Our Sustainable Business
Maison Aria's Sustainable business model is hinged on the 3 E's of sustainability: Economy, Ecology, and Equity.
Overview
Economic sustainability at Maison Aria boils down to devising less wasteful systems embedded in all our business functions from ideation to production and distribution. For example, one of Maison Aria's sustainable modules in the product ideation stage is the use of digital technology to create e-samples and e-products, creating zero (0) waste at this stage. This operates on the reduce-by-design principle in the UNEP circularity approach and is the conceptualization bedrock for Maison Aria's research into the development of a revolutionary electronic textile alternative (ETA).
Both economic and ecological sustainability are significant players in our manufacturing stage, as Maison Aria has gravitated towards an innovative and greener production methodology that involves 'Fabric mosaicking' and is anticipated to reduce our fabric waste by up to 95%. Most importantly, it converts erstwhile fabric waste from the rest of the industry into raw material for Maison Aria. This methodology operates on the reuse, reduce, and re-manufacture principles of the UNEP circularity approach.
At Maison Aria, we are sensitive to the butterfly effect of climate change which is why we work closely with the Higg Product tool to use only the best iteration of materials to make our sustainable business model more efficient with each review. For example, we replaced nylon and paper packaging bags with cotton fabric bags in 2020 particularly because of their high global-warming and eutrophication indexes. Also targeted at ecology is the conversion of Maison Aria's in-house production energy consumption to 50% clean solar energy. We are projecting a 100% conversion by 2024.
Maison Aria is the brainchild of community development projects implemented by the brand’s founder and creative director during her one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program. Therefore, Maison Aria was founded on the principle of equitable sustainability by placing foremost consideration on grassroots suppliers in raw material sourcing and labor engagement as Maison Aria is a proud supporter of indigenous artisans. Maison Aria tells the stories of real people. Maison Aria designs with the voices of millions and the desires of most.
The Model
Environment-friendlier products are the backbone of Maison Aria, and our flagship product which is our mosaic series was developed around this idea. Fabric mosaicking is a creative process inspired by tile mosaics, where tiles are replaced by pieces of fabric. In this process, scraps of fabric are repurposed by joining and quilting to create a new visually pleasing pattern. This process eliminates the need for a large quantity of the same fabric and fabric print placement which are the core waste points in garment manufacturing. Our fabric mosaicking methodology operates on the reuse, reduce, remanufacture, and recycle principles of the UNEP circularity approach, and directly converts waste to raw material. The fabric mosaicking process is labor-intensive and is currently used only on a few products. We are projecting that 40% of all Maison Aria's products will be produced using this methodology by 2025.
To bridge this gap, Maison Aria works with the Higg product tool to keep our brand's environmental impact as moderated as possible, by considering 3 major indexes: global warming, eutrophication, and water scarcity. For example, in deciding the type of fabric for garment production, an iteration of the 3 indexes has presented great results on Cotton, Linen, Modal, Bamboo, Lyocell, and some synthetics like Polyethylene (PE) and sateen. Maison Aria's current iteration largely comprises organic cotton, cotton blends and low index synthetics, while we work tirelessly to source less accessible sustainable fabrics.
Products of the Brand
Product Name: The Fabric Mosaic Series (FMS)
Introduction
This is a signature product derived from fabric mosaic artworks. Fabric mosaicking is a creative production process inspired by tile mosaics, where tiles are replaced by pieces of fabric. In this process, scraps of fabric are repurposed by joining and quilting to create a new visually pleasing pattern. The fundamental objective of our Fabric Mosaic Series (FMS) is sustainability via waste reduction and/or elimination. FMS is structured with two core modules:
1) Conversion module: this turns 'waste' into raw material by repurposing fabric waste (scraps) which is a natural by-product of conventional garment production into raw material for the creation of new garments.
