HOW special would it be to be able to keep up with the current fashion trends and still be able to support an enterprise that helps empower women and children?
Olivia and Diego’s is a Davao-founded social enterprise that had since partnered with Talikala, a non-government organization (NGO) that helps rescued prostituted women and children.
According to founder Yana Santiago, Olivia and Diego was first established in 2013 with the main objective of making crafts and upcycled jewelry from discarded and beyond-repair cotton-knitted shirts and recycled office supplies.
The company name was inspired by the Moroccan couple that Santiago met a few years ago and inspired her. Olivia and Diego aims to help reduce textile waste while promoting the beauty of Mindanao. It is believed to be the first to have this type of business in the city.
She said she is very interested with businesses and social enterprises with very interesting background stories and those that are able to reach out to the community. Santiago is a Clothing Technology graduate from the University of the Philippines Diliman and had interned at Rag2Riches, a social enterprise that also makes eco-ethical fashion and accessories from recycled scrap cloth, organic materials, and indigenous fabrics.
Santiago added they now source out materials from donated used clothing with good quality fabric. They also scout from ukay-ukay places for shirts that have stretchable and high-quality fabric that can be flexible enough to be used for their jewelry. She said they have since trained at least 30 women from Talikala. The trained artisans that have continued to work with them earn P3,000 to P8,000 per order as they are paid for every piece of jewelry that they create.
Santiago said she believes that the success of her enterprise is measured on the impact made by Olivia & Diego to the lives of their artisans. She believes they still have a long way to go but are also happy and grateful of where they are now.
To keep up with the design trends, Santiago said she continues to research and get inspiration from online sources. She also continues to immerse in fashion events to gain inspiration such as the Hong Kong Fashion Week that she was able to attend.
After years of operation, Olivia and Diego’s necklaces and bracelets are now being sold in Canada, Japan, Malaysia, and Germany. They are also available in select AirAsia flights. In Davao City, they can be seen displayed in Sea Green Café + Boutique Rooms and Echostore Davao.
“It is a little challenging that this concept is not that accepted here in Davao City yet. It’s a new concept – unlike in other countries. That’s why for now, we have a market there because people are familiar with this already,” said Santiago.