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Is the Tigani Lux supply chain ethical? Recently I was asked some questions by a shopper-journalist-blogger interested in our supply chain.

She asked if we engage in ethical practices throughout the manufacturing process. She asked if we pay our workers a fair wage. She wanted to know so that she could buy clothing from Tigani Lux with a clear conscience.

Our Byron Bay Store in Fletcher St

We love receiving queries like this. It tells us that shoppers care, and we wholeheartedly encourage you to engage with us and other brands to ensure transparency in the fashion industry. This is how change happens - when consumers ask the big questions and start putting their money where their heart leads

So, this was my response to her.

We know all the faces that work for Tigani Lux. Our clothing team consists of two separate family-run businesses working on the island of Bali, Indonesia.

We know all the faces that work for Tigani Lux.

Our clothing team consists of two separate family-run businesses working on the island of Bali, Indonesia.

Komang is our tailor and head pattern maker.

Komang is our tailor and head pattern maker.

We work together out of his workspace, and he lives with his family upstairs. There are five sewing stations operated by five full-time and two part-time seamstresses under my and Komang’s management. I do all my pattern work with him at his house on our shared cutting board table.

We have a well-ventilated workspace and the women are supplied a bed where they often take a nap on their lunch break. They work from 8am-6pm and take an hour for lunch and an additional afternoon tea break.

Our staff are paid above award monthly salary, which wouldn't be hard as the pay is terrible in Indonesia. An average base rate wage would be $250 per month, working a 10-hour day, six days per week! Terribly low. Our staff get a monthly salary well above the base rate, working Monday-Friday, 8-9 hours per day.

These women have families and children and we strongly believe in the importance of spending time with family. We have two boys of our own, aged 5 and 11.

But sometimes, like in all manufacturing, we get backlogged and they will happily work (if asked) on an occasional Saturday if we are behind production.

Leni is my second seamstress/pattern-maker.

There are many details to refine..

She works out of her home in a village one hour from Denpasar, a very tight-knit community. Leni and I work together to house and feed five homeless teenagers, who are now learning to sew under Leni and her team's guidance.

Tigani Lux donates funds to this project from profits made by the clothes we sell made by Leni and her team.

I want to be very clear about this. These kids do not sew for us. This is strictly a side project for disadvantaged kids to learn a skill for life. It’s a project that I am very proud to be a part of. We call it Leni House. The funds go towards feeding and housing these kids. Every single morning without fail Leni wakes at 4am and cooks for everyone; it’s their ritual and a very special start to the day (she is everybody's mother!).

So, they are my 2 teams!

I do not use suppliers that subcontract work to factories, that way I can ensure the people working for me are on an agreed salary and are not being exploited.

All our fabric dying and cutting, as well as any washing, is done by locally run businesses, which we discuss with Leni and Komang first and must all reach agreement on.

Nothing is outsourced to Java which, of course, would be cheaper for us to do! But I strongly believe in this process. No outsourcing to big factories allows us to actively engage with all of our suppliers. I pay the businesses directly so that I know what is being paid and to whom, protecting them from exploitation. Keeping everything transparent.

Honestly, this means a lot more work for my husband and I. We are usually in Bali every two months these days. We supply our workers’ children with clothes on our visits, provide tools where needed, as well as simple products we take for granted, like tea tree and clove oil for mould.

We are educating them on the harsh chemicals they need to replace or where we can't replace, we are educating them on safe practises through MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet compliance management) and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment guidelines).

I believe many businesses have Indonesian managers in place to do all the leg work and, I must say, that is a tempting thought! But our ethos requires us to always be hands-on with our artisans and suppliers. That way, together we will grow.

That’s us. That’s how we maintain an ethical supply chain so that you can shop with a clear conscience.

Amelita Nagy Director | Designer Tigani Lux

Special thanks to @claire_flam for your interest... See more at https://faithlikeamushroom.com/

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