The founder of SukkhaCitta – an ethical fashion brand – wants to break the poverty cycle of rural village women

As a trained development economist, Denica Riadini-Flesch, 32, never thought that she would one day be an entrepreneur, let alone one in fashion. But the self-professed “nerd” is the founder of Indonesian ethical fashion brand, SukkhaCitta, which she launched in 2016.

It was her time working for a large international organisation that planted the seed for the birth of SukkhaCitta. Her work often called for visits to rural villages in Indonesia, where she met with village women – whom she affectionately calls “ibus” – who make clothes by hand, but were stuck in a poverty cycle.

“As someone who grew up in a city, this was literally the first time I discovered that there is a journey behind something that we wear,” recalled Riadini-Flesch, who is based in Jakarta. “I used to think that clothes just appear in shops. You buy them, then you throw it out.”

Due to the complex nature of the garment industry, and the many layers of middlemen in between, it was difficult for these village women to earn a living wage despite working 12 hours a day. “That gave me a really huge heartbreak, realising that all this time, I was somehow part of the problem because I didn’t know that the lives of these women were impacted by my choices,” added Riadini-Flesch. “I wanted to make a change, or at least be part of the solution, in creating a bridge between consumers and artisans.”