Buying an ILIO NEMA garment should feel like buying an heirloom, a garment to keep in your wardrobe for years to come.
A design conversation & partnership
At ILIO NEMA, we do not design and demand, rather we partner with our suppliers in a collaborative way. This begins with a conversation to understand what fabrics are already available. We refer to these as ‘remnant fabrics’ which are often left over from other designers' collections and destined for landfill. These fabrics are of perfect quality but are surplus to others' requirements. At Ilio Nema, we choose to use what is already available, reducing waste rather than creating more.
Occasionally, we will require a custom application such as a traditional resistance dye technique or print, and in these instances, we always opt for base fabric that is locally sourced. We want our footprint to be as light as possible.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
In terms of embellishments, our philosophy is "simple is best" because every component requires resources and therefore creates carbon emissions. Unless the component is necessary, we would rather forego it. This also means our customers will have an easier task to take care of their threads and, happily, fewer trips to the laundry or dry cleaner.
