SUSTAINABLE SYMPOSIUM
Cavia
by Oliver Dahle
Cavia is another word for guinea pig; the small rodent, that’s often used in laboratory research. It’s also the name of the eco-conscious fashion brand, that was founded by Martina Boero, in 2020. Cavia, the brand, was founded during lockdown as a side-project when Boero had more time other than hands. Since then, the brand has grown to become a firmly rooted label that upcycles and utilizes textiles that have been overlooked, always with experimentation in mind. With craftsmanship in focus, the brand is pushing the boundaries of what a fashion brand should be in the 21st century.
What inspired you to start your brand Cavia, and how does your focus on sustainability intersect with your design ethos??
I started my brand during the COVID-2020 lockdown. At that time, we were forced to stay at home, I needed to express my creativity in some way, and I started to create some knitwear items for myself using yarns that I had at home. Then the idea was to create a handmade knitwear collection made with upcycled yarns. For this reason, I chose the name Cavia because every item is a one-of-a-kind experiment.
How do you define sustainability in the context of your brand, and how does this definition influence your design process?
There’s a lot of talk about sustainability, and for me, that means to try and produce and consume as little as we can. That’s why my brand only uses upcycled materials, to give new life to items that are no longer desirable. The design process is the opposite, I always start the development of the new collections with the research of new upcycled materials. Last summer I visited a beautiful market in the south of France where I found amazing vintage towels, they inspired me so much that I used them to create a capsule collection of items.
Can you tell me about the materials you use and why you chose them? Particularly in terms of their aesthetic appeal or sustainability? How do you source them? Has this been a challenge?
It’s a challenge, but it’s also the most exciting part for me. The research for materials is always unknown, you never know what you may find. For the knitwear, I now have my network of suppliers and I always work with high-quality Italian yarns. For the fabrics, I usually work with dead stock fabrics and vintage items. Not solely clothes, but also towels, rugs, blankets, and everything that motivates me. I try to seek out materials that are my aesthetic.
In what ways does your approach to minimising waste in the production process influence thevdesign and aesthetics of your products?
I always approached the creation of a new collection, trying to understand first if the dead stock I find is sufficient for production. Even if my collections are formed of all unique pieces, I still try to maintain the same aesthetic throughout the items.
How do you balance the aesthetic demands of fashion trends with your commitment to sustainability?
Our world overproduced in the past and we need to transform this excess with creativity. There are storages full of dead stock materials that, unfortunately, give you the chance to create whatever you want in every style you want. In this era, creating collections with upcycled materials is no longer an obstacle to creativity I think that it’s more inspiring and challenging to try to create something new and cool from something that is no longer appealing to the market.
Do you have any plans for incorporating circularity principles into your business model?
In terms of marketing and budgeting, I always try to make my choices the most sustainable as possible, sustainability for me is also very connected to the ethical theme; for this reason, I also work with ethical associations for the development of the production to convey the value of Cavia to the final customer. Every Cavia item you buy comes with a special ‘passport’ where you can find the hours needed for its creation and the artisan that crafted it for you. For me the human connection is a fundamental point, we need to create a special feeling between the person who produces it, the garment, and the final customer. I believe that this connection makes the garment more valuable and gives it a sort of affection.If you care about something you will use it with care.
Credits: Pictures by Lluis Camps, Interview by Oliver Dahle