Jujube: high-end luxury apparel with an eco-friendly twist

SINGAPORE, 10 October 2010: In a sign that environmentalism is not just the domain of the less-than-wealthy, local fashion house Jujube announced its latest collection entitled Birds of Paradise in conjunction with the Global Work Party initiative organised by 350.org.

Comprising 12 designs - six modulated and six regular, the collection boasts of the patented G.R.O.W. Modulated Clothing Design System created by the designer and brand owner, Jujube Li. The modulated pieces can be disassembled and reassembled to form new combinations of eclectic designs simply by zipping the modular parts together to create whole dresses, and minimises raw material consumption in clothing design, reduces wardrobe usage and increases the value of each purchase exponentially.

The showcase was held at the Terra Plana outlet at Mandarin Gallery and included a short fashion show for invited guests - although a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered outside the glass walls to enjoy the show as well. Jujube Li herself was on hand to describe each piece as it was modelled and shared the underlying philosophy that inspired the designs.

The home-grown label was established in August 2008 as an ecological brand that adopts a holistic approach from start to end of the business cycle, and prides itself on "using only 100% ecological and biodegradable textiles for its designs".

Jujube Li revealed that she spent more than a year sourcing for ecological textiles in order to uncover eco-certification standards that are the most reliable and established, even to the extent of creating a handmade newspaper mannequin in order to stay true to the ecological concept.

She believes that eco-fashion is in vogue now "because of the epiphany that is happening to individuals all around the world - a reflection of the understanding that the ever-increasing population of 6.8 billion can no longer afford to continue destroying the environment and pretend that there are no consequences", and sees it as "making the permanent and logical choice to support the eco-system we are part of".

Her designs illustrate the fact that eco-fashion does not always have to be casual wear or for the 'tree-hugger' and can instead appeal to anyone who can appreciate design and fashion.

The collection is made from 100% Modal, a fiber produced by Austrian fiber production company Lenzing, which is currently the only fiber production company in Europe to be awarded the European Ecolabel for its efforts in maintaining strict environmental standards - from debarking the Beech trees in sustainable forests to neutralising the waste water such that it does not deplete abiotic life.

Inspired by the exotic creature known as the Bird of Paradise, famed for its rich plumage and royal poise and even revered by some as the most beautiful of all birds, the collection aspires to be just that - natural and magnificent, with the bright colours reflecting the climate derived from the vivacious fauna found in the lushness of the tropics.

The Bird of Paradise collection from Jujube retails from SGD$208 onwards and can be purchased online at the Jujube Boutique or in person at Parco Marina Bay #P2-31 and Terra Plana @Mandarin Gallery #02-04. More information on the brand and its apparel is also available at www.jujube.be.