INTERVIEW with... Muudana: ethical and committed fashion brand -

Behind every ethical brand, there is more than a creation of products but also a commitment to solidarity. For me to help each other is part of a human value that should be integrated in all men. That’s why I’d like to share with you the stories of people who dedicate their lives to helping others through their passion.

I begin this series of interviews with Aude Schaeffer, founder of the Muudana brand. I discovered it during my research on ethical brands.
She has just launched her brand new Spring-Su mmer collection. You will travel between Asia and Europe through its pastel-coloured designs and materials used in the craft fashion of Cambodia and Laos.

Q: Who are you?

I am a traveling and humanist entrepreneur. I came up with the idea for the creation of Muudana when I was a university exchange student in Peru. Then I worked for 6 years to develop social economy projects in West Africa. Finally, life brought me to Cambodia, and that’s where I realized my dream: to create a responsible fashion brand.

Q: What prompted you to create Muudana?

The idea of creating MUUDANA came to me during my many travels. I loved the fabrics and handicrafts I discovered, but I found two problems:

Cuts, design and measurements are neither of good quality nor adapted to the European market. So if you buy a travel souvenir, whatever beautiful it is, it will definitely end up in the closet for eternity
Traditional quality and know-how are undervalued and often replaced by low-cost industrial copies. The sale of these products therefore does not improve the standard of living of local communities, nor does it encourage them to preserve their traditional know-how.

In addition, I was very interested in ethical fashion and sustainable development. I then had the idea to combine world know-how, responsible tailoring and French design.

Q: Your brand is committed to sustaining traditional know-how in countries such as Peru, India and Vietnam. Do you already have in mind the next country where you would like to highlight a know-how? What other cause would you support if you could?

Yes, I have planned a new destination for the next collection. But I want to keep it secret in order to reveal the surprise at the last moment;-)
What other cause to support? If I could there would be a lot of them! I would like to focus more on natural dyes. This is an area that I am passionate about and I think is very important for ecology and health.
In the short term, I also try to adapt to the needs of the moment. Today, for example, I donate 10% of all my sales to the “All United Against the Virus of France” fund. I am also thinking about how best to help, my workshops in Cambodia that are beginning to suffer from the current shutdown of the economy. In particular, we are looking at the production of fabric masks.

Q: What do you think helped you succeed with Muudana?

Living there in Cambodia at the time of the creation of MUUDANA really made a difference. This allowed me to create a real relationship of trust with the garment shops and to better understand their constraints. The proximity I have developed with these workshops allows me to have this more human approach compared to other ethical brands. It is an asset that I think is felt by consumers.

My collections would not be possible without my pre-financing campaigns via crowdfunding. They allow me to finance production independently without using banks. It’s an approach that I really appreciate and that allows me to have a closer connection with my community.

A committed brand

Very few brands today are based on a model almost 100% solidarity. Most are partners with one or two associations.

To ensure ethical production, Aude has put itself in touch with several trusted NGOs and institutions. For example, PSE, Fair Sew, Color Silk and Fair Weave, FRIENDS and Rabbit School contribute to the production of the brand’s various items.