When fashion forgets its purpose

April 3, 2026

A note from Andreani

I spent the past two months attending fashion shows, following fashion weeks around the world, and meeting emerging designers.

London, the one I attend, is always an inspiring time.
The creativity, the energy, the constant reinvention. I always leave feeling inspired.

But experiencing it from the perspective of a sustainable founder made me pause.

Are all these new collections, all these new clothes, really necessary?

Even when brands use organic cotton or natural linen, even when they claim sustainability, the question remains:

What are we really creating all this for?

More choice or more consumption?

Sustainability in a system built in consumption

Sustainability is defined as the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in efforts to maintain ecological balance. In recent years making fashion sustainable comes with a number of challenges;

from the never ending trends to rise of consumerism

Consumers began demanding more for less, so brands shifted towards fast and cheap production.

The questions is no longer just how we produce but how much?

When clothing lost its meaning

Unfortunately, not only is this destroying our planet, it is also causing us to drift further and further away from our roots. Contrary to today, our ancestors knew how to utilize available raw materials to turn them into the garments they needed. They did not design for seasons but they designed for their everyday life.

Before fashion, there was function

In Cyprus, garments were created using available raw materials, shaped by climate, labour, and daily routines.

Nothing would go to waste and each product was made for durability and comfort.

That's were kourellou weaving technique originates.

Kourellou is a weaving technique in which old garments are cut into strips. These strips are then used as the weft, whilist cotton thread is used as the warp. From using scrap fabric to creating warm patanies (blankets) or halakia (floor matts). These were the blankets or floor matts our grandparents grew up with, later passed down to their children surviving through many generations.

That is sustainability.

This is were Folkmona comes in. We create garments that are carefully crafted using high-quality organic fabrics that are made to last.

Not constant replacement, not trends but designs that last a lifetime. Not just for sustainability but to preserve our traditional techniques and practices.