RIOtaso

The Brand

FROM FABRIC WASTE TO CONSCIOUS FASHION OPTIONS

I could give you a list of the harsh truths about the fast fashion industry, BUT what if I just show you what RIOtaso is doing to challenge the status quo? 

#RIOcycled PACKAGING

LABELS  

Let’s be clear about the label. 

Our clothing tags are created out of scrap fabric with our logo stitched on top. 

COMPOSTABLE MAILERS

Doesn’t it just ruin your online shopping experience when your package comes wrapped in plastic? Meet the ‘compostable cassava bag’

RECYCLED PAPER NOTES 

The personal thank you notes we send out along with each purchase are either hand-written or printed on recycled paper. 

RIOtaso creates one of one pieces out of carefully curated fabric scraps discarded by the current fashion industry.

Each scrap stitched together is a step towards the goal of a zero waste space for creative individuals, fair wages, proper working conditions, and overall a better impact on the environment.  

STEP 1:

SORT - CLEAN - SORT

The fabric scraps we save from going to waste or that are donated to us by local brands that aim to create consciously are sorted by color/kind/measurement. Honestly, it’s a mess. But a beautiful mess at that.

All of the collected fabric will then be cleaned either by hand washing or machine wash - depending on what is best for the fabric at hand.

Then we sort them again and now they go into jars/bins/buckets, wherever we can store them!

We cut a swatch of each new fabric that comes into our studio and include it in our ‘SCRAP FABRIC SWATCH BOOK’ so we get to track them all.

STEP 2:

THE DESIGN PROCESS

We take the road less traveled when it comes to designing since the fabric comes first and we have no choice but to work with what we get.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

STEP 3:

PRODUCTION

All patterns are out of scratch paper taped together until all that’s left cannot be drawn on.

Each piece is hand cut and sewn by me (Rio) or sent to partner communities of sewers such as Gawad Kalinga, and skilled women who were unethically let go from production houses. Your clothes wouldn’t exist without these women so they deserve quality treatment.

STEP 4:

LIVE ON THE SITE!

It takes a lot to get the items on the site such as inventory, quality checks, photoshoots, etc. but I don’t mind it one bit! I get attached to each piece I’m able to create since no two finished pieces can ever be the same.

Seeing them go live on the site and seeing you love them is all part of the #RIOward.

STEP 5:

THANK YOU

Thanks to your purchase, we are able to:

  • save more than 2kgs of scrap fabric from going to waste per two items bought
  • provide jobs with proper working conditions and fair wages to those displaced by factories and communities with skilled sewers
  • educate others on why slow fashion is the way to go
  • create content on how to mend your clothes or turn them into something new (we’re on YouTube and IGTV) #RIOmedyo
  • continuously create one of a kind conscious options