Explore the vibrant story of Aileen and Ellyse, the founders of Caeli Eco Luxe. From the roots of their passion to the blossoming brand, this duo is on a mission to redefine fashion with sustainability and style.

SECTION 1: ABOUT YOU

1. Would you share a bit about yourself and where you’re from?

AILEEN
Ellyse and I are the co-founder of Caeli Eco Luxe, a sustainable clothing brand in Singapore. While I am from the Philippines, Singapore has been home to me for the past 15 years, where I live with my husband and my two daughters.

My fascination with fashion began at a young age when my dream of starting a womenswear label began. Through Caeli Eco Luxe, we encourage women to make conscious decisions to shop for clothing with sustainability in mind, while allowing them to retain their personal style.

ELLYSE

Along with being a mother of two, I have been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. Witnessing first-hand the large volume of waste annually generated by the textile and fashion industry, I realized I had to do something about it.

Through the sustainable goals of Caeli Eco Lux, Aileen and I contribute to the preservation of the planet, simultaneously keeping up with the latest fashion trends to appeal to all the fashion enthusiasts out there. Along with sustainable fashion, I am passionate about photography, keeping fit and healthy eating.

2. How did it all start?

The pandemic made us realize the importance of health and environmental connections, and that protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity can help prevent future pandemics. We have become more aware of the environmental impact of consumption and the need for sustainable products and services.

As a Singapore brand, we aligned our brand’s mission to Singapore’s The Green Plan 2030 with its drive towards environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Caeli Eco Luxe was borne out of our love of fashion and wanting to create a business that adopts sustainable practices.

3. Was it always the intention to become a sustainable and ethical designer?

Yes, 100 %!

4. What was it that first raised your awareness of the issue of fast fashion?

The growing visibility of the environmental and social impact of fast fashion on mainstream and social media caught our attention. Fast fashion encourages a “throwaway” culture where clothing is thrown away after a few uses and ends up in landfills and oceans.

The production process of fast fashion leads to high usage of water, energy, and raw materials. Chemical dyes used in its production are released into the waterways, harming the aquatic system and the communities around them.

This prompted us to learn more about the emerging sustainable fashion movement and to be more conscious of our own fashion choices. The rise of sustainable fashion brands and the increasing consumer interest in ethical and eco-friendly clothing proved that society was beginning to look for alternatives to fast fashion.

SECTION 2: ABOUT YOUR BRAND

1. Could you tell us more about your label?

Caeli Eco Luxe started as an online retailer in June of 2021. We joined Design Orchard, a brick-and-mortar multi-label boutique in January 2021.

We mainly use dead stock fabrics and environmentally friendly fabrics like tercel, viscose, and bamboo cotton. The packaging we use like hang tags and garment bags are made with recycled and biodegradable materials like cassava and soy.

Our manufacturer has in place practices that reduce energy and water consumption and reduce the amounts of offcuts when producing garments. We donate our off-cuts to communities that upcycle them into rugs and accessories that help bring them income. Currently, our design can be found in Style Theory a rental platform.

We strive with each collection to put into practice the principles of sustainability more and more. There is so much to be done but we take it one step at a time knowing that we will get there!

2. What is the ethos when you design?

The ethos of Caeli Eco Luxe revolves around three key principles: sustainability, inclusivity, and style. By prioritizing sustainable fabrics and practices, the brand is committed to reducing its environmental impact.

Additionally, by offering designs that fit all body types and shapes, Caeli Eco Luxe promotes inclusivity and diversity in the fashion industry.

Furthermore, our range of modern cuts proves our commitment to creating stylish, contemporary pieces that appeal to a wide range of consumers.

Overall, the brand’s ethos reflects a dedication to both environmental consciousness and fashionable, inclusive designs.

2.1 And what defines your style?

The style of Caeli Eco Luxe can be defined as luxurious, modern, and chic with timeless designs. The brand’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in its attention to fit, detail, and wearability, ensuring that each piece is impeccably tailored and suitable for all body shapes and sizes.

Caeli Eco Luxe offers clothing that is not only fashionable but also designed to last, embodying a sense of enduring elegance and sophistication

3. What have been some of the biggest challenges for you on this journey?

It can be difficult to navigate around some of the challenges we face in the fashion industry from ensuring that each step of the process, from sourcing materials to manufacturing and distribution, aligns with sustainable practices.

