Getting to Know Kahindo

When a former high school friend of mine reached out to introduce me to a brand she works with, I jumped at the opportunity to get to know Kahindo, founder of her namesake brand, Kahindo. With beautiful bold prints inspired by her upbringing in Africa , Kahindo strives to bring an ethical source of income to the women in the communities who help make her clothes. It was an absolute pleasure to get to know the founder and her journey into conception of this successful brand. We talk about the importance of ethical fashion, as well as how she believes the sustainable movement (and the fashion industry as a whole) can be more inclusive. Check out our interview below!

All of our ODC community can get 20% off the SS20 collection by plugging in the code: ODC20OFF

1) Tell us a bit about your journey in the making of your brand, Kahindo. 

I started my brand in 2009 in Chicago as a way to express my Congolese heritage and African upbringing. I wanted to create pieces that I could easily wear to work and that could transition to night and featured traditional African prints. I was accepted into the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s on State Street where I learned the business side of fashion. In 2016 I rebranded with a name change from Modahnik to Kahindo and moved to New York. As a luxury sustainable womenswear fashion brand that is ethically sourced and produced in Africa using fair trade practices, our mission is to empower women in marginalized communities by closing the gender gap, paying fair living wages and creating sustainable jobs. We are now carried at Rent the Runway and Industrie Africa.

2) Tell us a bit about your heritage and how that influences your beautiful designs.

I was born in Uganda to Congolese parents, schooled in Kenya and lived in Ethiopia and Niger before moving to the States to attend College. My Pan-African upbringing has given me a love and appreciation of different African cultures that I constantly pull inspiration from. I am especially proud of my Congolese heritage which I often reference in my designs. We have such a rich culture from music, to dance, to the green landscape of my hometown of Goma to fashion. Les Sapeurs is a movement that beautifully encompasses this. I grew up going to buy African print in the market in Goma and then to the local tailor who would make a custom fit outfit for me for a special occasion, and I have always wanted to share this experience with the world.

3) What is the production process like from when you think of what to make to how it is finally manufactured? 

Everything always starts with color, that is the essence of KAHINDO. I look at trend reports to get an idea of what colors will be in the next season. The next step is coming up with the print. We started developing prints in house, which is very exciting, as they are always unique to the brand. We love to collaborate with different artists to interpret their work into textiles. Once the fabric is selected we come up with the styles which always include our staples and a couple of new looks that our customer craves. Samples are made to perfect the fit, then manufacturing begins. For Spring Summer 2020, we sourced hand dyed fabric that was made in Kenya, and worked with female artisans in DR Congo who sewed the garments to perfection.

4) What does ‘sustainability’ mean to you and your brand and how do you strive for environmental and ethical justice within the fashion industry?

We address 3 of the United Nations Sustainable development goals, which are Gender Equity, Fair Trade and Poverty Eradication. This means focusing on the human factor. That is, we want to ensure fashion is ethical, that workers are treated fairly, that they get paid a fair living wage and work in safe working conditions. We believe that providing sustainable jobs is the key to ending poverty and that when you empower a woman, you empower a whole community. We want to make a well-made product in Africa that has a social impact. Consumers care how and where their clothes are made and we hope to deliver on that.

5) I love your latest collection, dropped this past January. Such beautiful colors! Tell us about your RefuSHE campaign and how that came about. 

I have been involved with RefuShe since 2014 when I participated in their “Project Runway” inspired fashion challenge, and won it that year. Their mission of empowering refugee girls is something that is close to my heart. I always wanted to be involved more, so when the opportunity came to collaborate with the women who work in the Artisan Collective, I had to jump on it. They hand dyed the fabric that was used in my SS20 collection, while earning some income which gives them financial freedom.

6) What was your experience on Project Runway like and what were some of the things you learned that stuck with you to this day?

Being selected to participate in Project Runway Season 12 was a dream come true, especially because I was picked from hundreds of designers.  The show gave me a huge opportunity to showcase my talent to millions of viewers across the U.S. I am proud that I was able to share my culture and heritage with such a large audience.

7) What message do you have for your followers and community about your own experiences as a Black-owned business and how you have remained so persistent in an industry that has been (and still can be) resistant to equality and change from within.  

The fashion industry has a lack of diversity, not only with models, but designers and press. Because of this I have had to work 10 times as hard as another designer to get the press coverage I deserve, or to get carried by retailers. I have also been passed over for so many opportunities because of the color of my skin. This has definitely slowed the growth of my brand, in addition to lack of access to capital and a network. However, I have been resilient and tenacious and truly believe that my brand is at the cusp of success.

8) How do you feel we can best make sustainability more inclusive?  

I feel large and small retailers need to start carrying more sustainable brands and more brands that are designed by black women. The 15% pledge is a great movement that is challenging retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to black founded companies, which is a great start.

