MANILA, Philippines l RAGS 2 RICHES l Report

New CITYzens

11 Mar 201304:35

Summary

TLDRRags to Riches is a for-profit social enterprise in the Philippines that transforms upcycled scrap cloth and indigenous materials into fashion and home accessories. Founded to address the exploitation of mothers in Payatas, a large garbage dump site, the company partners with top designers to create high-value products like bags and purses. By empowering local communities and artisans, Rags to Riches helps shift their focus from daily survival to long-term goals. The brand aims to become a global symbol of Filipino eco-ethical craftsmanship and sustainable business.

Takeaways

🌍 Rags to Riches is a for-profit social enterprise in the Philippines that creates fashion and home accessories from upcycled scrap cloth, organic, and indigenous materials.
👗 The products are designed by top Filipino designers and handcrafted by local artisans, adding significant value to the materials used.
🏚️ The company started after discovering that mothers in Payatas, a large garbage dump site in the Philippines, were making rugs from discarded scraps of cloth but were being exploited by middlemen who paid them only two cents per rug.
👜 To add value, Rags to Riches collaborated with renowned designers like Rajo Laurel, who transformed the upcycled materials into high-quality products such as bags, purses, and wine accessories.
🤝 Rags to Riches partners with communities in Metro Manila through NGOs and foundations, providing materials and opportunities for local artisans to create products.
👩‍👧‍👦 The partnership has positively impacted the artisans' lives, shifting their focus from daily survival to longer-term goals, such as saving for utilities and building homes.
🛍️ The company started by selling locally in bazaars and small shops and has grown to be available in 15 retail outlets in the Philippines, including five-star hotels and high-end boutiques.
🌍 Rags to Riches also participates in trunk shows in Europe, aiming to expand globally as a Filipino eco-ethical lifestyle brand.
🇵🇭 The brand aspires to be a global symbol of the Philippines' artisan craftsmanship, merging good business with community empowerment and environmental sustainability.
🌱 Rags to Riches seeks to inspire others by demonstrating that it is possible to create a successful business while making a positive impact on communities and the environment.

Q & A

What is Rags to Riches and where is it based?
-Rags to Riches is a for-profit social and business enterprise based in the Philippines. They create fashion and home accessories using upcycled scrap cloth, organic materials, and indigenous materials.
What type of products does Rags to Riches create?
-Rags to Riches creates fashion and home accessories, such as bags, purses, wine holders, and other items, from upcycled materials. These products are designed by top designers in the Philippines and hand-made by artisans.
How did Rags to Riches get started?
-Rags to Riches started after seeing the injustices faced by mothers in Payatas, a garbage dump site in the Philippines. These mothers were making foot rugs from discarded cloth but were being exploited by middlemen and earning very little.
What was the problem faced by mothers in Payatas before Rags to Riches intervened?
-The mothers in Payatas were making rugs from scraps of cloth but were only earning two cents per rug due to exploitation by middlemen. They could only make around eight rugs a day, resulting in very low income.
How did Rags to Riches solve the issue of low income for the mothers in Payatas?
-Rags to Riches approached top designers like Rajo Laurel to create higher-value products such as bags and accessories from the same upcycled materials. This helped increase the value of the products and allowed the mothers to earn a fair wage.
Who is Rajo Laurel, and what is his role in Rags to Riches?
-Rajo Laurel is a well-known designer in the Philippines. He played a key role in designing high-end bags, purses, and other accessories for Rags to Riches, using upcycled scrap cloth to help raise the value of the products.
What changes have occurred in the lives of the artisans working with Rags to Riches?
-The artisans have shifted from day-to-day survival thinking to more long-term planning. They now think about how to finance their utilities or build a house for their families, showing a more stable and professional outlook.
How does Rags to Riches collaborate with communities in the Philippines?
-Rags to Riches partners with existing communities around Metro Manila through NGOs and foundations. They provide the communities with scrap cloth, which is then turned into products that are later assembled in Rags to Riches' in-house workshop.
Where are Rags to Riches products sold?
-Rags to Riches products are sold in around 15 retail outlets in the Philippines, including five-star hotels and high-end boutiques. They are also available in trunk shows in Europe.
What are the long-term goals of Rags to Riches?
-Rags to Riches aims to become a global Filipino eco-ethical fashion and home brand. They want to showcase the talent of Filipino artisans and inspire others by demonstrating how a successful business can empower communities and protect the environment.

