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Who is Froukje?
I grew up in a small village in Friesland with about 400 residents. At the age of 12, I moved to Heerenveen, and for my studies at AMFI, I moved to Amsterdam at 18, where I still live. I am now 30 years old and live with my boyfriend and cat in Amsterdam-Oost. I also lived and worked in Curaçao for 2.5 years, where the idea for Floria was born.
Which three values describe you best?
I have a passion for aesthetics. I am idealistic and believe it's important to contribute to a better world. Additionally, I am empathetic and naturally caring. I value good relationships in both my personal life and in business.
What have you done in the past, and why did you start Floria?
After my studies at AMFI, I began working as an assistant buyer/product developer in the fashion industry. I then held various purchasing roles within fashion and cosmetics companies. Early in my professional career, I quickly realized that the fashion world is not as glamorous as it seems. In large chains, the focus was on producing as many collections as possible, with no transparency about the origin of materials or the working conditions of the makers. Suppliers were pressured to produce at the lowest possible cost and as quickly as possible. At some point, this no longer felt right.
Additionally, I read alarming articles and watched shocking documentaries revealing that the fashion industry is one of the world's largest polluters. It also supports modern slavery, despite being a billion-dollar industry that employs 300 million people annually, of which only 2% earn a living wage.
Moreover, from the age of 23, I lived in Curaçao for 2.5 years, where life is more connected to nature and less rushed. This made me more aware of the impact of our lifestyle on others, our planet, and ourselves. All these factors came together, and at that moment, I knew something had to change. This was my drive to start Floria Collective. I spent about a year to 1.5 years researching, finding suitable suppliers, and creating designs. In January 2022, I launched Floria Collective.
After the launch of Floria, I continued to work as an employee for the fair trade bag brand MYoMY. This is where I met Fleur. I had experience and passion for product design and development but found it challenging to attract visitors to the website. After MYoMY went bankrupt, Fleur and I decided to team up again and run Floria together!
What fascinates you about fashion?
Fashion fascinates me because it is a medium for expressing creativity and influencing culture. It is about much more than just clothing. Fashion reflects psychology, politics, the state of society, and the economy. It allows us as humans to express ourselves. Additionally, fashion can make an impact. We all wear clothes every day, and it's an industry worth billions, so if done right, it can bring about real change.
Why do you believe transparency in the production chain is so important?
It is essential to know exactly where and how each step in our production process is carried out, from the source of the raw materials to the final production. We want to know who makes our clothes and ensure that this is done under good conditions. We share this entire production journey and our partners with our customers through a QR code on the care label of our clothing and on our website.
This transparent insight is not common in the fashion world, where many brands prefer to keep this information to themselves to avoid competition. However, we have consciously chosen to be open and transparent because we believe that change in the industry is only possible if we do it together.
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