2) Elimination module: this targets the elimination of two major waste points in the garment manufacturing process. These are the waste incurred from the need to use quantities of the same fabric to complete individual garments and wastage from pattern (print) placement in garment manufacturing. Maison Aria's mosaic series is hinged on the remanufacture, reuse and repurpose principles of the UNEP circularity approach.
The materials used
Fabric mosaicking is versatile and adaptive to various fabrics and fibers. A majority of our FMS, however, are made primarily from cotton and secondarily from silk. These fibers are woven into more durable fabrics like crepes (cotton and silk crepes), denim, mesh, and sateen through conscious procedures that retain their biodegradability; thus, micro-fibers that are released into the environment during the garment life cycle are easily decomposed in the natural environment.
The design processes
The FMS design process is hinged on continuous research and development. Our design process is dependent on the nature of the raw materials obtained as the core objective of FMS is the reuse/recycling of this erstwhile waste product. Fabric waste is collected, sorted, and processed, while the creative team develops designs suitable for the raw material procured. Miniatures may be used to confirm the suitability of fabric and design if the nature of the raw materials is unfamiliar to the design team. This is rarely the case, however, as Maison Aria works to maintain a zero-fabric consumption in product sampling. The design process terminates with quality checks which ensure that the final products reflect both the design and the brand ethos.
The production techniques
The production cycle for FMS begins with the sourcing and collection of fabric waste from garment production hubs. This fabric waste is then transferred to sorting which operates on Maison Aria's Double S module: suitability and sustainability. Here, the fabric scraps are sorted on both criteria into batches that are designated for different functions in the production of the garment, and processed in accordance with the assignment, for example, broad fusion is made for the base while smaller cutouts for surface texturing and embroidery. After the fabric is prepared, designs are translated into pattern cards which then move into the standard garment production workflow (Cutting, sewing, fitting, and quality checks).
We are currently exploring expanding the raw material sourcing for our FMS to include recycled Maison Aria products from our customers by 2024. We will work on the creation of collection points where customers can hand in old products that will be taken apart and reinjected into the FMS production cycle as raw material. Customers will be given incentives, like cashback and gift cards, for products with higher scrap value.
The methods put into place to reduce the carbon footprint
Although the cultivation and production of cotton and silk still possess a considerable carbon footprint on a global scale with Higg MSI global warming index as high as 85.9 for silk, the manufacturing of our FMS, possesses an almost insignificant carbon footprint as the production process requires more manual (labor) input than machine input. The little machine input needed runs on Maison Aria's production facilities which currently operate on half-load solar energy. Considering that FMS addresses waste, we cannot overly restrict the raw materials for FMS without deviating from its fundamental objectives. However, we have precluded plastic fabrics from FMS; unless where evidence can be had that the plastics used were recycled. We also do not carry out any colorization or 'chemicalization' of the fabrics used in our FMS as this can incur overhead in global warming and eutrophication. Finally, our FMS is produced only on-demand to ensure that every product that goes off the production rack immediately enters its consumption cycle, leaving zero overstocks in need of destruction or recycling.
Information on the life of the product: durability, measures taken to extend the product’s lifetime, and transparency
Our FMS is largely produced from two considerably sustainable and currently attainable fabrics: cotton and silk. We use these fibers only after they have been woven into durable materials like crepe, denim, sateen, and Mikado silk. We use only reinforced cotton mesh for our FMS requiring light bases and we quilt this base with reinforced stitching to ensure durability. Our FMS is very durable as it is largely made from natural fabrics and is easy to care for as its composition can be identified with ease by the end users. To reduce our carbon footprint in overheads, Maison Aria has phased out paper garment tags and synthetic care labels. Instead, we are developing a ‘scan-to-care’ technology where our labels can be electronically scanned by consumers to get care information and garment composition for increased transparency and accessibility.
