HKMB Hong Kong Means Business

Hong Kong Means Business Hong Kong Means Business
  • Login / Register

Languages

  • EN
  • 繁
  • 简
  • Events
  • My Feed
  • Contact HKTDC
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe

Section Menu

  • Market Opportunities
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Sustainability
  • Creativity & Lifestyle
  • HKTDC Updates
  • Featured Topics

Languages

  • EN
  • 繁
  • 简
  • HKTDC.com |
  • About HKTDC |
  • My HKTDC |
  • Login / Register |

HKTDC.com About HKTDC My HKTDC

Login Register

Hong Kong Means Business

Section Menu

  • Market Opportunities
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Sustainability
  • Creativity & Lifestyle
  • HKTDC Updates
  • Featured Topics

https://origin.hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X0AIW66

Tech & Innovation
SAVE FOR LATER
SHARE / SEND

"Scan QR Code" in WeChat and tap "..." to share.

Hong Kong ticks all boxes for social enterprise

Networking opportunities in the city have created an ideal environment for a fair-trade clothing maker.

25 October 2019



Miyabi Holm
Bahini Founder and CEO Miyabi Holm

Designed in Sweden and crafted in fair-trade co-operatives in Nepal, scarves produced by social enterprise Bahini have seen sales take off thanks to the solid networking and exhibition opportunities in Hong Kong. The scarves are made by survivors of sex trafficking, women who often have difficulty finding employment because of the social stigma. Company founder and CEO Miyabi Holm was keen to harness Nepal’s tradition for handicrafts to empower this marginalised community. She now manages to provide scholarships to girls and employment to women on a steady rolling basis.

Ms Holm, who is originally from Sweden, quit her desk job two and half years ago to launch the enterprise in November 2018. She takes care of everything from logo design, which was learnt via YouTube tutorials, to the design and packaging of the products. Now the company is up and running, Ms Holm wishes to reach more markets, with a long-term vision to work with fair-trade companies in other countries. The entrepreneur said being based in Hong Kong had been key to the success of the business. Her products are packaged at a warehouse in the city, and shipped from Hong Kong.

Prior to setting up Bahini, Ms Holm worked full-time as an engineer developing products such as smart phones and IoT speakers. “I thought I knew production already, as I was familiar with manufacturing in Mainland China,” she said. “But it’s completely different to making a product in Nepal … what I’m doing now is slow fashion.” Nevertheless, it helped that she was aware of the whole process of creating a product from scratch, from the design to how legal requirements may differ from market to market.

Seeking suppliers

Bahini offers work opportunities and sponsors education
Bahini offers work opportunities and sponsors education

Ms Holm initially contacted every single fair-trade supplier listed on the registry in Nepal, then visited all of them. Only three were willing to hire women who had survived sex trafficking. She works with this trio of suppliers to create Bahini scarves, using bamboo linen. 

As well as being fair-trade certified, Bahini suppliers must follow sustainable production practices, with a closed-loop water system for the dyes. Toxic compounds such as chlorine bleach and carcinogens are banned. Ms Holm has had to work hard with the suppliers to ensure the products meet the high standards she demands. “I don’t want to criticise their work, but I need quality.”

She has enjoyed the process of working with teams of fair-trade certified suppliers to see what is possible in terms of shades and colours, and the different techniques and weaving that can be employed. “It’s been interesting to learn about traditional handicrafts … I’ve learned a lot about natural dyes and different plants, and what colours can be achieved when you boil [the plants].”

Networking city

A major advantage of Hong Kong for social enterprises is the networking opportunities, Ms Holm said. The city is her largest market at present. “I find that surprising, as I was only here to set things up, but there’s so many different markets and events to exhibit at in the city, so Hong Kong automatically became my biggest market.” She initially thought the Hong Kong climate would be too hot for scarves, but many customers have told her they appreciate a scarf to keep off the chill from air conditioning.

Ms Holm has attended events alongside other socially aware start-ups, including eco-friendly and sustainable fashion markets. “Hong Kong is a melting pot of cultures, and I’ve managed to meet a lot of like-minded people from the start-up and sustainable fashion community. There are so many events and you can rent a table for not much money and showcase your product and meet other people – it’s an amazing market to start off in.”

Moving forward, Ms Holm said she will put more effort into marketing the brand so she can attract a broader range of clients. In addition to Hong Kong, Sweden, Germany and Japan are doing well and she is in the process of contacting buyers in those countries to stock her scarves in stores, so customers can experience the product quality before buying.

With Bahini being a social enterprise, Ms Holm doesn’t want to pay herself a salary but will continue to plough all the money back into the business so it can pay wages and fund scholarships. “The plan was always to take some time off to get Bahini up and running, then go back to work again,” said Ms Holm, who is currently working part-time as an engineer in project management.

In addition to encouraging people to volunteer in Nepal to work with the survivors, the entrepreneur is also keen to enlist volunteers to help her out at markets and update the Bahini social media accounts. Targeted social media campaigns raise brand awareness and draw attention to the women Bahini helps with the proceeds of the scarf sales, Ms Holm said.

Related link
Bahini

BACK TO TOP ^
CONTENT PROVIDED BY
    Topics:
  • Garments, Textiles & Accessories,
  • Hong Kong,
  • Other Asian Countries,
  • Scandinavia,
  • Nepal,
  • Sweden,
  • start-ups,
  • fashion,
  • sustainable clothing
  • Garments, Textiles & Accessories
  • Hong Kong
  • Other Asian Countries
  • Scandinavia
  • Nepal
  • Sweden
Home

Article Topics

ARTICLE TOPICS

GARMENTS, TEXTILES...24676
HONG KONG36026
OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES36167
SCANDINAVIA36179
NEPAL36175

ARTICLE TOPICS

GARMENTS, TEXTILES & ACCESSORIES24676
HONG KONG36026
OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES36167
SCANDINAVIA36179
NEPAL36175
SWEDEN36183
START-UPS98715
FASHION80840
SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING132276

interest_article

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

12 January 2023

Closing the fintech gap

05 January 2023

Blueprint for innovative future

28 December 2022

Innovation revolutionises port operations

23 December 2022

Bespoke tailor London bound

Related Events

RELATED EVENTS

28 - 30 March 2023

FASHION HK AT CHINA INTERNATIONAL FASHION FAIR, SHANGHAI, CHIC 2023 (SPRING)

19 - 29 April 2023

Fashion InStyle 2023 (Click2Match)

19 - 22 April 2023

Fashion InStyle 2023 (Physical Fair)

26 - 28 May 2023

Chic HK, Shenzhen
FIND AN EVENT

Social Share

FOLLOW US

GET WEEKLY UPDATES

newpaper-img

GET OUR WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATES

banner-img


I acknowledge that the above information may be used by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for incorporation in all or any of its database for direct marketing or business matching purpose (and may therefore become available to the public within and/or outside of Hong Kong for use by them), and for any other purposes as stated in the Privacy Policy Statement; I confirm that I have the consent and the authority of each individual named in this form to release their personal data for the purposes stated herein.


*For non-EU/EEA customers, please skip this box which is solely for EU/EEA customers as required by the relevant data protection law in the EU.

THANK YOU

Thank you for registering.

SHARE THIS STORY

EMAIL
LINKEDIN
WeChat
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
WHATSAPP

ID: HKTDCofficial

Don't have an account?

Create An Account

successfully added on your preferences.