Machja brings best of French ethical fashion to the UK
Added: (Thu Mar 18 2010)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Machja, an environmentally friendly and ethical fashion range developed by the company of the same name, is now available in Britain through its website: www.machja.com. The French company’s range of ethical and affordable casual wear for men, women and children is aimed at young and fashionable consumers. Machja offers fast delivery of its clothing throughout the UK. The company was among the pioneers of the ethical approach to quality ready-to-wear in France.
Machja realised, very early on, the importance of ethical issues and sustainable development to a successful business model for the 21st century. When the company started operating, five years ago, it was a pioneer in ethical fashion, together with a small band of dedicated French designers and manufacturers.
Ms Catherine Soundirarassou, co-founder of Machja, whose family history links her to Vietnam, had always been aware of the importance of fair trade and ethical values in the clothing industry. Ms Soundirarassou understood, as she explains, that, “It was crucial to combine the quality and beauty of the products with good marketing and affordable prices, in line with ethical principles that go without saying, from my standpoint.”
Machja has stemmed from the business originally set up by Ms Soundirarassou’s own family, which operated out of Vietnam by then, and was run along fair-trade principles long before the concept started getting wide coverage in the European media and clothing industry.
Ms Soundirarassou stresses the fact that, “My aim has been to make my ethical fashion ranges of quality clothes accessible to the general public, so that it is no longer a niche market for the élite. In this, we have been pioneers in France, and have consistently proved innovative in our approach. This has been widely recognised by both professionals and the media in France, to the point where many mainstream labels have followed in our footsteps, in the last few years.”
Machja has been at the forefront in the field of ethical and organic fashion. The company supports economic development not only in France, but also internationally, through its close partnerships with workshops in several developing countries – more particularly in India and Vietnam.
All of Machja’s clothes are made entirely from certified organic fabrics, including cotton. Machja uses organic cotton that is certified by Eco-cert, Skal or IMO, and which is free of pesticides and polluting chemicals. The company also works with innovative ecological raw materials, such as milk fibre.
Machja works with producers who guarantee their workers fair wages and decent working conditions. Machja’s sweatshirts and T-shirts are made in southern India at a workshop run by a Franciscan convent, which employs 120 young disabled women. Much of the cotton sourced by the French company is produced organically in southern India.
The company’s knitted garments are made of milk fibre and are produced in a workshop in China, which Machja is helping to become certified as a fair-trade factory. In South Vietnam, the family-run workshop that produces fabric for Machja is about to obtain Fair for Life certification from the Institute for Marketecology (IMO), an international agency for the inspection, certification and quality assurance of eco-friendly products. The Fair for Life certification guarantees social accountability and fair trade in agricultural, manufacturing and trading operations.
Machja’s latest spring and summer 2010 Fashion Wear collection features classic styles of clothing designed to stand the test of time and outlast passing trends. The collection includes casual and chic styles for women and men, including organic jeans, jackets, shirts, dresses and underwear in striking colours and luxurious fabrics, and featuring quirky details.
The new Zen Corsica collection is designed to be worn during yoga, and is also smart enough to be worn as casual wear. The clothes are made from soft and comfortable fabrics in a range of neutral tones.
Machja Baby is a trendy and organic line of casual wear for babies, from newborns to 18-month-olds. The soft and hypoallergenic quality of organic cotton perfectly suits babies’ delicate skin.
Finally, Machja Basics is a classic collection of stylish and high-quality T-shirts in a selection of stunning colours.
About Machja
Machja, a specialist in ethical fashion, is based in Bastia, on the French island of Corsica. The company also has a boutique in Marseilles (in south-eastern France).
The company was founded in 2005 by Catherine Soundirarassou and Jean-Louis Rossi, who were both executives working in Paris before deciding to change careers in order to put their ethical principles into practice.
The Machja brand is based on fair-trade principles and the importance of sustainable development. The company aims to design affordable, quality organic clothing.
For further information, please go to: www.machja.com