The year the product was released
Our FMS was released in 2021
Product Name: Iterative Sustainability Index Series (Isis)
Introduction
The need for sustainability in fashion is present and urgent, and cannot be pended until new or groundbreaking discoveries are made. Instead, a conscious and continuous effort to save on unsustainable practices while proactively promoting sustainable methods can make all the difference. Our Iterative Sustainability Index Series (Isis) was founded on this ideology. Isis is an agile framework that involves an exciting process of developing, adopting and integrating sustainable industry practices in our product manufacturing on a best-fit module, with the objective of increasing our sustainable business index with each iteration. Summarily, for every input, Isis asks the question "How sustainable is that and how does it fit into the making of this product?" At its core, Isis is built around the 'Reduce by Design' principle of fashion circularity; consequently, Isis is highly adaptive to both new and existing methods and innovations surrounding this principle.
The design processes
Isis, unlike FMS, begins with product design (conceptualization). Designs are conceptualized on our Green MAC module which stands for green manufacturing and green consumption (refer to the succeeding paragraph for insight into our Green MAC module). Based on suitability for the designs created, fabric and accessories are sourced also on the Green MAC module. Here, a combination of the most suitable fabric that offers the best 3 Es sustainability indexes in both product manufacturing and consumption is procured. The designs are then translated to pattern cards and injected into the standard garment production workflow (Cutting, sewing, fitting, and quality checks). This process is repeated with each production and different fabrics may be used depending on suitability and sustainability index updates.
Our Green MAC module
The materials used
The material used in our Isis is dynamic and may change depending on the subjective combination of suitability and sustainability indexes of the design in question. For example, our earliest collections in 2019 were largely made from silks. With further research, we've learned of the heavy burden silk production places on the environment and the lack of durability, thus our subsequent productions iterated sateen, faux silk (made from mercerized cotton), and silk crepe alternatives for silk in our designs. Over the past three years, we have largely settled on the use of faux silk (made from mercerized cotton) and crepes (cotton and silk) in our Isis as they have proven to be durable, suitable, and eco-friendly. As Isis is continuously progressive, we are currently exploring greener fabrics from both updated analysis and indexes by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition Higg MSI and CFDA material index. We are particularly excited about MicroSilkTM from Bolt Threads in CFDA’s material index, and we look forward to this fabric becoming accessible in the African Market.
The production techniques
Hinged on the 'Reduce by Design' principle, 70% of our Isis begin with an electronic product sample. This yields immediate savings in sustainability as we can maintain a net zero on material (fabrics, accessories, and non-renewable energy) consumption on these products at this level. Isis, like all Maison Aria products, is manufactured on demand only, for that reason our production is kept agile to meet the demands of this framework. When demand for a product is received, fabric and accessories are re-matched with design, with an increment in sustainability index being the desired outcome. If a more sustainable match is made, success is recorded, and the garment moves into the manufacturing workflow. Otherwise, the product remains on the same sustainability index and moves into the manufacturing workflow. Products that remain on the same sustainability index for five (5) seasons are phased out and replaced with more adaptive designs.
The methods put into place to reduce the carbon footprint
Isis’s product-specific mechanism to reduce carbon footprint lies in the Green MAC module. Green MAC monitors and cuts down direct ecological consequences from our Isis production. Overhead carbon footprints for this product are mitigated by our third product: The Green Overhead (kindly refer to the third product for more information).
Information on the life of the product: durability, measures taken to extend the product’s lifetime, and transparency
With conscious planning, our Isis is made to last. Made largely with natural fiber crepe and cotton, our Isis does not pill or degrade like some other products. Our stitching is decoratively reinforced to prevent ripping and we run a manufacturer's color test for appropriate care instructions. As with FMS, we have phased out paper tags and synthetic care labels. Instead, we are developing a ‘scan-to-care’ technology where our labels can be electronically scanned by consumers to get care instructions and garment composition for increased transparency and accessibility.
The year the product was released
Our Isis was released in 2020 and is inspired by the eponymous Greek goddess of healing and protection.
