Truong Tuan Kieu Trinh

At Repeet, our journey began when we truly understood the significant problem of human waste damaging our planet, and how much the fashion industry contributes to this annual waste. We also recognized that eco-friendly products generally come at a higher price than conventional ones. As students at RMIT, we were consistently driven to find sustainable solutions in our academic projects, a mindset we carried into our professional lives. Our core motivation is to share what we've learned and make eco-conscious fashion accessible and affordable for everyone, working to change the idea that sustainability must be expensive or lack durability. We started by making recycled fabrics from plastic bottles, commonly known as "Ve Chai" in Vietnam, which are abundant raw materials here.

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Aiming to give these waste materials a valuable second life, transforming them into products people can use daily. Beyond simply recycling, we've expanded our material innovations through collaborations with international brands to develop fabrics like Sorona, Solotex, and Cleandye. These new materials help us extend product lifespan and further reduce waste. Our mission is clear: to bring sustainable materials into the mainstream apparel industry, ensuring fashion has a positive environmental impact and fostering a circular economy. We are also committed to creating more jobs with fair trade for increased employment opportunities. Our journey hasn't been without its challenges, from securing market acceptance to overcoming biases about sustainable fashion's cost and durability. We continuously strive to prove that our products can effectively compete with those made from virgin polyester.

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Our proudest moments stem from the positive feedback and repeat orders from clients, including Yody, Coolmate, Pepsi, Aquafina, Vietinbank, Rapper Đen Vâu, RMIT University, and others. In 2024, our efforts gained media attention from HTV and various presses. This exposure has been crucial in raising awareness about sustainable fashion and helping us promote our products to more potential clients

Through our story, we aspire to inspire a broader audience, especially fellow RMIT students, to use and create products that not only offer financial benefits but also contribute to limiting negative environmental impacts. I have a small advice to someone in a similar role or industry that: there is no dream that is too far-fetched, go all in on your dreams, no matter how big or small. Explore every possible route, because persistent effort always uncovers a path forward, and that's far better than never starting.

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The proudest moment during my journey at REPEET was when the project was made public and became more accessible to the public. More specifically, they welcomed the project quite positively and clearly expressed their interest in this solution, wishing the project to develop further and soon reach a wider audience. I first learned about Nam Anh's internship program with RMIT by chance, though it wasn't my time for an internship yet. When the right moment came, I proactively approached the company to inquire about any available internship roles. This led to my first opportunity as a Merchandise intern on the What it isNt project. About half a year later, I gained another opportunity, joining the REPEET project as a Marketing Executive until now.