At the heart of Re-store lies a mission to provide work opportunities for marginalised and underprivileged members in our community who struggle to make ends meet. For disadvantaged groups in particular, constraints ranging from physical disabilities to family commitments and individual circumstances vastly limit their employment opportunities. To accommodate a diverse range of needs, Re-store's work arrangement is designed for flexibility—offering the versatility needed for our team to continue doing what they do best while earning a fair wage for their contributions.
Building a direct relationship with our production team means that we have full control over our practices and can create an environment that is safe, comfortable, and committed to fair pay. We recognise the existence of a historically problematic relationship between fashion and vulnerable groups and have been intentional in fostering equitable relationships with our craftsmen, ensuring Re-store never loses the thread that grounds us to our values. We work towards cultivating meaningful relationships forged upon mutual respect and collaboration, fostering an inclusive environment where each member of our team feels accepted and valued for who they are, not just what they bring to the table.
As of 2021, we have provided work opportunities to 8 skilled inidividuals in our team, and look forward to continually growing and nurturing our community. Please feel free to get in touch if you know of anyone who may fall under our home-based opportunities programme.
Our Process
Reaching out
We reach out to social workers, advocacy groups, community centres, NGOs, and Family Service Centres (FSCs) to look for suitable individuals—prioritising those who have slipped through the cracks
Evaluating
Once connected with a potential candidate, we arrange for a meeting to assess if our programme would be a good fit for their needs by getting to know them personally while ensuring they have the prerequisite skills
Onboarding
Jobs are assigned based on technical skills and personal circumstances, ensuring we factor in specific needs such as being homebound and accommodating to their individual schedules and familial commitments
Our Team
Behind our range of thoughtfully crafted products sits a local team of skilled and passionate individuals. Here are some of their stories.
Mardiana
In spite of her sewing expertise, the lack of employment opportunities for the deaf has made it hard for Mardiana to secure a job ever since she moved to Singapore two decades ago. With job opportunities scarce, Mardiana has had to put her passion on hold despite a strong desire to work with what she does best. Joining Re-store has not only helped pave the road back to the craft she loves, but also allows for Mardiana to help ease the financial load on her husband who works two jobs to put food on the table.
Gowri
Despite an eagerness to work, Gowri has encountered many difficulties fulfilling the dual role of being a single parent of three and the sole breadwinner of her family. Re-store's flexible arrangements offer her just that: a versatile work environment where she can juggle both a job and her family. She now has the ability to work at her own pace and from the comfort of her own home while she keeps an eye on her children. Gowri hopes to encourage and inspire other single mums to know that they are not alone in their struggles.
Seok Lang
Having dedicated most of her life to caregiving for her ailing mother and three children, Seok Lang has always put her family's needs before her own. Naturally, as her children began leaving the nest, a sense of purposelessness engulfed her. Re-store has not only given Seok Lang the opportunity to reignite her passion for sewing—a skill she picked up when she was 16—but the pride she takes in her craft has ignited in her a newfound sense of joy, accomplishment, and financial freedom for her.
Shelia (not her real name)
Discouraged by difficulties around attaining viable employment in the past, securing a job felt like a daunting and unattainable task for Shelia. Since joining the team at Re-store, her initial hesitancy with picking sewing up again was quickly transformed into a regained sense of purpose in life and confidence in herself. Shortly after joining Re-store, the rebuilt belief in herself propelled her to pursue a course in nursing. Shelia has since secured a job as a healthcare assistant while she continues with Re-store on a part-time basis.
Sarah
Ever since relocating from Vietnam, Sarah has struggled with achieving financial security amid navigating a turbulent marriage. Her wish to provide a stable and comfortable home for her two sons meant that she had to lose precious time with them while she held multiple jobs to make ends meet. For Sarah then, Re-store has grown beyond merely being a means to supplement her income and is now her home away from home. Sarah now has the chance to spend more time with her children while she works to provide a better life for them.
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