This Gen Z founder is lifting up her community, one upcycled bag at a time

Let's start at the beginning. How did Commenhers first come about?

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The brand started when I was in my second year of studying at Singapore Polytechnic. I was pursuing a Business Administration diploma, and as part of my specialization in entrepreneurship, we had to create a project. This was during the Covid-19 period of time, so everything had to be done online. We had two weeks to brainstorm ideas. I was watching the news during circuit breaker, and one piece of news that struck me was learning that thrift stores had to throw away their moldy clothing because people couldn't purchase them during the circuit breaker. I felt it was such a waste, and that led me to do more research and understand the impact that fast fashion has on the environment.

I pitched the idea of starting a small fashion business that aims to upcycle textile waste. I found a few people from my cohort who were as passionate about the idea as I was, and together we formed Commenhers.

What were the early days like?

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We went through so many different hurdles!

We spent almost two years focused on researching the market, and it was during this time that we were able to solidify the brand's business model and explore the feasibility and scalability of the brand, then we spent more time doing research and development.

Originally, all of Commenhers' products were handmade by the founding team. We had gone through talks with our lecturers and entered pitching competitions, and the issue that stood out for us was how we can make Commenhers scalable. We all want a business that can survive in the long run, and I also remembered that in one of our lectures, SMEs have an average lifespan of three years. If it doesn't fit the criteria of scalability, then it's not viable to sustain itself.

It got me thinking about the longevity of Commenhers. We were doing all the production, the packaging of orders, and even the marketing of products. But as a business owner looking to impact change in reducing textile waste, it got me thinking about how I can branch Commenhers further out. The other thought I had in mind was also how I can expand without sacrificing the credibility and quality of products as the business grows. Because if we were to outsource production, then how can we continue to deliver products that people are going to like with a quality that lives up to our expectations?

And did you find a resolution to these questions?

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Yes! After about eight months into the business, we decided to hire homemakers into our business.

My mum has raised me to spread kindness to our neighbors, and I've also actively volunteered with different organizations like the Red Cross. So giving back to the community is something I feel connected to.

In researching the fast fashion industry, one thing I delved into was the point of unethical production where women and minors are placed in unsafe working environments and pushed to overwork just so they can meet their KPIs meted out by fast fashion giants. It became a conscious effort in starting my fashion brand that I wanted to go in the opposite direction, which is why I felt that working with the community and giving them a choice to work on something they enjoy is important. Not only do they have a voice in how they feel an item should be produced, but they are also able to earn an income to sustain themselves. Beyond homemakers, we also work with single mums and retired tailors as well.

So in this case, we could kill two birds with one stone. We can reduce textile waste, and give employment opportunities to these beneficiaries.

What's a misconception about your products that you commonly hear?

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That people think working with upcycled textiles is easy. (laughs) Unlike starting from scratch with a bale of fabric, upcycled textiles often mean that you're working with very different fabric consistencies. Different types of denim have varying stretchiness woven in them and it's not as straightforward as picking two random pieces of material and sewing it together because the variation in elasticity can affect the final product. In picking the materials to pair together, we actually spend a lot of time analyzing each piece of material and ensuring we are pairing the right fabrics together. Not to mention all the time that goes into sorting these upcycled fabrics by color, washing them and checking for any defects, and so on. It's a labor-intensive process.

Even in the design process, we are constantly finding a balance of creating products people like and still being able to reuse every part of an old item right down to its buckle and zip. So even though our products can seem simple on the surface, there is a lot of thought and energy expanded into getting it right.

You're doing all of this, while completing your degree at National University of Singapore. What's that like?

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Honestly, it can be tiring and overwhelming. But the thing is, when I feel like when I'm doing something I am passionate about, it takes away the fatigue. Because at the end of the day, I can look back and know that I am spending a productive day doing something I love.

In the early days, I had to adapt very quickly to being a small business owner whilst juggling my school work. There have been moments when my co-founder and I have come close to closing Commenhers, but the positive feedback from both consumers and the beneficiaries who work with us has kept us going.

Now, I think I've adapted better. I'm always working on my schedule right down to the last available minute just so I can balance time spent with my stakeholders and internal staff, schoolwork, and maintaining a social life with my friends or spending time with the family. I know it's challenging, but I also am going into this knowing what I signed up for. And despite the craziness, I think it's worth it because I've seen myself grow as an individual. I try to turn every challenge or problem into a task or a goal.

Let's talk pipeline and future plans – can you share any?

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One of our collaborations is with Decathlon, which I find interesting. We were given the opportunity to experiment with unconventional materials. So we were upcycling canvas that is traditionally found in kayaks and turning them into crossbody bags. This line of bags will be launched in 2024. We also launched two co-sewing spaces that host 40 of our own production staff and makers.

We're also looking into how we can expand Commenhers into becoming a regional project by working with communities in Vietnam and Indonesia so that we can continue to positively impact these beneficiaries beyond Singapore's borders.

In 2023, we upcycled over 700kg of textiles, and in 2024, we are looking to increase our efforts to reach 1,500kg of upcycled material.