PINKY & KAMAL is an Australian natural and sustainable yoga wear and lifestyle label, hand-made and hand-dyed in Bali, Indonesia. Designed for women who enjoy moving freely, living simply and staying comfortable.
Championing the brand values of authenticity, freedom, flow, joy and giving back, sustainability is also incredibly important to both Nat and PINKY & KAMAL, impacting every decision within the business and taking pride in creating a business guided by the principle of slow fashion.
PINKY & KAMAL is proud to have partnered with charity ‘One Tree Planted,’ which helps restore forests after fires, floods, deforestation, and other natural and man-made disasters. They also help to create jobs, build communities, and protect habitat for biodiversity.
Tell us about PINKY & KAMAL.
Pinky & Kamal is a movement-based clothing label that specialised in creating movement wear that is made using natural and sustainable fabrics.
Our main aim is to help you feel stylish and comfortable all day long, whether you are practicing yoga, strolling through the park, or lounging at home.
Our designs are created to move and breathe with you, on many of your life endeavours. Our clothing is hand-made and hand-dyed in Bali, Indonesia, and we also plant a tree for each seal made.
What inspired you to start PINKY & KAMAL?
I was inspired to start PK when I was trying to search for some yoga clothing that was made from cotton fabrics, which were also stylish. At the time, there were basically only a couple of activewear brands around and to my dismay they were all using 100% synthetic, shiny fabrics which was not my vibe at all! I wanted to wear something that was breathable and easy to wear all day every day. I have a couple of inspiring women around me that were running successful small businesses and so I thought, why not give this a go?! I had a background in fashion design, and I was willing to work hard and learn as much as I could on how to build a brand. 5 years later and I am still at it. We experienced quite a significant jump in growth last year, so we are hoping that there are exciting times ahead.
Tell us about your career and background.
I have been a bit of a jack of all trades, particularly in the first 3 years of getting the brand off the ground, as this was a side hustle for this time. My job before this was, yoga teacher and barista, and then any spare moment I had, I would work on the business. This time was filled with testing and testing and more testing, trial and errors, so many speed humps and experiences for growth and learning. In the early years we did lots of markets, which was a great way for me to hear and listen to what peoples first initial reaction and opinion was about the product. When they tried it on and how they felt about it, which allowed me to understand which products people enjoyed the most, and which products I should be focusing on.
Describe a typical workday for you.
I had my first baby last year in May, so my day consists of playing with him, walking the dog and doing general house things. Then three days a week I have him looked after by my parents and in-laws and then I work later two nights after he goes to bed. My day usually starts with ensuring social media has been posted, then emails, planning for the week/day. Some days consist more of the day-to-day business things, then other days consist of planning for the future ranges, whether that is range design, manufacturing, costings and organising photoshoot and collabs. I am in constant contact with my manufacturing team on the daily. The day will usually end with orders being packed and posted.
What advice do you have for those wanting to start a business?
My advice would be to aim to seek out experience from others when you are starting in the industry or a similar industry that you are in. Find people that have done something similar, so that you may be able to learn from them. There are so many support networks, online courses and groups that you may be able to join so help you easily navigate your way through the starting phase of creating a business. Listen to podcasts, read books and surround yourself with inspiring people that have successfully started a business. Try and create a positive network of people that can support you through the journey!
What’s next for you, and PINKY & KAMAL?
We will be moving into wholesaling this year, and working with some really cool innovative fabrics, which we are so excited about. Our ranges will also be broadening to some more products. We are also working on a re-brand, so stay tuned!
To find out more about PINKY & KAMAL, please click here.
