Tell us a bit about the story behind Texcoco Collective?

Texcoco Collective is a culmination of my love for the environment, my passion for design and my deep respect and concern for the state of our earth.

When growing up, my mother was a designer and seamstress. From her I learned to sew, about designing, colour, fashion and styling. So I have always appreciated and understand the skill and labour that goes into creating clothing. I fell in love with photography as a teenager and went on to complete honours in photojournalism in 2015. I self-funded many trips around the world to document social issues and also celebrate the amazing people of our globe doing incredible things.

I was planning to move to Mexico in 2020, but then that “year” happened...So while being stuck at my parents home thinking on what I want to do with my life I thought about creating a company that embraced and satisfied all these elements and cares about my personality and experiences. I came to realise that my purpose was to make something that was kind to our planet and the people and animals we share it with. It had to be sustainable and traceable, and it had to truly give credit to the skilled artisans and designers involved in the process with me. Having spent a lot of time in Mexico and Central America, and after hearing about Desserto cactus leather, Texcoco Collective was born – a range of luxury handbags, meticulously crafted using vegan cactus leather.

When the idea for Texcoco Collective first hit me, it came from a place of love for artistic innovation, social responsibility, environmental concern, and cultural appreciation. I believe it is our moral responsibility to actively repair the world, and at Texcoco Collective, we aim to do this through innovative design concepts, ethically sourced materials, and local collaboration.

What are you most excited about exhibiting at Life Instyle?

I'm excited to showcase my product to the broader community and make new connections. I'm also excited to see the array for creativity and innovation from other vendors.

How did you hear about the scholarship? What made you apply?

I saw the scholarship advertised on instagram. The timing was perfect for me as I have found a new supplier and we have created a new collection that is almost ready to release. I applied because Texcoco is still a young business and trying to grow. I'm always willing to give anything a go and I thought this would be a great opportunity to move into wholesaling. I made sure to create Texcoco Collective with strong values of sustainable and ethical design, the handbags are a beautiful quality and design and I knew they would fit in with Life Instyle values too. 

What advice would you give to new brands looking to apply for the scholarship in the future?

I would say to give it a go! I've applied for many things and not won, but I have also had really valuable lessons and connections made by just being involved.  Believe in your products and ideas, and learn how to tell your story and your why.

What sets your brand apart from others in the industry?

Texcoco has the ability to change the traditional narrative of fashion production and marketing. I am aware of the harmful and unethical practices that the fashion industry has been using for far too long. Educating the consumer about new material developments, and being a brand with strong values of not using animal products, eco-conscious design and social responsibility as well as uplifting cultures and creativity.

While using alternate leather products is not a new concept anymore, it is still a surprise to a vast majority of people to hear about cactus leather or any other alternative leathers such as mushroom, pineapple or even mango. However the use of cactus leather is not the main point of difference. At Texcoco Collective we proudly manufacture everything in Mexico. We work with two suppliers, both small family owned businesses, in central Mexico, just a 4 hour drive from where the material is grown and produced.

What is your favourite product and why?

My favourite product is ‘La Luna’ handbag. I love it not only because I love the design and size but also because of the story of the name. When I first sketched a mock-up of the initial bag, I drew a half moon type shape with a long shoulder strap which I kept referring to as the moon bag in discussions. I then had some partners join the team and asked them to name the handbag. They didn’t want to use their name so they chose the name ‘Luna’ after their dog, which means moon in Spanish. I think it’s a nice circle, ‘meant to be’ moment.

What were the first steps you took to launch? And what would you say was

the scariest part/your biggest fear?

The first step for me was to see if I could find someone in Mexico to make the bags with the cactus leather. We tried a lot a factories, many were not willing to use the alternative non-animal leather, as Mexico has a big history in the animal leather trade. The initial investment was purely research and sourcing a supplier. I started this in the middle of 2020, a pandemic, so everything took much longer and there were many delays. I wasn't complaining about it though, because at the same time as waiting for word from Mexico, I was learning and researching everything on how to start a business. I have design knowledge, limited website building and a degree in photography. So the business of sales and strategy was the scariest part for me. Asking from outside investment and learning to pitch was also a huge fear I had to overcome.

What do your customers love about your products?

