Human beings have needs, one of which is clothing. As Mark Twain said "Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence in society." While clothing is a fundamental need, it is now know to be more than just the business of covering physical nakedness, it is a tool on which society values of various topics and matters are discussed, empowering platforms are founded and experienced, people build their identity and confidence on how they are dressed to be addressed.
In Lagos, Nigeria, there is a growing rate of tailor/seamstress platforms that uses a model of the Take-Make-Use cycle. This cycle aims to take away the emotional connection that humans have with garments. Growing up, I found so much joy in going through my mother and grandmother's wardrobe for clothes (I still do). I mended and often wear my late grandfather's gingham print pants to work meetings and outings. I get an oddly safe and confident feeling going through the day in my hand-me-down garments, this could be as a result of the stories my grandfather shared with me when he was alive. Another downside effect of this model is the ever-fast-growing build-up of textile waste that is harmful to the environment as its materials are majorly non-biodegradable. The solution is to reintroduce a Take-Make-Use-Put back model. As a mentor of the founder puts it, "The Philosophy of less". This model relies on a cycle balance between the artisans, product process, and the maintenance practice of the users. With an effective system and consistent exploration of this model, we at Labakelagos do not only churn out fabric-based products but produce products that promote healthy environmental impact, contribute to the economic transformation of our artisan's workforce and their families, and also give consumers more than a product but memories and possibilities they can relate and connect with.
