LET'S START WITH SOME DEFINITIONS:
- Plan: something to be made or built
- B: to have an objective existence
- 1: unity
WHY "PLANB-1"?
“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 von G , Founder of PlanB1.
Whilst living in Ghana it was when Anouk learned about the largest secondhand (clothing) market in Africa, Kantamanto, where more than 15 million discarded items pass through...every 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 dead-stock material causing excessive 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.
"RETURN OF THE WASTE" |
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For the new collection, "Return of the Waste", we travel to Ghana, West Africa. In the heart of the capital lies Kantamanto, a vibrant market full of creativity where the upcycle culture has been present for years.The leftovers of the Western consumption, which end their journey here every week, are a starting point for the new designs. 15 million items pass through Kantamanto, every week. We used these discarded materials and turned them into treasures. We made one of a kind kimono coats together with our Ghanian team of skillful artisans. The fine details and the stylish combination of fabrics make each jacket a statement that shows the value of textile waste and the possibility to revive this into something new. The Waste has Returned. |
"PLANB-BULLETPROOF JEWELLERY" |
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These pieces are put back differently with an amazing story, inspired by the hope rising from tragic circumstances. Together with our skillful artisan partners in the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia we designed our jewellery collection. We use bullets castings to showcase the plight of the Khmer (=Cambodian) people and what they have had to endure in their recent past. These shells are collected from shooting ranges and from army and police exercises, returned into the designs of PlanB1. The Khmer believe this is a strong statement about Cambodia and the Khmer people and what they can achieve. Turning something negative, into something of beauty, hope, strength and endurance. - From war to Peace PlanB1 shows once again that no more material needs to be added to our planet. When we work together, we can create almost everything, as long as we are innovative and creative with already existing resources. |
"I’MPERFECTIONS" |
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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. All imperfections became perfections. I AM PERFECT with my IMPERFECTIONS was the motivation behind this collection. |