By Helen Morgan, Source: Ecouterre

Local Buttons have evolved a collection of professional accessories and garments ethically in Haiti to help the local community. The design team launched three years ago with the aim of mainstreaming sustainable fashion to demonstrate it can be stylish, engaging and exciting. “We are putting a face on fashion,” say the duo behind the project Consuelo McAlister and Anne Pringle. Their lifestyle and community brand create a direct link between the consumer and the producer, presenting the full story about where an item is made to encourage consumers to think carefully about their choices and not invest in the world of unethical and unsustainable fashion.

While hosting a sustainable fashion show in Toronto, 2010, the designers raised awareness about the organization Brandaid. The Canadian initiative help Haitian artisans find a place for their goods in the global marketplace. With University Majors in International Development the team explored the region themselves and realized there was a gap for sustainable and stylish professional wear. They began working with INDEPCO to produced their first up cycled vests and decided to follow the clothing to see the entire process. They met the artisans and were really impressed with the craftsmanship, and began the process of expanding the concept.

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