Press
Good People draws inspiration from artisanal crafts and turns it into a creation of sustainable, timeless, sophisticated collections.
FIRST STEP
Good People creates fabrics constructed entirely from plants.
Primarily, raffia fibre is extracted from the palms of raffia trees in Madagascar - leaving the tree healthy to continue to grow. The fibre is then dried, dyed and handwoven on the loom into sheets of fabric to be transformed by our skilled team of over 30 Malagasy women. This process is slow and careful, and can take up to 3 months to create beautiful bags in alignment with our values.
HOW IT STARTED
The Foundation
In 2015, our founder, Clémence Goudard, was travelling across eastern Africa when she came to work for a charity in Madagascar. After 5 years of studying Fashion Design & Management in Paris and New York, it was here she conceived the idea for Good People. She was inspired by the talent and traditions of the local artisans, their ability to turn natural fibres into everyday objects. So, she was motivated to build this brand and train them in quality and how to harness their skills. The business began with just six of these gifted women, and has since grown to over 30 passionate women who design and craft our bags.
concrete actions
Made by women artisans
We started by putting up a small workshop where the ladies could gather everyday and start working in the most usual way for them.At the launching of the brand, it was about 6 women that invested themselves in the project. Today, over 30 of them gather everyday to design those products with care, love, and undisguised passion: Our first inspiration lives within those women.
THE ESSENCE
About Raffia
Raffia is a powerful source of fabric, just as resistant and durable as leather, but 3 times lighter. And, unlike leather, being plants makes it ecological and sustainable. Once a year the fibre from the raffia trees can be collected, with no harm to the trees. Additionally, the method of harvesting supports the tree’s growth and regenerates the soil. Truly a win-win situation for us and the local eco-system. Using ancient weaving techniques and know-hows, everything is done by hand to create our fabric - from extraction and drying of the fibres, to weaving the fabric into existence. As part of our sustainable mission, we are devoted to using local manufacturing and natural fibres only. So, the raffia is combined with other locally grown and constructed materials such as silk, agave, and cotton.
“We train them to our quality, and we learn from their talent. We grow side by side, and seek success together. Good People working, hand-in-hand”