One of the biggest hurdles is tackling supply chain complexities. Sustainable fashion is still at an infancy stage and so we create sustainable collections on a smaller scale compared to brands that retail fast fashion. The high minimum order quantities, pricey eco-friendly fabrics, and expensive hardware proved to be challenging barriers to entry for smaller firms in the sustainable fashion industry like ours.

Furthermore, finding manufacturers to produce the collections, who aligned with our mission to prioritize environmental and social stewardship in their practices was difficult.

We endeavor to find innovative solutions and make strides toward more sustainable practices. Collaborations, partnerships, and a commitment to transparency and educating consumers about the importance of sustainability in fashion will help us to overcome these hurdles with the hopes of driving positive change in the industry and community.

4. What do you want to achieve personally with your brand?

We want to set the trend in sustainable fashion by continuing to be eco-conscious in our supply chain and production processes and continue to educate customers on the importance of sustainable fashion, and empower them to make informed choices.

By collaborating with like-minded brands and organizations, we aim to amplify our impact in advocating sustainable practices across the industry. And of course, to continue creating chic, modern, and timeless designs that are not only sustainable but also inspire confidence and empower women.

We want to build a brand that stands for more than just fashion, but also for sustainability, inclusivity, and empowerment.

SECTION 3: YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE

1. How would you explain the importance of brands like yours making steps to become more ethical and sustainable to someone who isn’t well-versed in what that means?

It is important to make people aware of the problem we are facing today. Unethical business practices and consumption that totally disregard the environmental impact have led to disastrous results, such as natural calamities caused by global warming. We would then highlight what we can do to contribute to minimizing environmental impact through ethical and sustainable practices, giving examples such as using sustainable or recycled materials, reducing wastage and resources required in production processes,

Ethical fashion on the other hand focuses on fair labor practices, ensuring that workers are treated fairly, paid proper wages, and work in safe conditions. Supporting ethical brands helps improve the livelihoods of garment workers and promotes social justice in the industry.

By trying to uphold ethical and sustainable practices, brands like ours can inspire other companies to follow suit. This creates a ripple effect throughout the industry, driving positive change on a larger scale. In essence, becoming more ethical and sustainable is about making choices that benefit the planet, people, and the quality of our products. It’s about taking responsibility for our actions and striving to create a better, more sustainable future for all.

2. For the consumers, what are the easiest ways that we can all be more sustainable in our approach to fashion?

As consumers of fashion ourselves, Ellyse and I encourage everyone to try to live by several principles: investing in high-quality pieces that are timeless and seasonless withstanding the test of time from brands that prioritize sustainability and ethical practices.

Properly washing, storing, and repairing your clothes can significantly extend their lifespan. This reduces the need for new purchases and minimizes waste. Rent, shop secondhand, donate, or recycle/upcycle. There are many things that consumers can do to seamlessly incorporate sustainable and ethical practices in their everyday lives, making a positive impact on the environment and supporting a more sustainable fashion industry.

3. In your own eyes, how has becoming a sustainable designer changed your life?

Founding a sustainable womenswear brand has given us a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment, knowing that we are contributing to positive change in the fashion industry and beyond. It has led us to prioritize quality over quantity and to consider the environmental and social impact of our choices when shopping.

During our time in Caeli Eco Lux, we have been challenged in positive ways, prompting us to find innovative ways to use eco-friendly materials and create designs that are both stylish and environmentally conscious. Being able to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations has given us a sense of community as well, as we all work to encourage and support one another while working towards a common goal.

As founders of Caeli Eco Luxe, we try to uphold the ethical and sustainability vision of our company in both our day-to-day professional and personal lives.

4. People say that sustainable fashion is too expensive or too difficult to do. How do you usually respond to that?

The perception of sustainability being too expensive is relative. Consumers who buy fewer but better-quality items will realize that they the total cost of ownership will be lower in the long run. Being able to wear a high-quality dress a hundred times will cost less than buying several low-quality dresses that you can only wear a couple of times.

The choices for sustainable brands are growing, offering a wider range of choices for consumers at different price points. As sustainable fashion scales up, the cost will continue to come down and become more affordable.

We need to make a stand and change our mindset to embrace sustainable practices. Through this, we can ensure that we enjoy the long-term benefits of purchasing from ethical and sustainable brands like helping to conserve resources, reducing waste, and minimizing pollution which helps protect ecosystems and natural resources for future generations. We also want to be role models for future generations on how we should care for the planet that we live in.