Ira Arz

The fashion industry remains one of the most polluting industries in the world. Maison d’Ira provides homeware accessories to ethically conscious consumers with the aim of reducing the amount of textile waste that ends up in landfills.

Their online shop sells home textiles and decorative accessories produced from recycled pre-consumer fashion textile waste and bio-organic materials. They focus extensively on the production process of each product: from fair-trade factories in Thailand and India, to suppliers and artisans in Indonesia, each product is produced with sustainability in mind.

After being self-employed as a freelance fashion stylist for five years, Ira Arz wanted to pursue a passion would have a positive impact on both the environment and the community around her.

Growing up in Indonesia, Ira saw the effects of rubbish and plastic first-hand. She started her business as a way to provide products that are both good for the environment and for the community, working with suppliers in Southeast Asia to produce home accessories using organic and recycled textile and collaborating with clothing upcycling stores/NGOs in Indonesia that collect unwanted clothes to upcycle them into other products.

She also uses her platform to educate visitors on the importance of recycling clothes and waste, as well as to inspire other businesses to use more environmentally friendly packaging in their businesses.

She told us that her greatest professional achievement is building her own brand, even the ones she has failed at. She told us "I learned from all the mistakes I made in the past and kept trying to build a better brand until I found the one I’m most proud of. This taught me failure is a part of the process, to prioritise my time, build great habits and stay focused on my goals."

Published: 11 February 2023