Putting Our Planet First
STARTING A BUSINESS ISN’T JUST ABOUT CREATING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL OR SUCCESSFUL — IT’S ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF KIMINI, I KNEW I WANTED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT MY BRAND WOULD HAVE ON OUR PLANET.
THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO POLLUTION AND WASTE WORLDWIDE. KNOWING THIS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO IGNORE THE ROLE I PLAY AS A FOUNDER. EVERY CHOICE MATTERS — FROM THE MATERIALS WE USE, TO HOW MUCH WE PRODUCE, TO THE WAY OUR PRODUCTS ARE PACKAGED AND SHIPPED. AT KIMINI, EVERYTHING FROM OUR PACKAGING MATERIALS TO OUR SWIMWEAR IS ECO-FRIENDLY, BECAUSE SUSTAINABILITY ISN’T A TREND — IT’S A COMMITMENT.
WHEN YOU’RE BUILDING A BRAND FROM THE GROUND UP, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. YOU GET TO MAKE INTENTIONAL DECISIONS INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING HARMFUL INDUSTRY NORMS. FOR ME, THAT MEANS PRIORITIZING QUALITY OVER QUANTITY, BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT PRODUCTION, AND CHOOSING OPTIONS THAT REDUCE WASTE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
I’M ALSO VEGAN, AND THAT PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN HOW I MOVE THROUGH THE WORLD AND HOW I BUILD MY BRAND. PUTTING OUR PLANET FIRST IS A VALUE I CARRY WITH ME IN EVERY DECISION I MAKE — BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY — AND IT ONLY FELT RIGHT TO LET THOSE VALUES GUIDE KIMINI FROM THE VERY START.
DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF BUILDING KIMINI, I DESIGNED AND PRODUCED A LIMITED RUN OF 34 SARONGS. IN THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE, I SELECTED A FABRIC THAT I LATER LEARNED DID NOT MEET MY ECO-FRIENDLY STANDARDS. AT THE TIME, I WAS EAGER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PRODUCTION, AND THIS BECAME AN IMPORTANT LEARNING MOMENT FOR ME AS A FOUNDER.
IT WAS DURING PRODUCTION THAT I CONFIRMED THE FABRIC WAS NOT SUSTAINABLE, AND BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE CHANGES. ONCE I BECAME AWARE, I MADE THE DECISION THAT THESE SARONGS WOULD NOT BE SOLD. WHILE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED AS A SALES OPPORTUNITY, I CHOSE TO REPURPOSE THEM IN A WAY THAT ALIGNS WITH MY VALUES — BY USING THEM FOR MARKETING PURPOSES AND GIFTING THEM, RATHER THAN PROFITING FROM A PRODUCT THAT DID NOT MEET MY STANDARDS.
KEEPING OUR PLANET IN MIND IS ABOUT THINKING LONG-TERM. A BUSINESS SHOULDN’T EXIST AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT OR FUTURE GENERATIONS. BRANDS HAVE INFLUENCE, AND WITH THAT INFLUENCE COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE CHANGE, EVEN THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
KIMINI WAS CREATED WITH PURPOSE. WHILE I’M ALWAYS LEARNING AND EVOLVING, I BELIEVE THAT CARING FOR OUR PLANET SHOULD BE WOVEN INTO EVERY STAGE OF BUILDING A BUSINESS. BECAUSE CREATING SWIMWEAR INSPIRED BY THE OCEAN ALSO MEANS PROTECTING IT.