Smokey - Fashion for People

What is it and how did it start?

Smokey - Fashion for People was initially started as a livelihood project to help provide Smokey Mountain residents with employment, training and opportunities. It was also viewed as a great opportunity to make some very funky clothes.

An Australian volunteer (Natalie) who had been working with the Smokey Mountain community for 6 months, came up with the idea after seeing the success of such ventures in Bangkok and Hanoi. She knew the residents could already sew, because they were making low quality goods selling at low prices (such as cleaning rags).

Natalie paired up with Joyet (an accountant working at Smokey Mountain) to start the business. We found a Smokey Mountain resident - Pidong - who had extensive experience as a sewer and pattern maker in the corporate uniform industry. We worked with him to sew our first samples and then our first orders.


The main team of Smokey - Fashion for People (L-R) - Natalie (Australian volunteer), Joyet (Accountant) and Pidong (Pattern maker, Sewer)

Our garments are manufactured and sold through a co-operative. This means that all the profits made are put back into the project and providing more livelihood opportunities.


The Co-op recently moved into a new office, on the outskirts of the Smokey Mountain residential area.

We worked with several young Australians to initially develop 3 skirt designs, unlike anything available in Manila and appealing to those with edgy tastes. This range has recently expanded to include a pair of short shorts and a pair of pants.

Our designs have a certain theme, we like to pair retro inspired prints with basic materials like denim, cord and twill. This provides our garments with a sense of individuality and fun.

After our first sales to Australia in late 2005, we raised enough funds to pay for 4 people to attend a basic dressmaking course. At this course they will learn pattern making, cutting, sewing and finishing. Not only will these skills enable them to work in our business and other sewing projects, it will give them further opportunity to set up their own business or travel abroad to work.

Our first two scholars have started their dressmaking course and we are in the process of recruiting two more scholars.


Pidong and Joyet inspect orders bound for Australia in late 2005.