Gelaine Santiago, a Filipino from Bulacan, and Jerome Gagnon-Voyer founded Cambio Market in 2015 with the mission of aiding ethical brands grow by connecting them to consumers.
On their travels to the Philippines, they encountered communities of ethical businesses run by young Filipino entrepreneurs that strived to address issues like poverty and inequality. This experience spurred them on to open their own shop.
Elevating Filipino Artisans
Cambio & Co is more than your average online boutique. They collaborate with Filipino artisans to craft beautiful, sustainable products.
Gelaine Santiago and Jerome Gagnon-Voyer are on a mission to make the world a better place through their business. This includes supporting Filipino artisans through a “business for social good” model.
Since their founding, they’ve collaborated with 12 partner organizations and thousands of social advocates. Furthermore, they were an early leader in the “Wear Your Heritage” movement - using fashion as a vehicle to celebrate cultural pride and build solidarity within the Filipino diaspora community.
Rags2Riches (also known as R2R) is one of the brands they carry, working with artisans to craft eco-friendly clothing and home accessories from overstock and upcycled fabric as well as indigenous fabrics that would otherwise end up in landfills. Each piece is crafted using both these methods of production.
Creating Economic Opportunities
In April 2018, Filipinos in Canada totaled almost one million, including naturalized citizens, permanent residents and temporary workers and students. Major metropolitan areas like Winnipeg in Manitoba and Calgary in Alberta are home to substantial Filipino populations.
Vancouver’s Filipino population increased by nearly 25 percent between 2011 and 2016, making it the third-largest visible minority group after South Asians and Chinese.
Filipinos in Canada are striving to make a difference, using their creativity to promote social and economic progress. This is particularly evident through an emerging movement of ethical fashion that uses fashion as an instrument of cultural pride and building solidarity among Filipino diaspora members.
Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, founder of Rags2Riches, sells eco-ethical fashion and home accessories made from overstock fabric, upcycled cloth and indigenous textiles that would otherwise end up in landfill. These pieces are expertly crafted in the Philippines and sold directly through the company; thus empowering artisans while simultaneously having an environmentally beneficial effect.
Building a Community of Conscious Consumers
As the fashion world increasingly pays attention to environmental sustainability and ethical principles, ethically minded shoppers are increasingly seeking out more sustainable clothing options - including Filipino artisanal labels.
Despite some challenges, such as lack of visibility, these companies are succeeding in their mission to promote Filipino craftsmanship and sustainability. Their customers range from older to younger consumers who often show an eagerness to discover about the country from which their goods are crafted.
Their partner brands have earned recognition for their creativity and environmental commitment, such as Olivia & Diego Upcycled Jewelry (the company’s most successful product to date) and Anthill Fabric Gallery with its eco-friendly weaving methods.
Established in 2015 by Gelaine Santiago and Jerome Gagnon-Voyer, Cambio & Co’s mission is to showcase the best in sustainable fashion while inspiring members of the Filipino diaspora to proudly wear their heritage on their sleeves. To do this, they’ve carefully vetted their partners and selected only the top talent from across the world.
Making a Social Impact
While many of the world’s largest fashion brands are evolving their operations to reduce waste and boost transparency, there remains a global appetite for sustainable designs that showcase Filipino identity and heritage.
Gelaine Santiago and Jerome Gagnon-Voyer take great care to vet their suppliers to guarantee they support local empowerment, ethical production practices, as well as respect for culture. To do this, they find them online, check their social media presences, and conduct site visits to see firsthand what these businesses are up to in the Philippines.
Cambio & Co’s product range features handmade jewelry and home decor items from various Filipino artisans, such as Rags2Riches, Olivia & Diego Upcycled Jewelry, Anthill Fabric Gallery and Sesotunawa. Each partner brand upholds high standards while upholding Filipino craftsmanship with pride.
In Conclusion
Cambio & Co is a shining example of a company that is not only dedicated to producing beautiful, sustainable products, but also to empowering Filipino artisans and creating economic opportunities for them. Through their “business for social good” model, they have collaborated with numerous partner organizations and social advocates to showcase the best in sustainable fashion while inspiring members of the Filipino diaspora to proudly wear their heritage. Their commitment to vetting their suppliers for local empowerment, ethical production practices, and respect for culture is admirable and ensures that each partner brand upholds high standards while upholding Filipino craftsmanship with pride.
By promoting Filipino craftsmanship and sustainability, Cambio & Co is building a community of conscious consumers who are eager to discover the country from which their goods are crafted. Through their efforts, they have helped to elevate Filipino artisans and promote ethical fashion as an instrument of cultural pride and building solidarity among Filipino diaspora members. As the fashion world continues to evolve towards greater environmental sustainability and ethical principles, companies like Cambio & Co will undoubtedly play a crucial role in inspiring more sustainable clothing options and empowering artisans around the world.
To find out more about Cambio & Co, visit their: