Accessories

Problem

Many women in Papua New Guinea try to earn supplementary income to support their families by selling their traditional crafts such as bilas and bilums, but market access is limited to unpredictable local sales, making it hard to earn enough income to survive.

Ever since arriving in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2008,  Jessica Cassell, Founder and Creative Director of Bilum & Bilas, has been passionate about bilums and the creativity, skill and knowledge that goes into the craft. Knowing the international demand for sustainable, natural products like bilums, yet observing the daily struggles of female artisans became the catalyst in her addressing market access. In 2014 Bilum & Bilas was started as an online bilum store focused on linking artisanal products to international buyers in an effort to generate better income for bilum weavers and artisans.

Over time, our small team discovered the complexities, expense and instability of the craft and bilum supply chain. The intricate craftsmanship, traditional processing and labour that goes into creating a bilum is what makes them so unique, but it also means they are challenging to produce at a scale that provides the artisans with a stable and equitable income.

Solution

Working closely together we developed a solution and the Bilum & Bilas accessory was born.

Our designs are inspired by the beauty and essence of the bilum, and retain the traditional weaving techniques and natural fibres, yet in microform. Creating intricate representations of bilum technique, streamlines the making process, enabling our small team to optimise production and create stable jobs for Papua New Guinean women with these unique skills.

Our approach enables us to employ female artisans to design, develop and handcraft collections providing guaranteed income and a safe and secure work environment. Artisans receive training in fashion trends and international quality standards, supporting them to produce more competitive designs to build a sustainable business.

Problem

Many women in Papua New Guinea try to earn supplementary income to support their families by selling their traditional crafts such as bilas and bilums, but market access is limited to unpredictable local sales, making it hard to earn enough income to survive.

Ever since arriving in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2008,  Jessica Cassell, Founder and Creative Director of Bilum & Bilas, has been passionate about bilums and the creativity, skill and knowledge that goes into the craft. Knowing the international demand for sustainable, natural products like bilums, yet observing the daily struggles of female artisans became the catalyst in her addressing market access. In 2014 Bilum & Bilas was started as an online bilum store focused on linking artisanal products to international buyers in an effort to generate better income for bilum weavers and artisans.

Over time, our small team discovered the complexities, expense and instability of the craft and bilum supply chain. The intricate craftsmanship, traditional processing and labour that goes into creating a bilum is what makes them so unique, but it also means they are challenging to produce at a scale that provides the artisans with a stable and equitable income.

Solution

Working closely together we developed a solution and the Bilum & Bilas accessory was born.

Our designs are inspired by the beauty and essence of the bilum, and retain the traditional weaving techniques and natural fibres, yet in microform. Creating intricate representations of bilum technique, streamlines the making process, enabling our small team to optimise production and create stable jobs for Papua New Guinean women with these unique skills.

Our approach enables us to employ female artisans to design, develop and handcraft collections providing guaranteed income and a safe and secure work environment. Artisans receive training in fashion trends and international quality standards, supporting them to produce more competitive designs to build a sustainable business.

Problem

Many women in Papua New Guinea try to earn supplementary income to support their families by selling their traditional crafts such as bilas and bilums, but market access is limited to unpredictable local sales, making it hard to earn enough income to survive.

Ever since arriving in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2008,  Jessica Cassell, Founder and Creative Director of Bilum & Bilas, has been passionate about bilums and the creativity, skill and knowledge that goes into the craft. Knowing the international demand for sustainable, natural products like bilums, yet observing the daily struggles of female artisans became the catalyst in her addressing market access. In 2014 Bilum & Bilas was started as an online bilum store focused on linking artisanal products to international buyers in an effort to generate better income for bilum weavers and artisans.

Over time, our small team discovered the complexities, expense and instability of the craft and bilum supply chain. The intricate craftsmanship, traditional processing and labour that goes into creating a bilum is what makes them so unique, but it also means they are challenging to produce at a scale that provides the artisans with a stable and equitable income.

Solution

Working closely together we developed a solution and the Bilum & Bilas accessory was born.

Our designs are inspired by the beauty and essence of the bilum, and retain the traditional weaving techniques and natural fibres, yet in microform. Creating intricate representations of bilum technique, streamlines the making process, enabling our small team to optimise production and create stable jobs for Papua New Guinean women with these unique skills.