Outlines

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🌟 Rags to Riches: Upcycling and Empowerment

Rags to Riches is a social enterprise in the Philippines that specializes in creating fashion and home accessories from upcycled scrap cloth, organic materials, and indigenous resources. The initiative began as a response to the low wages and exploitation of mothers in Payatas, one of the country's largest garbage dump sites. These women were previously making only two cents per rug from scraps of cloth found in the dump. Recognizing the potential of these materials, Rags to Riches collaborated with top Filipino designers, including Raha Laurel, to craft higher-value products such as bags and wine accessories. By doing so, they not only increased the value of the products but also provided a sustainable income source for the community. The enterprise has since expanded to partnerships with communities around Metro Manila, working with NGOs to provide materials and training for local artisans. The impact of this initiative is evident in the community's shift from day-to-day survival thinking to long-term financial planning. Rags to Riches has grown to have a presence in 15 retail outlets in the Philippines, including five-star hotels and high-end boutiques, and has also reached European markets through trunk shows. The brand aspires to be a globally recognized Filipino eco-ethical fashion and home brand, showcasing the creativity and craftsmanship of Filipino artists and artisans while promoting the convergence of good business, community empowerment, and environmental conservation.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Rags2Riches

Rags2Riches is the name of the social enterprise in the Philippines that creates fashion and home accessories from upcycled scrap cloth and organic materials. It serves as the focal point of the video, showcasing how the company merges business success with social impact by helping disadvantaged communities and artisans.

💡Upcycled materials

Upcycled materials refer to waste or discarded products that are repurposed to create new, high-value goods. In the video, mothers from the Payatas community use scrap cloth found in a garbage dump to make rugs and later, more sophisticated fashion items like bags and wine holders.

💡Payatas

Payatas is a large garbage dump site in the Philippines where many impoverished families live. The video highlights how mothers in Payatas were initially exploited while making rugs from discarded cloth. This location is central to the origin of Rags2Riches, as the company's mission is to improve the lives of Payatas residents.

💡Exploitation

Exploitation in the video refers to the middlemen who took advantage of the mothers in Payatas by purchasing their handmade rugs at unfairly low prices, paying them only two cents per rug. Rags2Riches emerged as a solution to this problem, ensuring fair pay for their work.

💡Artisans

Artisans are the skilled workers who handcraft the fashion and home accessories designed by Rags2Riches. Many of these artisans come from underprivileged communities, and the company helps them enhance their skills and professionalism, providing a source of income and long-term sustainability.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the company’s commitment to using eco-friendly practices and materials, such as upcycling and working with indigenous products. Rags2Riches not only helps the environment by reducing waste but also empowers communities by creating long-term employment opportunities.

💡Social enterprise

A social enterprise is a business that aims to make a positive social impact while also being profitable. In the case of Rags2Riches, the company focuses on addressing both environmental sustainability and the economic empowerment of marginalized communities in the Philippines.

💡Rahul Laurel

Rahul Laurel is a well-known Filipino designer who partnered with Rags2Riches. He contributed by designing fashionable items, such as bags and accessories, using the upcycled materials, helping elevate the products' value and appeal to a higher-end market.

💡Community partnerships

Community partnerships refer to the collaboration between Rags2Riches and various NGOs and foundations that work with communities around Metro Manila. These partnerships provide the communities with raw materials and help them create products that the enterprise can market and sell, fostering economic growth.

💡Global eco-ethical brand

A global eco-ethical brand is the long-term vision of Rags2Riches, where the company aims to be recognized globally for its sustainable practices and ethical approach to fashion. The video discusses how Rags2Riches seeks to inspire others by demonstrating how good business practices can align with social responsibility and environmental consciousness.

Highlights

Rags to Riches is a for-profit social enterprise based in the Philippines, creating fashion and home accessories from upcycled scrap cloth and organic materials.

The company partners with top designers in the Philippines, including renowned designer Rajo Laurel, to create products from upcycled materials.

Rags to Riches started in Payatas, one of the largest garbage dumps in the Philippines, where mothers were making foot rugs from discarded scrap cloth for minimal pay.

Mothers in Payatas were earning only two cents per rug, making around eight rugs a day due to exploitation by middlemen.

The founders saw an opportunity to elevate these rugs by collaborating with top designers to create high-value products like bags, purses, and wine holders.

Rags to Riches partners with NGOs and communities around Metro Manila, empowering local artisans to produce eco-ethical products.

The enterprise provides scrap cloth to these communities, which are turned into beautiful fashion accessories in their in-house workshop.

One of the significant impacts is the shift in mindset among the community members, from daily survival thinking to long-term financial planning.

Community members are now focusing on financing utilities and building homes for their families, marking a big transformation in their outlook.

Initially selling locally at bazaars and small shops, Rags to Riches now operates in around 15 retail outlets, including high-end boutiques and five-star hotels in the Philippines.

Rags to Riches is also available in international trunk shows in Europe, extending its reach globally.

The company aims to become a global Filipino eco-ethical fashion and home brand, representing sustainable and socially responsible fashion.

Rags to Riches promotes the idea that it's possible to combine good business practices with empowering communities and protecting the environment.

The company highlights the talent and creativity of Filipino artisans, helping raise awareness about the craftsmanship and potential of eco-ethical products.

Rags to Riches serves as an example of how business can contribute to both social empowerment and environmental sustainability at the same time.