime, watch what happens when cool, classy eco designs hit the L.A. runway!