Sustainability is about the balance of looking after ourselves, our planet and each other – wherever possible, minimising harm and leaving the world and its people in a better position than I found them – Amber Jones
Amber Jones is the founder of Bombus Artisanal, a small, slow-fashion business that focuses on upcycling and sustainable clothing. She founded it in 2022 in order to produce clothing for people of all shapes, sizes, genders, races, and abilities. As she says, my business exists because I “never want to make someone feel they don’t belong”.
During her degree programme in Fashion and Design at the University of South Wales, she not only learned her craft but also how damaging fashion can be to the planet and those working in the sector. She learned, for example, that ‘fast fashion in particular is built on the exploitation of labour, encourages overconsumption, and results in an estimated 92 million tonnes of waste each year”. So Amber ensures that Bombus Artisanal does not contribute to the problems of the sector. Whereas, as she recognises, many fashion firms give the impression that they are sustainable when they are not Bombus Artisanal is not only environmentally friendly, but it also pays the producers a fair wage, does not overproduce or overconsume, and “ensures that nobody’s wellbeing is put at risk for the sake of profit”.
A requirement of her undergraduate studies was a work-based learning placement, which Amber undertook with a people-centred sustainable Indian artisan handblock print producer, Mehera Shaw, located in Jaipur. Although the placement, from December 1919 to April 2020, was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, Amber learned a great deal from it and, as a result of the connection, has been able to acquire left-over natural fibre fabrics that would otherwise have gone to waste. Amber uses them, to make, for example, Bombus Artisanal’s handmade tote bags and jackets.
Amber acknowledges the support she has received from the University of South Wales “Launch” programme, a graduate freelance and start-up accelerator, and the University’s “Startup Stiwdio,” a business incubator. She recognises that without Launch and being part of Startup Stiwdio, the business might not have been launched and certainly would not have grown as it has. In addition to advice and support, she also received funding, which enabled her to focus on her business, get projects off the ground, and purchase machinery to produce higher-quality, more sustainable products. Apart from building on what she has already achieved by expanding on what she is already doing, Amber has plans to introduce new projects, such as a new inclusivity clothing range made from up cycled materials and naturally dyed fabrics, as well as expanding her existing Pride range, which donates 25 percent of each sale to Trans Aid Cymru. Additionally, she intends to introduce more upcycled products, as not only do these help to reduce textile waste, but “upcycling keeps what I make exciting and fresh for myself and my customers”. She is also planning to introduce a bee-themed range and donate a percentage of the sales to projects helping to save them. Not only does she recognise the importance of bees in preserving the environment, but she also loves them and says they make her happy.
Bombus Artisanal is a Harmonious Enterprise that contributes to SDG 16 by focusing on inclusivity and ensuring her customers feel they belong and are part of a community. It also contributes by addressing SDGs 5 (Gender Inequality) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities), as well as 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). As Amber says, “a big part of Bombus’ production is collaborative projects that highlight the work of other businesses and independent makers. It’s about creating a sense of community and supporting each other”.
References
Anonymous (2023), Global Entrepreneurship Week: How Stiwdio helped Amber build her sustainable and inclusive fashion line. University of South Wales. 16 November.
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