Rags2Riches offers designer accessories based entirely on recycled materials - but that’s not why people are talking about them. It’s their commitment to social good that’s setting them apart, the company pairing up the impoverished people of Payatas with some of the Philippines’ most reputable fashion designers (Rajo Laurel is the first one so far) to help elevate the area’s standard of living.
Payatas is the main waste dumpsite of Manila. People who live in Payatas have been known for their ingenuity in the face of desperation. They scavenge through piles of garbage for raw materials to make new products. This economically forsaken place represents the cottage underground of sustainable goods. The problem has been the people’s lack of access to market knowledge and their vulnerability to the opportunists - fine-tuned to the desperation - who buy from them at next-to-nothing prices (even for Philippine standards).
And this is where Rags2Riches is stepping in. The company has done well by treating the people of Payatas as stakeholders. The people now understand the concept of pricing to the market and realize the value added by good design. Perhaps most importantly, they now have a regular (and growing) market to sell to which means that they’re no longer put in a situation where they’re constantly selling out of desperation (i.e. getting screwed over).
The end market of Rags2Riches is generally elite. The products retail at select shops in Greenbelt, Manila’s poshest shopping destination. This has allowed Payatas workers to improve their profit by a factor of 50. Higher volume is on the way as export orders are expected this year from New York, San Francisco, Tokyo as well as certain cities in Europe and Australia. Keep an eye on the official site too as it’s expected to open for online retail soon.
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Reddit
StumbleUpon
