Coinciding with Fashion Revolution Week 2024 initiated by the global non-profit movement Fashion Revolution, Sejauh Mata Memandang has launched "Kembali Baik," a clothing repair program in collaboration with Mulih an online clothing repair service based in Jakarta.
The launch event, held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace Kemang, is Sejauh’s commitment to being a platform for interaction, knowledge exchange, and collectively educating consumers to adopt more responsible consumption practices. Throughout the event, Sejauh and Mulih presented a series of engaging and educational activities, such as a clothing repair workshop with Mulih, and also Sejauh's Embroidery Creations, a clothing renewal service supported by Brother Indonesia, a sewing machine manufacturer.
During this event, Sejauh reaffirmed that in a world filled with ever-changing fashion trends, many of us are trapped in unsustainable clothing consumption cycles. However, there is a better alternative than just buying new clothes every time trends shift or old clothes start to show signs of wear and tear, which is repairing the clothes we already have.
Fashion Revolution Week is an annual campaign that unites the world's largest fashion activism movement for seven days to commemorate the tragedy of the Rana Plaza factory collapse on April 24, 2013. The 2024 campaign will run from April 15 to 24, marking ten years of the Fashion Revolution with ten days of action and events worldwide, including in Indonesia. "Kembali Baik" event was also organized as part of the Mend in Public Day, the global theme of Fashion Revolution Week this year, and was attended by representatives from Fashion Revolution Indonesia.
"We see that collaboration can be the key to conveying messages that we feel are important. Currently, we often fail to realize that clothing repair can be a very good option when we want to 'revive' the clothes we have had for a long time," said Chitra Subyakto, Founder and Creative Director of Sejauh Mata Memandang.
Bev Tan, Co-Founder of Mulih, said, "By honing basic sewing skills and repairing our old clothes, we also contribute to the earth and the environment. Therefore, it is very important to introduce simple ways to repair clothes that can be directly applied by consumers. And if the damage is too difficult to repair personally, that's where Mulih comes in to help. Ultimately, our hope for the future is to normalize clothing repair and alteration, making it the primary choice before deciding to buy new clothes or discard our clothes, which will eventually become textile waste."
On this occasion, Sejauh and Mulih were also supported by the sewing machine manufacturer Brother Indonesia in providing a clothing renewal and personalization experience for visitors. During the event, visitors could come and bring SMM clothing to be embroidered with the iconic Sejauh’s Ayam mascot embroidery design and personalized alphabet emblems free of charge.
In the future, Sejauh and Mulih hope that the clothing repair process will become more widely known and become an alternative for fashion enthusiasts in the country to unleash their creativity in creating new atmospheres even in long-held garments. "Through repairs, we will extend the lifespan of our clothes, save money, and reduce negative impacts on the environment. We will not only wear old clothes, but also bring new stories and dedication to more responsible and circular fashion consumption practices," concluded Chitra.