My customers love the sustainable cactus leather material used. The majority of the time I tell people about cactus leather they have no idea about the material, or the issues surrounding animal leathers.. So its education as well as a beautiful functional piece. They appreciate the strong values of the brand because now everyone knows we should be trying to buy better, we hear often of climate change and fast fashion, and knowing a brand has these sustainable practices and supply chain in place from the start is reassuring for the customer's purchase.

What path led you to Life Instyle and what about the show makes it a great fit for you?

I was researching wholesaling and learning about that process of a product based business. I then registered my interest in the event for 2022 as a seller but relised I wasnt at the right stage to do it that year. I went as a visitor however, to have an understanding of how the event worked, talk to the vendors, and see how people displayed and designed their stands. This year my goal is to wholesale Texcoco Collective after having success in a few select boutiques last year. I saw the Scholarship advertised so I thought it was the perfect timing, as my supply chain solidified after recovering from covid and I am releasing a new collection.

Can you share your proudest moments in business so far?

Starting a sustainable fashion brand during the middle of a pandemic has been an incredible and crazy journey. Coming from a creative background I had no business experience at all, so I am proud of this whole journey, ask me 5 years ago that I would be here, I couldn't have imagined...

My biggest achievement is in December 2022, Texcoco Collective received bronze in Sustainable Leader of the Year for Amplify awards. I am also super proud to have received this scholarship. I feel like there have been so many moments that I'm proud of small or large, like getting my first samples, receiving my first shipment of stock, or pitching to investors and getting featured in magazines, building a team and organising supply chain in Mexico, it’s all been exciting, stressful and fun.

What is the best piece of business advice you have been given?

Celebrate the little wins, get financial advice if you don't have any finance knowledge and surround yourself with people that you want to be like. These all sound super cliche when written out, but honestly these 3 pieces of advice have gotten me this far. Business flys past, and it's easy to forget where you started and what steps have gotten you here. Networking and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to go to senimers, talks, coffees, meetups etc has gotten me connections with incredible people, who support and understand the journey.

Who are some of the other brands in the industry that you love/admire?

Being in the alternate leather industry, of course I can't go past one of the leaders in alternative leathers, Stella McCartney and the innovation of mushroom leather. Closer to home, I really love the work that Afends are doing right now with their manufacturing processes and use of hemp and buying their own farm to grow the hemp, cool stuff! 

Quick Fire Questions

Where do you see Texcoco collective in 5 years’ time?

In the next couple of years, we will be releasing new collections of handbags as well as expanding into new product ranges, for example belts, camera straps, or even fashion like jackets and pants. I see Texcoco products being stock in like-minded boutique retail shops across Australia if not globally by 5 years time. I want Texcoco to move into a social enterprise model and to become a B-corp certified business, to solidify our social and environmental stance and balance profit with purpose.

 Tell us a fact about yourself that will surprise our readers.

  I am Dutch, Maori, Chinese, English, with a very French name.

 Tell us what winning this scholarship means to you.

Winning this scholarship for me just cements that I’m on the right path, that people are taking notice and seeing what I’m doing. It is a massive boost of confidence in myself and my business journey. I'm excited to show more of my work and ease a lot of the pressures of doing my first trade fair by having such a great support network with Life Instyle Team.

incredible use of alternate leather, the amazing skills and craftsmanship coming out of Mexico and the chance to educate people in the industry and set new standards for production and manufacturing.

How would you use being the recipient of this award and how would it impact your business.

This is a huge milestone for Texcoco to move into wholesale and opens up doors to a grow wider community. This is a opportunity to really grow Texcoco as a brand and put us into stores across the country. I want to see a better future for everyone, including the earth. I am not just selling handbags. I am marketing the idea that we can do better and be better as humans.  I want to use the award to promote vegan leather products, inspire people  to make better purchasing decision. I want to create a fashion statement where cultures blend, celebrate and support each other.

 What do you look forward to at LISM2023?

I'm really looking forward to seeing the other exhibitors and the exciting new things that people are creating. It is such an inspirational event just to see the innovation and creativity we have across our community. As well as connecting with people in business and the same space as I am. Often as small business we are working independently or in small teams so  it is a great place to connect with like minded people.