Tabii Just is a Zero Waste sustainable line of womenswear clothing that is designed and made in Brooklyn, NYC. We caught up with Trinidadian designer and creator of the line Tabitha St. Bernard just before she was prepping for a few shows earlier this year. She recently launched a new online shop, where customers can purchase directly through the site. Let’s see what she’s been up to!
What have you been up to since our last interview?
Since the last time we talked, I’ve presented Tabii Just‘s debut collection at Redress Raleigh. Tabii Just was also part of Princeton University’s Sustainable Fashion Show. I’ve launched the online store and I am selling the collection at Modavanti (a sustainable fashion online shop). The line is also being sold at Kaight, in Brooklyn.
What do you hope for your line now that you have launched an Ecommerce site?
I’ve always wanted Tabii Just to be made available to shoppers all over the world. I am from Trinidad and the line is manufactured in New York. It was important to me that my fellow Trinidadians have access to the line. I think having an e-commerce site allows me to reach customers in places that I wouldn’t be able to with a brick and mortar store.
Why was it the right time to launch the online shop?
It was the right time because people from other countries were asking about where they can buy Tabii Just. The concept of Zero Waste presented in vibrant prints and easy silhouettes appeals to so many cultures.
With the Ecommerce shop up and running what are some other goals you hope to accomplish for Tabii Just?
I’m hoping to continue to spread the word about the line and Zero Waste, in whatever manner that presents itself. I’d also love to be be in a few more select brick and mortar stores so people can get the opportunity to touch and try on the clothes. I’m working on doing a few pop-up shops. That way we bring the shopping experience to customers.
In light of the recent Bangladesh garment factory collapsing, many have questioned the working conditions of these factories overseas providing cheap labor for mass production. What are you thoughts on that?
It’s so sad that it takes a tragedy of that magnitude to raise the awareness of where clothing comes from and the working conditions of those making them. Foreign greed plays a massive role in the current situation. Large companies seek labor from these countries that have less stringent regulations and where labor is much cheaper. They put pressure of the factory owners to meet deadlines. The factory owners know if they don’t deliver on time, they will lose the business. They then put unfair pressure on their workers. The working conditions in some of these factories are deplorable. We wouldn’t want to work under these circumstances ourselves. Some of the workers don’t have better options and do it because their families need to eat. Some large companies are capitalizing on this just for the ability to sell a shirt for $20. It’s really sad. I’ve made the commitment to produce Tabii Just clothing locally in factories that I can check up on regularly. When deciding on a factory, I ask about their health insurance policies and how they treat overtime and time off. The hope is that all lines care about the labor aspect of production.
You have prided your company on using the garment district here in NYC to produce your pieces, even at higher cost, how do you think this will affect your sales and presentation to consumers?
I made the commitment to produce Tabii Just clothing locally and so far, customers have been responding positively to it. My customer is a very conscientious shopper. She doesn’t treat shopping like an addiction. Her purchases are very thoughtful. Tabii Just caters to a niche market. The reality is that people who buy shirts for $20 are less likely to appreciate Tabii Just because the clothing is neither cheap nor fast fashion. The designs are timelessly beautiful.
Even though consumers understand the working conditions of some of these factories, many still continue to buy the inexpensive pieces made, how can that shift? (What has to be the consumers’ mindset)
It definitely needs to be a mindset shift. Fast fashion is fashion that is inexpensive, poorly-made with cheaper materials and less likely to last long. This means that they will need to be replaced within a short space of time, which sends the shopper back to the store. This also devalues clothing and reduces it to something that is obtained on a whim and according to moods. People who emotionally eat are considered unhealthy but it’s more socially acceptable for people to emotionally shop. I think shopping needs to be seen as a necessity. When clothes are needed, they should be bought and their lifespan extended as long as possible. It’s up to individuals to make that mindset change. If these stores realize their cheap clothing isn’t selling, they won’t make it. They are reliant on the customer and respond to demand. The consumers are in charge of this.
No waste design or wearing “green” friendly products are now becoming a trend because of upcoming designers like yourself, how can we ensure that it’s not just a “here today, gone tomorrow” trend?
There are some designers who believe in sustainable fashion and will continue to produce for customers that have made that permanent mindset change. The aim is that sustainability becomes mainstream. The hope is that it sets a new industry standard.
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Mikelah
Mikelah is a Caribbean Culture expert, curating the bridge between the Caribbean and its diaspora. A CUNY Baruch College graduate with a BBA in Marketing. With previous experience with Caribbean lifestyle brands such as VP Records, Tempo TV and JAMROCK Magazine. Currently serving as a digital marketing maven by day, while continuing to collaborate with Caribbean brands.
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