Founder of The Fashion Pulpit
Starting a swapping movement, business, and community can be tough — but it's the people I’ve met along the way that make the experience more fun, worthwhile, and meaningful.
Tell us your story, how did you get here?
After 3 years of hard work in promoting and advancing sustainable fashion in Singapore through organising 15 swaps, several workshops, panel discussions, and collaborations with various companies and government agencies, we’ve noticed that people are extremely motivated to create positive change. Unfortunately, due to the lack of flexibility and inconsistent locations of swapping events, creating a positive change was something they had to fit into their schedules. Now, how do we fix this problem?
A permanent fashion swapping space! One location, swap anytime, bring everyone. Not only will you be able to swap from the best selection of pre-loved fashion pieces, but you can also now upcycle and learn fashion tricks all in one place. We aim to provide convenience and flexibility – however and whenever you want – to create a purpose-driven economy around sustainable fashion and conscious consumerism. The Fashion Pulpit is also the very first of its kind in Singapore. So, as you can see, we have a lot to be excited about!
What impact have you made in Singapore?
Sustainability in the fashion industry is such a complex issue and I think we haven’t made a dent. Though I’ve seen good progress in how we’ve slowly adopted alternatives to make our lifestyle choices more responsible, we still have a long way to go. Impact, for now, is hard to measure. We don’t have enough data yet to support the impact we’re making. But, having created a swapping platform where we can extend the lifespan of our clothes, lessen textile waste, encourage everyone to have a healthier relationship with our clothes, and build a community gives us hope and motivation to continue.
What does 2022 look like for you?
2022 is an exciting year for us as we have a few initiatives we’re going to launch, and I can’t wait for us to share them with everyone. Also, what the past years taught us is to appreciate the moment and make the most out of it, as tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. This perspective helps us to enjoy what we have while working on the things that increase our capacity to serve the community.
What do you love most about Singapore?
Starting a swapping movement, business, and community can be tough — but it’s the people I’ve met along the way that make the experience more fun, worthwhile, and meaningful. I’m grateful to be surrounded by compassionate, supportive, and loving people!
What’s the one thing everyone can do to protect our home planet?
Adopting new behaviour can be tough. The first step we can do is really understand our lifestyle and the values we have, so we can see how we can adjust or change to help protect our home planet.
Who is your Local Legend, and why?
There are so many inspirational individuals and businesses that we have here in Singapore.
The Social Space: I love what they do and they have really good coffee.
Green Is The New Black: my go-to place to keep myself posted on what’s happening in the sustainability scene, not just in fashion.
The Green Collective: this is where I shop when I need things (toothbrush, deodorant, etc).
Fashion Revolution Singapore and Fashion Parade: great sources to educate ourselves on how we can be better fashion citizens.
Qiyun, Tammy Gan, Charlotte Mei and Caitanya Tan are just a few of my favourite people I get inspiration and motivation from.