Who are we?

“The best and most unexpected things follow with a PlanB. Always plan for the fact that no plan always goes according to plan. We need to teach ourselves to be creative with the situations we find ourselves in. That’s the only way we grow. Out of the comfort zone. No success was built by one person alone. To be #1, we need to learn how to be 1”. - Anouk, Founder of PlanB1. 

 Whilst living in Ghana it was when Anouk learned about the largest secondhand (clothing) market in Africa, if not the world, “Kantamanto”, where more than 5 million discarded items pass through...per week. 
A few years later, whilst living and working in Cambodia Anouk learned about the “behind the scenes” of the fast fashion industry in Asia. 

Both places suffering from the fast fashion habits of the Global North. Dealing with depressing working conditions, overproduced products and a lot of deadstock material, hence waste and pollution. 
The current fashion industry is functioning at the expense of our environment and people’s working conditions. But also creativity.
We risk losing ancient techniques of artisanal crafts that have been passed down through generations in communities around the world. 

Taking all this into account and mixing  it with a ‘made to create and an environmental- mindset’ it was in 2016 when PlanB1 was born. 

PlanB1 makes exclusive, non-seasonal items from discarded materials with local craftsmanship. Combining art, culture, fashion and skills to tell a story. Through our vision we strive to change prospects. We stand for unity and we value creativity, people, profit and our environment in an equally important way. We aspire to make a difference, not just a living. 

We are not defined by any plan, but rather by our ability to adapt. 

Life has a way of its own and to thrive you need to; “Be like water my friend”. Flow.

So, we taught ourselves to be creative with the situations we find ourselves in.
We act in accordance with the pattern and resources as they exist. We like to question the “norm”. And that reflects in our products and approach.

 

"I’MPERFECTIONS"

This collection was designed and produced with our partners in Cambodia, where we sourced our materials from the “Fabric Mountains” of deadstock, coming from the local, fast fashion factories. We were able to create different designs with a limited amount of similar items. Our offcuts and other leftover materials were revived into more limited designs with differences; in color, fabric and accessories, giving each product a unique touch.

 

"PLAN BULLETPROOF ACCESSORIES"

These pieces are put back differently with an amazing story. Together with our skillful artisan partners in the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia we designed our jewellery collection. We use bullets castings and bombshells to showcase the plight of the Khmer (=Cambodian) people and what they have had to endure in their recent past. They believe this is a strong statement about Cambodia and the Khmer people and what they can achieve. Hope rising from the tragic circumstances of the past inspires all of their designs. They are turning  something negative, that was used to kill millions of Khmer people into something of beauty, hope, strength and endurance. - From war to Peace

 

"RETURN OF THE WASTE"

The name for PlanB1’s new upcoming collection, consisting of pieces made from already existing secondhand clothing. These are Kantamanto’s leftovers, labeled as 3rd or 4th pick. Basically being waste, ending up in the forever filling landfills of Accra. Bringing these pieces ‘back to life’, giving them a second chance, a ‘PlanB’, as being part of a new refurbished, reconstructed design and hopefully marketed back to where they came from, the Global North and support a circular economy.