ABOUT
Su by Hand is a sustainable luxury label that celebrates the beauty of artisanal fashion inspired by Nature. As a slow-fashion label, they create each piece with attention to quality and comfort in premium fabrication. From plant dyes to artisanal craft, all styles are available on a small-batch or made-to-order basis only.
IMPACT
People
The brand always produces in small batches from workshops in Bali (new range), Hong Kong, and China*. Su By Hand works with social enterprises (Lok Kwan Hong Kong, Living Blue Bangladesh) and small businesses that the team has personally visited or been recommended by industry insiders. Lok Kwan employs mainly ageing or retired seamstresses and gives them the flexibility of part-time work; they also run workshops in sewing for educational purposes. Due to travel restrictions, they have yet to visit their new Bali-based supplier.
Product
Their focus is on premium natural fibres such as silk, cotton and Tencel. Depending on the range, they source their plant-dyed silks from Living Blue Bangladesh and deadstock silk from suppliers in Hong Kong. They source their Tencel directly from authorised Lenzing retailers. Products are designed from sketches in-house. It starts with developing samples with independent drafters, with a lot of attention on design, comfort and quality.
Packaging
As a small maker-founder brand, Su By Hand limits their packaging to un-branded white cardboard boxes to encourage reuse. Additionally, they are in the midst of researching green packaging suppliers for bio-cassava polybags regionally and locally.
Planet
Even though they are too small to have been certified yet, they use certified Tencel and only natural fibres for their collections apart from their deadstock, which is a mix of man-made synthetic fibres. However, some of their products such as the Sammy pants and Alex dress use fabric such as a triacetate-poly blend that was sourced directly from a deadstock supplier of Japanese imported fabrics based in Hong Kong.
Principles
Nature and emotions inspire Su By Hand’s aesthetic whereas their core values encompass honesty, inclusivity, aesthetics and sustainability. They believe in being transparent and authentic in their messaging so that their customers can feel connected to the brand. By incorporating educational workshops and collaborations, the brand wants to be more inclusive. Su By Hand genuinely believes that the power of aesthetics and art transcends trend and overconsumption. It is also a force that inspires creation. They consider themselves a slow fashion brand, who promote artisanal craft and keep alive handmade techniques by implementing them in modern designs. Through small batch production, considered and responsible designs, a made-to-order model of business and supporting small production houses, they match their work practices to their personal beliefs. In the end, they want to offer timeless styles and well-made clothing.
