Meet the Makers: Myint Aung of Reca
Getting to know Myint
Tell us a bit about your background and how Reca came to be?
“I’ve been in the fashion industry for 15 years. Having originally studied marketing, my plan was to work for a high-fashion company where I did an internship for a few months. After finding out it wasn’t really for me, I went travelling before returning to New Zealand (with no money!) and worked in retail.
I am from a refugee background and came to New Zealand when I was 13. I’ve met some people who have been through some real hardships, and this is the motivation behind why I operate my business the way I do. Covid interrupted my plans to start a social enterprise in Thailand, so I opened Reca here at OBV as my next big step, with an online store too. The ultimate goal for me is to start an enterprise near Myanmar, where there are a lot of illegal immigrants who unfortunately experience abuse, domestic violence, corruption and poverty.
The focus for Reca is providing high quality products that also helps the Makers in improving their lives. With a selection of our products, we intentionally train former refugee women to make the products, and in other cases we partner with charities and other organisations who help women. It took a lot of research to get here, but it’s something we are extremely proud of.”
Your mission is to connect your customers with ethically sourced products that empower women and strengthen independent businesses. Tell us a bit more about what this means?
“Our products come from all over the world from a range of curated Makers who have different backgrounds. There isn’t one single story for all of our products, but they align with our values. That’s what I love about Reca.
A lot of our cotton clothing is hand-woven by women who work in great working conditions in Nepal where they are paid well, giving them a great deal of independence. We’ve also recently brought in handmade dresses where the fabric is machine woven, but it is made from trees through a process which is more environmentally friendly than cotton.
We sell ceramics and perfumes, and while some products are made by both men and women, we are always conscious of how stocking these items will help women in hardship. Whether that be through donations or future training opportunities for the Makers. This is incredibly important to me as I come from a country where women do not have the same rights or opportunities as men. I’m a very driven and outspoken person and if I can help change something, I will do as much as I can.”
Reca is challenging fast fashion by opting for sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives. Can you tell us more about why this is important to you as a business?
“Fast fashion is notorious for exploitation, pollution and wastage, and I want to challenge that. At Reca we’re really careful when it comes to the suppliers we support overseas and how the products are made in New Zealand. With a focus on helping women, we’re really excited about some of the environmentally-friendly opportunities that feed into our mission.
Climate change is one of the main reasons we are more mindful about the things we consume and make, with the goal to always reduce our waste. We recognise our privilege in being able to do that and actively contribute to doing so. A lot of our pieces are handcrafted, so the quality is great and it keeps traditions alive. For example, this dress I am wearing is hand woven cotton all the way from Nepal so it takes longer to make and I feel special wearing it.
We’re proud to source some garments from Indonesia that are run by a company in Canada. They are a sustainably focused company and use a lot less water to make their materials as opposed to cotton.”
You only buy handcrafted jewellery from organisations who share your mission. Who are these organisations and why do they align so well with Reca’s ethos?
“Most of our jewellery is now crafted by us in Aotearoa, where we hire a selection of very talented women to handcraft them, and we teach them everything they need to know along the way. As I am part of a refugee community, I reach out to the women there to see how I can help.
We also bring in pieces from the Tayo Collective in the Philippines which is an organisation from America who rescue women from human trafficking situations. They give them scholarships and support to get their lives back on track, and they make jewellery to support their new lives.
Recently we’ve started partnering with clothing suppliers, like a group in Nepal who pay women above fair wage whilst also providing training. It gives the whole community independence, and the clothing looks amazing! The brand is called Ekadesma, you can check it out on our website, and I plan to go and visit them as soon as I can.”
You’ve developed a set of principles that you demand from any organisation or artisan you work with. What are these principles? And are these makers hard to come by?
“We have a number of founding principles, with the main focuses being creating opportunities for disadvantaged women, the artisans being paid a living wage and working in safe conditions, transparency of these conditions, and there being no forced or child labour in the creation of products. It can be hard to find suppliers who meet all of these principles, but it remains our focus and we want to really make a difference.”
Where does the name Reca come from?
“If you rearrange the word Reca, it means ‘care’ which is everything we stand for.”
We love your focus on sustainability, especially when it comes to packaging as there can be so much unnecessary waste. Can you shed some light on your packaging and sustainability efforts?
“Our sustainability goals are pretty simple - reduce as much waste as we can from our supply chain. We reuse as much as possible from our suppliers, and opt to use reusable packaging for our jewellery boxes and packaging for orders that we dispatch.
We’re very excited about our environmentally friendly fabrics, with less waste and less chemicals used than cotton. We always have our finger on the pulse in terms of new packaging and products with a sustainability focus.”
When it comes to your beautiful jewellery range, what are your favourite everyday staples?
“I have two kids so I'm all about keeping things simple when I'm getting ready in the morning. I wear this gold paper clip chain - I haven’t taken it off since I bought it. I love classic pieces!”
What’s your favourite garment in store at the moment and why?
“My all time favourite is a beautiful white blouse by Ekadasma, and it’s made from handwoven cotton. I love it! I was going to be wearing it for this interview… but my child had other plans for me today!”
Have you got any new products incoming or promotions we should be aware of?
“We recently released a new collection - Love Me Always. Right in time for Valentine's Day, these new pieces are in store and online for you to treat yourself or a special someone.
We also have a promotion at the moment, on until the end of February. When you buy two or more pieces of jewellery or clothing, you’ll get a pair of heart studs for free valued at $39.”
Tell us a bit about your most frequented spots at OBV?
“I’m here almost every day so have worked my way through a few of the best spots at OBV.
My two favourites are always Bowl and Arrow for coffee, and Farro Fresh for their tasty sandwiches and a cold drink!
When I’m not so busy with the store, I plan to visit Ampersand Eatery for lunch or dinner as all my friends have been raving about it.”
