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CURRENT LOCATION: Sumba, Indonesia

LOCAL TIME: 17h00

LOCAL TEMPERATURE: 30 degrees

CURRENTLY READING: To Paradise - Hanya Yanagihara

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Hi there,

Welcome to the first edition of Greetings from in 2025—hard to believe the first month is already over. My holiday in Lombok left me recharged and ready to start a new school year at SHF, where we welcomed Batch 9 students on January 6th. Their fresh energy has brought a renewed sense of enthusiasm to the entire SHF family.

Today, however, I want to continue my story about Karaja Sumba, the weavers, and the upcycling hub I finally managed to open this month. A dream come true, fueled entirely by my passion for craft and women’s empowerment.

What is Upcycling? – Giving Discarded Materials Another Chance

“Upcycling is a process where materials and clothes that have been thrown away—or are about to be—are turned into more valuable products that fit the local environment, reducing the need to make new ones.”

In essence, it’s about giving “waste” a second life.

I don’t like the word waste or trash, even though these words are deeply ingrained in our culture. To me, waste is a human concept, just like the idea that we can throw something “away.” But where is away, really? It’s always somewhere—just not in our sight.

And with 100 to 150 billion garments produced each year (a 50-billion difference—so much for transparency), do we really need to add more? That’s where upcycling comes in: transforming materials that someone has deemed useless into something valuable.

My PhD research focuses on how local upcycling hubs can help tackle the global textile waste crisis, largely fueled by fast fashion giants and our own overconsumption. From the start, I knew I didn’t want my research to end up as a 200-page academic manuscript collecting dust somewhere. I wanted it to be practical and useful.

Living in Sumba has challenged my views on research and sustainability. It’s easy to work in a silo, making assumptions about what might work without actually consulting the local community. That’s why this hub is so important—it’s built together with the people who will run it.

Connecting with the Weavers of Karaja Sumba

On January 13th, we officially opened the hub, and I started teaching three women weavers basic machine-sewing skills. They picked it up incredibly fast—their hands already gifted in craftsmanship—so my job as a teacher was fairly easy. Instead, I focused on an upcycling approach to sewing, showing them why no garment, textile, or ikat scrap should ever be thrown away.

At first, I sensed some hesitation, but as the workshop progressed and they saw what I was trying to do, they quickly embraced the idea and made it their own.

What’s Next?

My plan is to visit every two weeks for two days at a time, introducing new techniques little by little. I have seen how this approach works—just like with Ibu Lusia at SHF, once the basics are in place, the women can take over and continue independently.

That’s the only way I can claim this project to be truly sustainable—if it can run without me being there.

And for how much longer will I be in Sumba? I’m not sure.

One of the weavers, Ibu Anas, asked me: “How much longer do you plan to keep coming here?”

From her tone, I wasn’t sure if my visits were a blessing or a burden. Hesitantly, I replied, “Well, at first, I was thinking of coming by every two weeks to keep teaching you… if you like that, of course.”

She smiled: “We love it when you come. We want you to keep coming back.”

That was a moment of relief and belonging. Thank you, Ibu. That means so much to me.

I feel incredibly lucky to share my passion with these women while learning so much from them in return. It’s a constant dialogue, a mutual exchange of knowledge, and together, we challenge each other—one patchwork at a time.

Follow us on Instagram to see how the hub evolves and get inspired to try upcycling yourself.

Lots of love,

Hestie -x-

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