9) What goals do you have, current or in the future, in achieving more sustainable practices as a business? 

We started with a focus on ethical production, which sometimes is overlooked when you talk about sustainability, but is just as important if not more, because in effect it is how we treat garment workers. In the future we will source more sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp and linen and incorporate recycled materials in our packaging.

10) What has been one of your biggest achievements to date? 

Being able to provide sustainable job opportunities to female artisans in my home town of Goma, DRC is one of my biggest achievements. I was able to give over 150 days of work to the women, because of Rent the Runway, where KAHINDO is currently stocked at. 

Follow Kahindo along:

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A Conscious Holiday Season

The holiday season is fast approaching, and while it may feel necessary to tap into your consuming habits, we have some suggestions for you to go into the end of 2019 and to start off the new decade with a different mindset this time around!

Reuse decorations

Think about what you already have when it comes to the holidays. A lot of the time, we think we need to buy more decorations each year, but make sure and check out what you already have. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see you may not need another plastic wreath or more plastic decorations to cover your tree. Think simple. Use what you have. Borrow what you need. Use things from around the home to make new decorations. Use this cold weather as a time to be creative and crafty at home.

Renting holiday outfits

The environmental impact on renting clothes versus buying the fast-fashion counterpart are not studied in detail quite yet. However, here are my inputs when it comes to ordering from sustainable companies online. We have to monitor shipping and returns, types of cleaning used after each use, packaging used and the like are done consciously as well. This article by Elle magazine sums up my concerns pretty well! I do however have hope that renting is a huge step in the right direction. It’s training customers to rethink buying for every event they have, and resorting to reusing what’s already out there, which is great! The first most wasteful part of the fashion industry is the production process. So if we can produce less and re-wear more of what we have, that’s a huge advantage. And if we can continue to increase the demand of renting, perhaps we’ll also start to consider greener options within the shipping, cleaning and packaging realms. While production is the ‘dirtiest’ in terms of harmfulness to the environment, other aspects such as energy usage, transportation, recycling, and recycling issues need to be addressed as well. Check out these rental platforms below.

Vacation Local/Take comfort in relaxation and staying put

Okay this is selfishly mostly for myself, but I tend to get overwhelmed by FOMO over the holidays, thinking I need to travel here, visit there, do that, see this. Because I have the time off, naturally, it makes sense to put the holidays to use and travel. But sometimes, it’s best to relax, stay home, visit the family, and take comfort in relaxation. I’ve been practicing this on the weekends, taking time for myself to catch up on work, catch up on silly shows on Netflix, read a book, and do it all guilt-free. I talked about this in a recent IG post on @ondutycitizen about taking comfort in staying put and not making any plans. So if you’re thinking about a last minute trip but can’t decide (guilty!) think about the alternative, staying home with friends and family, in a new light and while it is important to live in the now, perhaps you could save up and use that money for two bigger trips the following year. Plus you’ll be reducing your travel on airplanes by staying local which we all know is much better for the environment and C02 emissions. :)

Here are some cool travel trips on the Good Trade. They list a lot of cool destinations close to home (if you’re up for it), or stay put and cozy up at home with a blanket, a candle and a good book!

Carbon offsetting

Carbon offsetting is the act of purchasing carbon credits that will support companies and nonprofits that are working to cancel out C02 emissions either by sucking up the C02 (planting trees for example) or avoiding future emissions altogether by investing in clean energy technologies. There are a few arguments against offsetting, one being it doesn’t tackle the main issue of creating C02 emissions in the first place. Writer George Monbiot famously said: “Just as indulgences allowed the rich to feel better about sinful behavior without actually changing their ways, carbon offsets allow us to "buy complacency, political apathy and self-satisfaction". I personally use it not to exonerate myself, because beyond offsetting I really do try and be ‘green’ in many other aspects of my life. I use it to offset the travel I have to do for work, but I also do other things to combat climate change. With this balance, I think offsetting is okay. As long as we’re investing in other resources to tackle the climate crisis. It’s also important to make sure the company you’re investing in is legitimate. Here are a few of the top carbon offsetting companies below and this article has a great summary of the pros and cons of carbon offsetting.

Rethink gifts

Think about gifts that serve a purpose. Does the person you’re shopping for really need another Christmas card and scented candle? Or would they perhaps be more appreciative of a donation in their name? Here are some of our suggestions for ‘new age’ gifts. And if you buy something in physical form, think about how you’re going to wrap it, and get creative. We love the idea of using reusable wrapping paper, old fabric scraps, newspapers and reusing old cards by cutting out the side with writing and writing on the back of the clean side. There are a ton of ways to get creative that will not only help your wallet this holiday season but also help reduce the waste you create.