Our approach enables us to employ female artisans to design, develop and handcraft collections providing guaranteed income and a safe and secure work environment. Artisans receive training in fashion trends and international quality standards, supporting them to produce more competitive designs to build a sustainable business.

Problem

Many women in Papua New Guinea try to earn supplementary income to support their families by selling their traditional crafts such as bilas and bilums, but market access is limited to unpredictable local sales, making it hard to earn enough income to survive.

Ever since arriving in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2008,  Jessica Cassell, Founder and Creative Director of Bilum & Bilas, has been passionate about bilums and the creativity, skill and knowledge that goes into the craft. Knowing the international demand for sustainable, natural products like bilums, yet observing the daily struggles of female artisans became the catalyst in her addressing market access. In 2014 Bilum & Bilas was started as an online bilum store focused on linking artisanal products to international buyers in an effort to generate better income for bilum weavers and artisans.

Over time, our small team discovered the complexities, expense and instability of the craft and bilum supply chain. The intricate craftsmanship, traditional processing and labour that goes into creating a bilum is what makes them so unique, but it also means they are challenging to produce at a scale that provides the artisans with a stable and equitable income.

Solution

Working closely together we developed a solution and the Bilum & Bilas accessory was born.

Our designs are inspired by the beauty and essence of the bilum, and retain the traditional weaving techniques and natural fibres, yet in microform. Creating intricate representations of bilum technique, streamlines the making process, enabling our small team to optimise production and create stable jobs for Papua New Guinean women with these unique skills.

Our approach enables us to employ female artisans to design, develop and handcraft collections providing guaranteed income and a safe and secure work environment. Artisans receive training in fashion trends and international quality standards, supporting them to produce more competitive designs to build a sustainable business.

Problem

Many women in Papua New Guinea try to earn supplementary income to support their families by selling their traditional crafts such as bilas and bilums, but market access is limited to unpredictable local sales, making it hard to earn enough income to survive.

Ever since arriving in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2008,  Jessica Cassell, Founder and Creative Director of Bilum & Bilas, has been passionate about bilums and the creativity, skill and knowledge that goes into the craft. Knowing the international demand for sustainable, natural products like bilums, yet observing the daily struggles of female artisans became the catalyst in her addressing market access. In 2014 Bilum & Bilas was started as an online bilum store focused on linking artisanal products to international buyers in an effort to generate better income for bilum weavers and artisans.

Over time, our small team discovered the complexities, expense and instability of the craft and bilum supply chain. The intricate craftsmanship, traditional processing and labour that goes into creating a bilum is what makes them so unique, but it also means they are challenging to produce at a scale that provides the artisans with a stable and equitable income.

Solution

Working closely together we developed a solution and the Bilum & Bilas accessory was born.

Our designs are inspired by the beauty and essence of the bilum, and retain the traditional weaving techniques and natural fibres, yet in microform. Creating intricate representations of bilum technique, streamlines the making process, enabling our small team to optimise production and create stable jobs for Papua New Guinean women with these unique skills.

Our approach enables us to employ female artisans to design, develop and handcraft collections providing guaranteed income and a safe and secure work environment. Artisans receive training in fashion trends and international quality standards, supporting them to produce more competitive designs to build a sustainable business.

Problem

22 million kgs of plastic enters our ocean every day. That’s one truckload every minute. It’s increasing.

Yet up to 80% of the world’s ocean plastic comes from a lack of waste management infrastructure in coastal communities around the world.

It’s here we want to focus. Many businesses donate a vague percentage of profit to causes or tack on corporate responsibility as an added layer.

Solution

We believe in a defined impact per product, for the sale of every bottle, we contribute directly to Plastic Bank who ensure 11.4kg of plastic, equivalent of over 1000 plastic bottles will always be collected.

The Collectors:

Over 4300 plastic collectors live and work in places where plastic pollution is worst, they do the critical work to collect, sort and recycle much of the world’s waste. Some collectors work full time and for others, it’s a side hustle to earn extra income for the family.

The majority of plastic collectors do not, however have the protection from governments or municipal authorities many of us do. It’s our duty to ensure they receive a fair income for their work which is why we work with Plastic Bank & IBM blockchain technology to formalise an often informal & unfair waste sector.

As a company that prioritises action we believe environmental justice is social justice. Whether at home or further afield, environmental action that fails to recognise the link between environmental injustices and dominant systems of racism, sexism, colonialism patriarchy and ageism is not acceptable.