Welcome to
Sol Luna Atelier
Our own local atelier in The Dominican Republic
What is Sol Luna Atelier?
Sol Luna Atelier is our very own workshop where we can complete several steps in our production process right here in La Vega, Dominican Republic. We collaborate with local artisans and craftsmen to bring our FREEDOM pieces to life.
The following steps are completed at the atelier:
* Product design
* Patternmaking
* Cutting
* Sewing
* Finishing and detailing
* Dyeing and washing
* Final inspection
* Order and shipping preparations
How it all started
Sustainability is a lifestyle for us, starting from inside as a deep concern for equilibrium.
Back in 2017, we came up to the realisation of our impact as individuals and as a brand. So, once you create awareness and become conscious about something, you can’t unsee it. You are now fully responsible for the consequences of your actions, whether you like it or not. So, that same year, we decided to shift our whole dynamic to a more balanced and eco-friendly one, opting to evolve alongside our projects as a reflection of where we are at personally.
At the end of 2017, we made a promise to ourselves and our customers to change to more sustainable, conscious practices based on the circular economy. We also decided to produce not a single piece more until we successfully redesigned our entire supply chain to one more in alignment with our improved vision and mission as a brand and as sensible beings.
Our Approach
Reinventing the entire supply chain to a more sustainable one was just the beginning. Once we nailed it (not to brag, but we met the most amazing suppliers out there, and they keep appearing. Thanks God! because it wasn’t a piece of pie), we realized it wasn’t enough. We got some awesome materials from natural and recycled sources, yes, but it didn’t seem right to create with them in a space that didn’t recognize nor appreciate this. So instead of outsourcing the production again, we decided to build our own place from scratch, a creative sanctuary in tune with our frequency.
It took us 3 plus years to complete this transition into an eco-friendly brand, challenging but so fun and worth it! Surprisingly, we finished and moved into the new atelier 1 week before the pandemic lockdown started in our country at the beginning of 2020… on divine timing, we already had everything we needed before the prices tripled and businesses closed.
We took this time to integrate this new version, to indulge in it before sharing it with the rest of the world. The swimwear demand decreased noticeably, so we came up with an eco-mask collection made of hemp and recycled plastic fabric. The same materials we ordered for the swimwear collection we were supposed to launch that year, but it didn’t happen until Summer 2021. This was such a test for us, but you know what they say when life gives you lemons… the truth is, creating the eco-mask was just what we needed at the moment. We didn’t require a team for that, so we both handled it solo at the beginning. It felt like the perfect warm-up.
Now
Sustainability is progressive. We believe this by observing nature, aka the Queen of sustainability. She is always reinventing herself, optimizing her ways, adapting, and embracing change as improvement. Ugh, she’s a genius!
This is the path we chose. It’s infinite, really. So we’ll keep coming up with better ways to do it. For now, we’ve achieved some pretty cool stuff, like working only with natural and recycled-sourced materials from the closest suppliers in Latin America, North America, and West Europe. Here you can learn more about the materials we're using.
We now have our own creative eco-friendly space built from scratch, sustainably, in a mountain. Where every piece of garment is born, made by locals in small batches at our own pace. Zero waste production. All the leftovers from the paper for the patterns to the tiniest fabric scraps we collect and reuse in future projects.
The preservation of the ecosystem around the atelier has been a priority since it all started. Planting trees, natives, and wildflowers for the pollinators while maintaining the originals, of course. It’s a symbiotic relationship where we prosper by rendering benefits to others.
What's next
So much more awesomeness is unfolding for FREEDOM, and we do have some expectations, yet they are always far exceeded when we meet face to face with the possibilities and the unknown without attachment, so we can only give you some previews for now.
Whatever God has in store for us ✨