Established in 2015 with a humble workshop in West Jakarta by Nagawati Surya, better known as Hana, Threadapeutic is a small band of local artisans with a shared passion for fabric reconstruction and a goal to minimize waste. The brand produces one-of-a-kind contemporary bags, fashion accessories, home furnishings, and artistic tapestries.

All those products were handcrafted from its signature textile pieces with fabrics sourced from dead stocks and offcuts from the garment industry, created through a technique called faux chenille.

 

 

 

 

 

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Origin story

It began when Hana, who was in charge of media relations for the Indonesian Fashion Week event in 2015, was tasked to make media souvenirs. At the time, the idea of utilizing fashion waste was already mushrooming into the industry’s conversation, but dedicated platforms were scant. With a small team consisting of novice and amateur seamsters, they began experimenting with used banners and leftover fabrics, resulting in pouches and bags.

Hana believed in the possibilities of upcycling waste into raw materials as a business and a launchpad to advocate the values of reducing waste. 

“When I was tasked to upcycle waste, I still doubted what I could do. But through experiencing how unwanted materials transformed and working with a team who are passionate about the craft, I feel a sense of accomplishment. It’s not just me who is growing, but the team too. I can identify myself as those waste, insignificant, unvalued. But by giving unwanted materials a new life, I’m giving myself a new chance in life. It gives me a sense of purpose other than just making products,” she said.

Threadwork has always been a source of therapy for her, who grew up learning basic techniques from her seamstress mother. Her time spent mending her daughters’ clothes were moments when Hana found complete solace. Her discovery of the wasteful culture in fast fashion led her to direct her artisanal skills towards conscious production. Through Threadapeutic, Hana hopes to share the team’s values and workmanship with today’s dreamers and doers.

 

 

 

 

 

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Current ventures

The brand puts its community first, aiming to foster an environment where the personal development of the artisans in craft and workmanship are valued, in turn, building confidence in their skills to sustain their livelihoods and generate quality products. It also aims to educate local communities on sustainable solutions by sharing our experiences and expertise in upcycling and designing textiles and engaging in spirited collaborations with like-minded peers.

It also maintains the proper wage for its employees to maintain its labor welfare spirit. Its Master Sewer, Pak Kusworo, armed a skillset honed over the decades, having sewn for a designer label before joining the Threadapeautic family in its budding stage late 2014, remain faithful for years and only retired in August 2021.

During the pandemic, the brand took bold moves to not only focusing on fashion, but also art, home, and office decor.