Attendees to the 2018 OMINA Summit had access to The Seed: a Cooperativa Shop curated showcase of 15 Latin American fashion brands with a focus on sustainable and ethical practices.
The Seed was produced and curated by Cooperativa Shop, the e-commerce platform that brings high-end Latin American brands to the global consumer.
“We are planting the seed to encourage designers to follow on this path and adopt a sustainable philosophy within their vision” Araceli Graham, founder of Cooperativa Shop
Participating brands:
Qaytu’s identity is reflected in the nature of the raw materials used for their sustainable products, and in the skillful people that make them. By employing the traditional skills of indigenous Peruvian communities in the handmaking of the brand’s sumptuous pieces, Qaytu aims to reinforce these ancient methods and provide marginalized families with an extra income. Further, by using materials such as cotton, alpaca and other natural fibers from Peru, Qaytu’s mission is to contribute to the country’s development.
SOÜF harmonizes modern ideas with ancestral Salvadorian culture and gives back to the community by collaborating with small, independent business owners and artisans who specialize in woodwork. Every piece of wood used in SOÜF’s handmade pieces is over 100 years old. Repurposed into handbags, the beautiful wood makes for a sustainable accessory filled with stories from the past.
Appreciated for her genuine promotion and admiration of the artisans in her hometown Pasto, Santacruz modernizes the ancient culture and artisanal traditions of southern Colombia for the contemporary consumer. Through her brand, Santacruz provides profitable opportunities to the skilled artisans that she employs, while reinforcing communal integration.
Known for creating versatile utility-wear collections in high quality materials, Arocha continuously challenge the qualities of different natural and organic textiles, while paying close attention to detail. Marcia Arocha works with Venezuelan women to manufacture her conscious fashion collections, creating an empowering and motivating work environment.
Influenced by his rural upbringing, Toribio founder Óscar Hernández blends tradition and native elements into his contemporary collections of handmade bags. Toribio’s creative process involves constant research in order to only use sustainable materials and employ a production process that remains coherent with his values of social and environmental responsibility.
Ayni’s collections advocate conscious behavior and consumption. All garments are handmade by Peruvian artisans who use traditional methods, noble fibers, and Peruvian textiles. Through its certification program, Ayni Certify, the brand recognizes and values individuals working with hand-knitting.
Inspired by the Yucatan, Daniela Bustos Maya works with female artisans from communities on the Mexican peninsula to create her jewelry pieces. By recycling Mexican copper, bronze and silver coins from the 20th century, and by using traditional weaving techniques with materials such as recycled cotton, Bustos Maya creates sustainable accessories that symbolize Mexican culture.
The glass in Warchausky’s polydimensional rings is a recyclable material and there’s no limit to the number of times it can be reprocessed. When recycling it, the properties are not lost and around 30% of energy is saved compared to new glass. With the help of talented artisans, the designer works with Murano glass and Italian 18k gold to sculpt and hand-produce her pieces.
Inspired by the raw materials of nature, Caralarga seeks to convey the value of handmade work while highlighting the natural beauty of each material through its pieces. Texture, color, and even the smell of the threads are qualities that motivate the Mexican jewelry house, and its unique designs result in high-quality pieces that feature the best of every natural element.
While high-quality fabrics like organic cotton and excellent finishes are the backbone of Efrain Mogollon’s brand, it is his mission to fight the social crisis in Venezuela that sets him apart. B.E.M, a foundation and initiative by Mogollon, works with Venezuelan organizations that run youth programs in Maracay, offering skill-developing opportunities to vulnerable youths.
Prieto’s love for creativity and visuals inspired her to launch her brand over ten years ago. Since then, she’s worked with local artists and craftsmen to create her unique jewelry designs, one piece at a time, following a purely artisanal and traditional process that involves brass, sheet wire, and semi-precious stones. Prieto’s pieces are made to exalt the beauty behind imperfections.
Working with materials like cotton and alpaca, Child of the Universe promotes sustainable agriculture by providing work and support for Andean communities. Each garment is embellished by hand and its knits are manufactured in workshops that follow the Fair Trade conduct.
Margo Baridon offers swimwear and apparel for the modern, self-confident woman, and seeks to carry out the production of her brand in the most sustainable ways she possibly can. Each piece is handmade in Uruguay with Italian lycra which is generated with plastics collected from the ocean.
Experimentation and constant research are essential to Patricia Padrón’s brand. Padrón’s aesthetic preserves the sophisticated and highly-skilled work of the local seamstresses. Patricia Padrón is committed to local production, sustainability, and an honest supply chain for her fresh, feminine materials.