Product Name: The Green Overhead
Introduction
Our Green Overhead was launched in 2019 to ensure that our sustainable business cascades into our overheads and indirect business activities. Oftentimes, businesses emphasize sustainable practices in their core business and neglect the damaging effects of their overheads and indirect business. This taints the overall purpose of running a sustainable business almost to the point of greenwashing. Our Green Overhead was created specifically to address this issue. Our Green Overhead framework mandates that sustainability in economy, ecology, and equity be evidenced in all indirect business units and relationships including third-party contractors, vendors, and retailers. Therefore, all Maison Aria overhead units are required to reduce, reuse and recycle in their best application.
Methods and Approach
We have applied innovation and transparency in the continuous development of this product. As it is a broad concept with a lot of room for personalization, we have allowed each unit autonomy to define the finer points of this product as it best fits their business operations. Some of the emergent applications of our Green Overhead include:
1) Green Energy: 100% of our corporate operations and 50% of manufacturing now operate on renewable solar energy from an in-house hybrid inverter and panel garden. This has had a huge impact on our carbon footprint as the only alternative to this clean source of energy is from petrol electricity generators which are highly detrimental to the environment.
2) Production on-demand: All of our products are currently produced on demand. This leaves no room for overstocks and idle products which are mindlessly pushed to consumers through aggressive marketing strategies that encourages detrimental consumerism that is harmful to both the environment and society. Instead, our brand encourages thoughtful and conscious consumption, breeding advantageous habits like planning and budgeting, in our communities.
3) eSampling: This is a Maison Aria signature method of electronically developing designs as e-products. It is like our fabric mosaicking; however, lights are replaced with digital images sourced from in-house photography, licensed stock images, and (recently) AI-generated images. These products are perfectly adaptive to our Isis as the fabric composition can be 100% iterated with every successive production while keeping the digital representation intact.
4) Supplementary Material Sourcing: we have implemented a 'reduce or eliminate' principle on supplementary material usage. For example, we have reduced the use of lining fabrics to the barest minimum as they are now applied only in garments where they cannot be eliminated for structural reasons. We have eliminated the use of interfacings as most interfacing materials contain plastic microfibers; instead, we use a signature textile reinforcement technique with cotton and decorative stitching when necessary. We have also replaced 75% of our plastic zippers and buttons with aluminum, zinc, nickel, and brass and have shifted from the use of disposable pattern papers to reusable pattern cards.
5)Packaging: we completely phased out plastic e-commerce packaging bags in 2020 because of their pernicious effects, especially on ecology. We have replaced these packaging bags with a signature reusable cotton cloth packaging bag. We have also replaced paper shopping bags with canvas shopping bags as needed. We have eliminated cloth covers because of their high unsustainable indexes and currently pack garment dust free with tissues. We have eliminated paper cloth tags as they encourage deforestation and are usually laminated with nylon. We have replaced these with temporal woven labels while we develop our scan-to-care technology where our labels can be electronically scanned by consumers to get care instruction and garment composition for increased transparency and accessibility.
6) Sustainable Partnerships: we are very conscious of not only our sustainable business but also the sustainable businesses of our partners and third-party contractors. For this reason, we exclusively partner with businesses that possess the same levels of consciousness toward sustainability and accountability to our planet and society. For example, we have partnered with DHL on logistics as they have made significant efforts to keep logistics green with last-mile e-vehicles and zero-emission bicycles, and carbon-reduced air freight.
Information on the life of the product: durability, measures taken to extend the product’s lifetime, and transparency
Our Green Overhead is here to stay, and we are excited about all the ways we can make Maison Aria more sustainable using this product. We have several features in the works for this product including the Aria Digital Fitting Tool which addresses the need for individual size and fit precision in fashion e-commerce. This is a digital product via which customers will be able to fit fashion items virtually. This digital tool is based on image recognition software and photo editor layering technology. Aria Digital Fitting Tool is currently in its developmental stages and is a step in the right direction for a greener fashion industry.
The year the product was released
Our Green Overhead was released in 2019