Building an ethical clothing brand from scratch
In 2016, I found myself teaching English on idyllic Inle Lake in Myanmar at Inle Heritage. Little did I know that I would move to Yangon and stay for four years (until February 2020). The idea for starting a clothing brand came when I was working at L’Oreal for the Giorgio Armani brand. Beyond luxury fashion, I began to follow Instagram accounts of sustainable fashion brands that honored Indian and Peruvian textiles, inspired by their social impact.
My passion for sustainable fashion stems back to when I started the Thrift Project in college—a fundraising initiative for the homeless shelter Rescue Mission of Trenton that continues to generate thousands of dollars per year (even 10 years later!).
In Myanmar, surrounded by beautiful fabrics, I began my journey to creating Yamin by traveling to Chin, Shan, and Kachin States to meet and source from weaving collectives. I researched programs like the British Council’s Lat Khat Than program, Turquoise Mountain, and SMART Myanmar and visited their sites. I developed relationships with independent tailors in Yangon, which was an ongoing process of trial and error.
Role: Founder of Yamin Burma
Background: Weavers in Chin, Shan, and Kachin States in Myanmar produce goods that have a limited domestic revenue stream and could benefit from international recognition.
Problem: Professional women living in Myanmar don’t have access to online shopping or international brands like Zara. They need clothing for work and going out that is functional yet trendy.
Objective: Produce clothing designs that met the needs of women living in Myanmar while raising awareness and preserving the heritage of ethnic textiles.
Research methodologies: Different types of research were conducted at different stages of development
Competitive analysis: What other brands currently exist in Myanmar? In Southeast Asia? What international brands have a similar social mission?
Observations and secondary research
Generative: What kind of designs do women want? What should the brand be called? What fabrics do women like?
Focus groups and surveys
Evaluative: How can this design be improved? What sizes do women want? What do women specifically like or dislike about the prototypes? Which designs do women gravitate toward on a rack?
Interviews, usability testing, and surveys
Direct competitors (brands from Myanmar)
Indirect competitors
Competitive analysis
When I first started researching the competitive landscape in Myanmar, I tracked direct and indirect competitors by following them on Instagram, monitoring their websites, and other forms of social listening. I visited direct competitors at stores and maker’s markets to feel the fabric, identify where and how it was sourced, the number of products made (collections or made-to-order?), where they distributed (Myanmar or international?). With indirect competitors, I’d compare price points, range of products, whether it was ethically sourced, and target demographic.
Generative research: What do users think of these ideas?
I created a Google Forms survey and sent it to people in Facebook groups in Yangon. I then used that to conduct focus groups: I asked questions about sketches, received feedback for brand naming ideas, and listened to discussions. Did they prefer neutral or vibrant fabrics? What are their concerns with quality assurance? Sizing? Women with curvier bodies lamented the difficulty of finding clothes made in Asia that were flattering.
Evaluative research: Feedback on prototypes
After I developed prototypes, I approached users with the following methods to gather feedback on which direction to take the business. Based on sales, I determined which products to continue forward with.
Usability testing
For each item, such as the kimono jacket, the embroidered tank tops, dresses, and skirts, I developed a minimum viable product (MVP) and had focus groups test them. They tried them on, used the zippers, wore them around the house, and reported back. I received valuable feedback which enabled me to iterate until it was ready.
Shadowing
Wherever I was selling Yamin products, whether on Instagram, at a makers’s market, or in the showroom, I observed users. I noted which pieces they touched, complimented, and bought. They often loved the kimono jackets but would end up buying one of the embroidered dresses or tops which were more work-appropriate.
Social listening
On Instagram, women would comment on pieces they liked and DM to buy certain pieces. There was a red-and-white dress that was extremely popular because of the way it was photographed on the model. The funkier items sold better online than at markets because customers could envision how it would look on them.
Impact
From inception to launch, I worked independently to manage all research, sourcing, production, manufacturing, operations, and marketing. Over two years, this was Yamin’s impact:
Supported three weaving collectives—Daw Khan Yin (Kachin), Hnin Witthmone Natural Dyed Shop (Amarapura), and A Little Loom (Shan)—and other producers/artisans
Produced a brand that filled a need for comfy, high-quality, stylish clothing for women in Yangon
Sold hundreds of pieces at Maker’s Market and trunk shows in Yangon, and on consignment at “it’s going green” and “Thailand Closet” at Bangkok Art & Culture Center
