Local Dublin company and DLR Chamber member Kokoro Zenwear uses Bamboo as an alternative to Cotton and Silk as the basis for their Fashion Collections!
Bamboo is a resource that quickly regenerates; once cut, a bamboo pole will immediately sprout out and grow within four months. Inspired by bamboo’s characteristics, Sharon Farren and Nader Fahm founded Kokoro Zenwear, a company that aspires to become “the Tesla of fashion”. It is the first handmade Irish luxury, unisex, organic, clothing and accessory brand made with Bamboo fibre.
With a luxurious bamboo silk line and a jersey bamboo line, Farren and Fahm are keen on setting an alternative for both cotton and silk. All the fabrics used are 100% ECO Certified and OEKO-TEX Certified, sustainable, organic, hypoallergenic, and antibacterial. Apart from transporting the raw material from Asia, Kokoro operates locally: production is done in-house in Ireland while emphasising nearshoring and working with small, ecological suppliers.
“Bamboo is a wonder plant,” says Farren. “It is a grass that grows continuously, it replenishes itself, and it does not need any pesticide.” To be turned into fibre, bamboo is pulped down and soaked in sodium, which converts the pulp into cellulose. The cellulose is then dried in blocks and cut into paper-thin sheets. Lastly, the yarn is pulled apart one-by-one and woven into fibre.
It’s a slow process, and hence not particularly common. It is important to note that most bamboo fabrics are made using a chemical treatment unless they explicitly carry organic certifications.
It is imperative that we understand the power of consumers in the fashion trade. Like many other industries, fashion needs a reminder that it manufactures “for” us. The companies and corporations collect information on consumers and their preferences; if we change our consumption habits, the industry will have to adjust.
Sharon Farren’s significant background in the Hospitality and Fashion industry in Dublin and Brussels along with her passion for Sustainable Ethical fashion using Organic fabrics is what fuelled her mission to Cultivate a Sustainable Community by creating KOKORO ZENWEAR. “ I like to think Globally and act Locally”.
Her journey in fashion began in the mid 80’s when she introduced the “Hair Scrunchie” into Ireland while finishing her studies at UCD where she started making them using a borrowed sewing machine and supplying many shops including “Brown Thomas”. She quickly grew from designing to establishing 3 boutiques in Dublin and eventually opened another two independent Designer boutiques in Brussels promoting and selling Irish Designers abroad.
Today Sharon designs with a conscious empathy for the environment serving to make a tangible impact on saving the planet.
She sees the direct advantage of focusing on sustainable design strategies working with small scale localized Irish production using natural organic fabrics by building a sustainable community of suppliers sourced locally in the Dublin area.
After a year of research and development with Organic fabrics, especially with the benefits of Organic Bamboo and Organic Bamboo Silk, she recently launched the new Organic Bamboo Zenwear Brand named “Kokoro Zen Wear.”
Contact Sharon Farren, Kokor Zenwear on 00 353 83 8675767