Indonesia is one of the strongest countries in terms of garment manufacturing; however, only 2% of women involved in the workforce are fairly paid. On her return from the Netherlands, where she studied development economics, Denica Riadini-Flesch launched the social enterprise SukkhaCitta in 2016, whose website, by eliminating layers of middlemen, sells traditionally made garments at fair prices: a "farm-to-closet" scheme. Artisans working with Riadini-Flesch's company have seen an increase in income of 60% on average. This growth is so significant that it drives a virtuous circle: women become responsible for household finances as well as nutrition and education, reversing traditional gender roles, benefiting girls in the communities in particular, and laying the foundation for a sustainable future.

Denica RiadiniFlesch, Rolex Award for Initiative recipient, and CEO and founder of SukkhaCitta, is changing the way clothing is made and sold, right down to the way materials are grown, while empowering the rural craftswomen who help create it. Photo: ©Rolex/Sébastien Agnetti

Through SukkhaCitta, Riadini-Flesch offers training in design and craftsmanship to the women working on the project. In some of the schools, teaching is provided by older and more experienced craftswomen, reviving the model of passing on traditional knowledge from mothers to daughters, but taken to a scale that, thanks to the Rolex Award for Initiative, will be able to reach 10,000 lives by 2030, due to the reach facilitated by technology. In addition to knowledge in terms of textile work, these learning centers also include environmental management tools and entrepreneurial skills.

Rolex Award for Initiative recipient and founder of SukkhaCitta, Denica Riadini-Flesch (right), holds cotton harvested on a farm near Central Java, Indonesia, by Ibu Tun and Ibu Dair, with whom she stands. The cotton will be used to make high-quality handcrafted garments, making SukkhaCitta a true farm-to-wardrobe enterprise. Photo: ©Rolex/Sébastien Agnetti

The past is also the source of knowledge to address the environmental problem produced by the fashion industry, which often uses toxic dyes and exploits the land with cotton monoculture that feeds on harmful herbicides. Riadini-Flesch and her team have turned to producers who still remember how Indonesian grandmothers integrated cotton planting into the ecosystem, so they have now applied regenerative farming techniques, mixing 23 species that are helping to restore soil health and biodiversity, while the dyes they use for their fabrics are of natural origin.

Ibu Srikanthi supervises two younger women drawing batik patterns at one of SukkhaCitta's handicraft schools, Rumah SukkhaCitta, East Java. Photo: ©Rolex/Sébastien Agnetti.

There is a future, of course, in innovation, but for SukkhaCitta, the most important thing is to have a solid bridge to the past and tradition: "The best thing is that it's not a new sophisticated technology. It is proven local wisdom that has been practiced in Indonesia for generations," Riadini-Flesch says.

SukkhaCitta artisan Ibu Kasmini prepares the cotton before spinning. SukkhaCitta prides itself on making ethical handmade garments and ensuring that its craftswomen work in a safe environment and at fair wages. Photo: ©Rolex/Sébastien Agnetti.

Green Inspiration is a series of articles developed by Local.mx to showcase relevant environmental projects. In collaboration with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, our goal is to raise awareness, inspire new generations and encourage good ideas that improve life on earth. Learn more about these Initiatives at rolex.org. #Rolex #PerpetualPlanet #RolexAwards #GreenInspiration.