Roger Ong
CoronaChampions is a new interview series exploring how Japanese sustainable organizations and brands are meeting the challenges from the coronavirus threat head on.
Can you please tell us about rétela and “un fabric”?
Rétela is a textile brand. It takes abandoned things that nobody cares about, then focusing on the handicraft originating from the region itself, dismantles and rebuilds them to discover new value.
We call the cloth that is discarded in the process of manufacturing block prints in India as “un fabric”, developing various products based on it. The biggest feature of “un fabric” is the unexpected color plane composition due to how dyes coincidentally overlap.
The un fabric itself is not only a product of rétela. It is also the heart organ. In addition to being an upcycle, I am also trying to experiment with creating something that lies between products and art. That is rétela.
Each and every piece of rétela’s un fabric is unique, unlike machine-made fabrics.
Textiles, which is the result of a series of repetitive tasks, have a complex color surface composition. Therefore they are painting-like textiles that can be interpreted freely by the viewer.
Upcycling allows cloth that was destined to become garbage to be reborn into a new textile. That is what rétela has dedicated passionately to.
How has rétela been affected by the coronavirus outbreak?
Rétela products are produced in India. To prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, there is a lock down throughout India. The progress of new products and the arrival of products have stopped.
Furthermore, stall openings at events has been canceled due to the self-quarantine. The directly managed Atelier Shop is also currently closed, which is affecting sales.
How does rétela plan to meet these challenges that the pandemic has brought about?
We do not have an online shop, so we are currently moving forward with its preparations. (For customers who live far away, and for those who want to enjoy shopping without going out.)
We are also considering products that will please customers beyond our usual catalog. For example, we are preparing to sell block print kits (although limited numbers), so that one can experience the process of making un fabric, while spending a fun time at home.
Even if flights from India have stopped, and it is still a tough time, I would like to continue and revitalize the business, so as to promote an awareness of appreciating things.
What do you think we should be aware of in such turbulent times?
In the words of the late film director, Nobuhiko Obayashi, “Maintain your sanity, not your sense of justice”. I feel as though his quote is directed at the current situation arising from the corona-vortex.
Are you keeping your sanity without enforcing your own sense of justice, or have you said something that has unknowingly hurt someone?
I remind myself of these words and keep my wits about myself.