Shop smart

If you have a few things you need to buy this season, think before you buy. Think about its impact in your closet or the person you’re shopping for. Don’t buy on impulse. Imagine the piece in their home and think about the longevity of it. We often have to think about closet cleanses and spring cleans, so think about the absolute necessity of the purchase before you buy. Buying something isn’t bad per se, but shopping on an impulse may be!

Do your research before you buy.

  • On our site, we have curated a bunch of sustainable and ethical products from companies we believe in who are transparent about their business practices. Look to invest in companies who are open and honest about their production processes. For us, it’s better to invest in a company who acknowledges they’re not perfect but they’re trying to be better and who lists their goals for the near to far future.

  • Good On You rates companies based on their environmental impact. Check them out!!

Think used! Buying secondhand is one of the best things you can do. It alleviates the waste that ends up in the landfills and gives another life to clothes that are often in perfect condition. Here are some of our favorite used sites. Alternatively, you could shop at your local secondhand store. If you’re NYC based, Tokio 7 is a favorite of ours located in East Village.

Be smart about your sizes. A lot of the environmental harm from shopping online comes from returns and reorders. Make sure you measure your sizes, check out reviews to ensure you’re getting the perfect fit so you can avoid sending things back and forth.

Easy swaps

From plastic baggies for food storage to saran wrap and disposable razors, there’s an alternative for that. Here are our favorite swaps that help alleviate the plastic use in your home, and quite frankly for me personally, all of these swaps work better than the former alternative!

Visit the farmer’s market

I try and shop organic as much as is possible, but sometimes I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that even the ‘healthy’ stuff is wrapped in plastic, some which seems entirely unnecessary. One benefit of shopping at your local farmer’s market is it’s a lot easier to reduce the amount of plastic you’re purchasing. You can bring your own bags, put things straight from the crates into your reusables without having to think about wrapping anything in plastic. A lot of the time, the markets will have paper on site too if you absolutely need to wrap something up.

In addition, most of the stuff you’ll find at the market is local and in season. This helps alleviate the carbon used when food has to travel from far away. And if you think logically about it, it really doesn’t make sense to consume things that aren’t growing seasonally in your region. For thousands of years before us, hunters, gatherers and even our ancestors solely survived on what was in season at the moment. Let’s get back to basics.

If you need some more insight on why to shop local, check out this article. They sum it up quite easily.

Hosting lots? Keep your home sparkling with home made cleaners

Hosting over the holidays can require a lot of cleaning. And while it may feel necessary to break out the bleach spray that smells and feels like you’re killing all the bacteria in sight, you may want to think twice about using them as they can actually be harmful to your health. Here are a few of our favorite recipes below for your own air fresheners, bathroom and everyday cleaners using just a few household ingredients. Easy and effective! For more options, check out this article by Good On You.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this. I hope you collected some ideas to change up your approach to the holiday season. Believe me, I know a lot of this is easier said than done, but if we can take one small step at a time, have discussions about climate change and what we can all do to be better, we’ll inspire our friends followers and families to follow our lead. A lot of the imperative change we need is from the high ups, our government, our state officials, our president. So while it’s just as (if not more) important to get political, these are the small steps you can take this holiday season to positively change your sometimes unhealthy habits.

Renting Is The New Black

The holiday social season is upon us!  Your calendars are likely filling up with good times with good friends! As I looked over my plans for the next few weeks, I started to think about what I'd wear.  At the same time, I received an email from Rent The Runway, offering a special deal on their unlimited monthly membership.  For $159/month (with $80 off for November & December) you get unlimited access to outfits, from cocktail dresses to motorcycle jackets, all delivered and dry-cleaned for free.  

You can order up to 4 outfits at a time and keep them as long as you want.  When you want something new, just return them and order more.  Most have the option to buy if you really fall in love. My daughter and co-founder, Brittany Bergmeister, is a big fan of Rent The Runway and has modelled for them in the past.  She loves the sustainability of renting and re-using clothes that you might only wear a couple of times.  I decided to give it a try! I ordered on Saturday and am expecting delivery just in time for Thanksgiving.  I'll let you know how it goes! Happy Holidays!

-Maria Bromley, Mom Of Model

 
 


Your Sustainable Guide to Fashion Week- s/s 2018

Living in a big fashion capital like New York, it can often be tough to stick to sustainable habits. However, once we're properly informed, avoiding fast-fashion shops like Zara and Forever21 can become quite easy. Other habits are harder to form, especially as fashion week approaches. We see celebrities and models dressed in gorgeous new outfits every day. We’re bombarded with the new "must have" trends that models wear as they strut down the runway, some available for purchase before the show even finishes... and we’re invited to parties and networking events where food is left untouched and plastic straws and cups are littered about, most of which will not be recycled. It’s an exciting time when the city comes alive and everyone shows off their best-looking selves but why is it we forget what truly matters, our duty as human beings to be more environmentally conscious? Shouldn’t our utmost priority be to make sustainable sexy? Here’s how!

