YIREH

The name of sustainable apparel company YIREH, meaning “will provide” in Hebrew, serves as a reminder for the brand's founder, Emily Jamie. She is a true founder who defies the toxicity of the fashion industry–from the way her O‘ahu-based company manufactures its pieces to the positive body images it supports through its designs. Founded in 2014, YIREH manufactures its products ethically, plus it encourages comfort and confidence to customers through blog posts and designs. Emily hopes to be a light in the fashion industry, and to do things differently than what has been done before through sustainable versus fast fashion and encourage (women) instead of feeding into their insecurities.

The designer says she approaches her clothing line intending to make women feel comfortable while wearing them. She markets her pieces through the lens that her clientele is already beautiful and unique. Ethereal comfort-forward designs fill her online store galleries–jumpers, rompers, and dresses adorned with delicate floral, striped, or geometric designs all have a loose-fitting, yet classy aesthetic. 

YIREH’s product descriptions of the maxi dresses encourage the versatility of the piece. They explain how each can be worn to create a casual ensemble with flats or sport shoes and to achieve a formal look with heels. Either way, YIREH promises the wearer will be comfortable in the nonrestrictive and flowy garment. Each year, the local atelier releases four collections; each of which offer one to three new prints. 

The environmentally friendly brand has very strict guidelines for production, and Emily ensures everything is ethical. YIREH's fabric designs are all digitally printed and use no water in the process. She says her company also uses non-toxic eco-certified dyes. In addition, YIREH donates excess fabrics to micro businesses in Indonesia, where Emily currently manufactures her products. Her ultimate goal is to move the first run of the manufacturing process to  the islands.

Although her garments are still wrapped in plastic when shipped (which she totally owns up to!), it’s something she hopes to eventually change. Her company continues to make efforts toward sustainability, and it is very transparent about its faults and what still needs to be worked on. Today, YIREH's items can be found online as well as retailers on O‘ahu, in California, Arizona, Texas, Maine, Colorado, and Alaska.  

How they give back:

YIREH’s products are ethically made, meaning its factory conditions are above standard and workers are paid a fair wage with benefits. Its fabrics are printed with non-toxic low-impact dyes, and the company “slow fashion” practices; in other words, it produces only what is needed. Emily minimizes waste by donating scrap fabric to micro-businesses around the factories she partners with. She also loves to empower women through positive messaging, in contrast to traditional fashion messaging.

Furthermore, Emily donates to International Justice Mission annually as well as other local Hawai‘i organizations throughout the year.