The sustainability story of House of Lonali began with my desire to use my design and creative skills to make a change in the world - a desire which took me down the exciting and rewarding path of upcycling. It’s true that back in 2012, when I started House of Lonali, upcycling was not a very popular concept in Sri Lanka. But it was also not completely alien to our culture, especially when it comes to used clothes, which Sri Lankans don’t generally throw away. Instead, they are patched up and passed down to younger siblings, donated to those in need or even repurposed to be used around the house for dusting furniture!
Resourcefulness is a trait that many of us learn from our parents and grandparents, and I believe that it is an incredibly useful skill. For me personally, it is a trait that sparked an idea, and led me to begin a business that marries my love for design with my passion to effect positive change. It is the foundation of House of Lonali’s sustainability story - a story that we hope will inspire you to become a conscious and responsible consumer.
TURNING WASTE INTO VALUE
We work with pre-consumer textile waste - the waste resulting from the manufacturing process which occurs before a garment is completed. It is a large problem within the apparel industry because more often than not, pre-consumer waste ends up in landfills or incinerators, adding to environmental pollution. We saw an opportunity within this problem - the possibility to use fabric waste as a raw material to create something beautiful, and reduce the negative impact on the environment. An idea was born, and over the years, it has turned into a successful and sustainable business.
Learn more about how we upcycle fabric waste.
DESIGNING AND CREATING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
Our production process begins at the point of collecting fabric waste and encompasses a number of detailed stages including, design, manufacture, finishing and packaging. At the core of the process is the principle of circular design - minimal waste and continual use of resources.
We follow a zero-waste approach and are committed to sustainable practices, be it with the type of raw materials we use, with our product packaging and marketing or the people who make up our team.
Find out how our products are created.
WORKING WITH PASSIONATE ARTISANS AND
UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES
Our team consists of a number of dedicated, highly skilled, inspired people who make it a joy to work together. From our designers to our seamstresses to our craftspeople, we have a wonderful family that believes that what we do is important and transformative. In turn, we do everything we possibly can to ensure that our people are treated with dignity and respect, are appreciated for their dedication and have the opportunity to earn a sustained income so that they can support their families and improve their quality of life.
Discover more about our amazing team.