Going to an event? Not sure what to wear? Try some of these options below. 

Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway is a company that lets you borrow dresses and evening wear for those special events, then return it for free as soon as you’re done! You can order in multiple sizes so you can ensure you get the right fit and don’t have to worry about dry-cleaning post wear, they’ll do all that for you!

When you rent a dress, you’re saving all the natural resources that go into manufacturing a new piece of clothing. The average woman throws away around 82 pounds of clothing per year. Renting helps reduce this significantly. [1]

We often wear that statement dress only once or twice, so why not get something fab (they have 250,000 designer pieces to choose from!), wear it once and then return it? It’s about shifting perspectives of the consumer and letting your friends and peers know it’s okay to rent something that’s already been worn and it is so much more environmentally friendly. 

Have a clothing swap

I’ve written about it before on a previous blog post but I can’t stress enough how amazing a clothing swap party is! You can do it with as little or as many people as you want, and the whole thing can be done without spending a dime. Have some extra clothes laying around that don’t get worn? Bring them (or host) a clothing swap party where everyone brings a few garments and trade away! It’s the perfect way to revamp your wardrobe and get some awesome unique pieces that your friends no longer wear. The best way to ‘shop’ sustainably, and reduce waste is to reuse! [2]

Borrow from a friend

Sometimes, the easiest and most cost effective way to complete a look is to borrow from a friend. Rather than my friend buying a fancy clutch she’d only end up using once for an upcoming wedding, I let her borrow one from me. Now I know in the future I can count on her to lend me an accessory or even a dress if I need it. We all have way too many things in our closet so why not share and save a little money for some more drinks with your girls at the bar?;)

Second-hand shopping

Here in New York, we’re lucky enough to have some truly amazing second-hand shops. The stuff is already made and reusing that is, without a doubt, the most sustainable option out there, even more so than making new clothes out of sustainable materials. You can often find some one-of-a-kind pieces that will make your outfit so much cooler than whatever Zara outfit every other person is wearing. Then, when you get stopped by a street-style photographer asking where you got your blazer, you can be that cool, off-trend person who says they got it from the second-hand store;) Often, used items are less expensive as well. Beacon’s Closet, Buffalo Exchange, and even your local Goodwill are excellent options. 

Reduce the Plastic

With a plethora of parties coming up and with that, a decent amount of drinking, why not make a pledge to yourself to #stopsucking? The Lonely Whale foundation seeks to educate people about the oceans and our impact on them. From overfishing, plastic pollution and acidification, our oceans need us to live smarter and become more aware of our actions. In the U.S. alone we use 500 million plastic straws EVERY DAY, many of which end up in the ocean. Lonely Whale has set out to combat this pollution by not using any plastic straws and encouraging everyone to join them. Paper, metal, glass and bamboo are all MUCH more sustainable options. Take the pledge to #stopsucking on single-use plastic straws and challenge your friends! Going out to a fashion week after party? Order that drink sans straw. Or, if you prefer your drinks with straws bring one with you! Read more about strawless oceans here. 

Your Straw offers incredible bamboo straws as an alternative. They’re the perfect size for anything from coffees to smoothies and come with a tiny brush so you can keep them clean. Purchase your own Your Straw here.

In addition to straws, try and carry a tote bag with you everywhere you go. That way, if you get some cool gift bags from shows or have to do a quick grocery shop on the way home, you can skip the plastic bag! I also always try and carry a fork and spoon with me. It’s the easiest way to reduce the single-use plastic options and is great to have on hand as I run from casting to casting all over the city.  

Take Public Transportation

New York City Fashion Week is spread out with a conflicting schedule that makes attending a few shows each day near impossible. Traffic is always a mess and people are always running late. Why not take mass transit to avoid the headache of being stuck in traffic knowing you’re not doing the environment any good? “A bus with as few as seven passengers is more fuel-efficient than the average single-occupant auto used for commuting.” [3] Sometimes the high heels are too high to navigate the subway steps and grates, so if you plan on using Uber or a taxi as your main resource try and pool with as many friends as possible. 

Living sustainably is without a doubt more difficult. But taking positive action is not only beneficial but is necessary. If we stick to our current ways by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Our actions have a direct impact on our earth and we have the resources and knowledge to reduce this impact and live cleaner. Fashion is the second dirtiest industry after oil. We can make a significant impact just by shifting our consumption habits... even in small ways. So, as you get ready for fashion week try a couple of these recommendations and share some with your friends. Rather than buying the newest, latest thing, why don’t we all try and make sustainable trendy? Nothing is sexier than a cleaner, greener environment.