R.E.D. Sri Lanka’s First Sustainable Fashion Label

R.E.D is the brain-child of Mihiri de Silva, career woman, home-maker and mother to whom creativity, elegance, efficiency and a concern for the surroundings in which we live are a natural way of life. Years of experience as a designer in the apparel industry and an ingrained concern for preserving the environment led to the creation of R.E.D.
Mihiri De Silva, has created Sri Lanka’s first ever sustainable design label, Re-Engineered Design (R.E.D). Most apparel related waste is accumulated through byproducts and re-turned shipments which would result in tonnes of material being stored, burnt or used for landfill. The essence of R.E.D is to convert excess fabrics, buttons, or any form of industry post-waste into beautiful pieces of clothing, giving the once unwanted pieces of fabric a new life.
R.E.D. has crafted a niche market for holistic manufacturing processes using industry post-waste, ensuring lower carbon foot prints than any other products made in Sri Lanka and working solely with factories that have the “Garments Without Guilt” (GWG) certification. In addition, R.E.D. blends the concepts of eco-fashion, life-style clothing, elegance and simplicity creating a unique product for the modern woman.

Mihiri De Silva was the head of design at Brandix and MAS, and is currently a fashion lecturer at the Academy of Design, who had also lectured at the Department of Textiles, Moratuwa University. Her desire to change the outlook and process of creating apparels by designing an eco-friendly fashion label was inspired  after time spent with renowned eco-fashion designers  Orsola De Castro and Elizabeth Laskar during last year’s Sri Lanka Design Festival.  A year later Mihiri will be launching her own label R.E.D during the Sri Lanka Design Festival 2010 which will be held from November 11th to 17th at the Mt. Lavinia Hotel.
Speaking as a member of the core organising committee of the Sri Lanka Design Festival, Mihiri says that this year’s SLDF will provide a global platform for the apparel industry and many local craft related products to showcase its capabilities to a European audience  while also promoting the creative side of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry.

The R.E.D. launch will consist of three segments which are the women’s collection, the new-gen T-Shirt collection and the saree-dress collection. Speaking of the women’s collection, Mihiri believes that promoting a sustainable lifestyle is of utmost importance to any woman in this day and age.  Thus through her collection she hopes that women will not only be buying a fashionable piece of clothing, but will also be conscious of their contribution towards reducing carbon footprint by eliminating the process of waste disposal.

Speaking of her second collection and her passion to engage future generations in eco, ethical and non-pricey fashion – R.E.D has already conducted a “New Generation Graphic T-Shirt Competition”, wanting school chil   dren to be an intrinsic part of the company’s creative graphic team. She has approached her alma mater Methodist College, along with Elizabeth Moir to call on young students to submit designs for the new-gen T-shirt collection. The response was nothing short of stunning and from these submissions, she has selected five students to design the graphic T-shirt collection.
Her third angle to re-engineered design is a smaller, capsule collection of saree-dresses. Many women would be able to relate to the fact that an accumulated bundle of sarees lies in their wardrobe hardly used. R.E.D converts old sarees into chic and stylish new saree-dresses thereby extending the lifespan of ‘beautiful six yards’ of silk.

Initially R.E.D expects to cater to the European market which is familiar with the concept of eco-fashion. However Mihiri hopes that by creating awareness among the Sri Lankan apparel industry, she reaches out to partners that share her passion for ethical and sustainable fashion branding. Joining R.E.D. in this unique venture will make all involved a part of a holistic process where change is more than a concept; change is real, tangible and achievable. May it be 100 yard of material or tonnes of un-used material, re-engineered design can convert any form of industry post waste into new garments. Through her innovative approach Mihiri hopes to create forward integration in the apparel industry and at the same time she believes that the concept of sustainable ethical manufacturing will heighten the image of the Sri Lankan apparel industry.

R.E.D is not just another label. It’s a clothing line with a refreshing new outlook promoting a sustainable lifestyle, as RED is the new green.

For more in information of re-engineered design visit www.redcocoon.net