Choclo Project – Clothing Inspired by Ethics

Choclo Project exists to improve the situation and encourage the creativity of underprivileged children in partnership with select charities in Peru. It is done by transforming their touching drawings into graphics on their products. 

These products are then sold to generate funds for these charities to finance projects that allow the children to grow up in a creative and safe environment. They are not only dedicated to providing the children they sponsor with the freedom to express themselves, but also strive to provide them with choices and opportunities. By nourishing their creative skills, teaching them new artistic techniques, and giving value to their work we hope to present art and design as a potential path to change.

The Project donates 5% of the sale price of their garments to the associations they partner with. This can be between 50 and 100% of profit depending on through which channels the product was sold. With the help of our Ambassadors they also organize fundraisers to help generate extra financing for the homes they support.

The Choclo Project is the brainchild of Australian born, Bordeaux resident, Roland Wimbush. 

“The idea for the Choclo Project came during a surf trip to South America in 2008. While travelling and surfing along the Chilean and Peruvian coastline I was invited to visit an orphanage in Lima run by a friend of my Peruvian mother. Cristina explained to me how most of these children had been abandoned and some even left for dead in rubbish bins. Having grown up in Australia and having a wonderful childhood this was really hard to imagine and comprehend. Other than the unexplainable joy of the children what really struck me that day were their drawings that had been pinned up on a wall. I was totally amazed at how powerful they were. With the help of some friends I created some clothing using the drawings as graphics. The next year thanks to a big fundraiser and the sale of those products we were able to send 8000 euros to Cristina and the kids at Nuevo Futuro to buy the medication and food that the kids needed so desperately.”

Roland has always been infatuated with self-expression through movement. He started surfing at the age of 10 and got hooked on skiing at the age of 16. Torn between following his passion for sport and his affinity for design he started doing ski seasons in Canada during his summer holidays at Industrial design school. Armed with a design degree and ski instructor qualification he left Australia to learn more about his Peruvian heritage. He immediately fell in love with his mother’s native home and soon felt at home there. He ended up spending 2 years in South America, learning the language, working as an interior/furniture designer, skiing in the Cordillera and surfing the multitude of amazing left hand point breaks. His desire to blend his passions with his career led him to sign up for a Masters degree in Performance sportswear design in the UK. He went on to design sports clothing and equipment for some of the big names in the ski and surf industry, testing and improving the products himself. After having worked for brands such as Salomon, Billabong, O’Neill and Oxbow he then took a new direction. Frustrated with the values in the action sports industry he signed up for a yoga teacher-training course in Byron Bay, Australia and launched the Choclo Project, a brand built on giving back.

Choclo Project Documentary

SPECIAL SCREENING

WHEN: Thursday, 30th April 2015 @ 7pm
WHERE: Locadillos, 137 cours victor Hugo, 33000 Bordeaux
COST: Free!

Facebook event

Join the team for a relaxed evening of beers and tapas and be the fist to discover their new documentary at the brand new Tapas (Pinchos) bar Locadillos.

Synopsis :

This documentary follows the brand Choclo Project and colorfully reveals how they help abandoned and ex-street kids in Peru through the sale of their products. The past winter the Choclo Project team spent 2 months in Peru getting inspired not only by the children, but also by the rich textile tradition, the colourful culture, the vibrant markets and the diverse landscape and imagery of Peru. Teaming up with a local shaper they decorate a surfboard that will not only inspire the collection but also take them on a stunning journey to some of Peru’s best waves and most unusual locations. Professional surfer and Choclo Mentor Georgia Fish joins them for the ride and also shares her knowledge of nutrition with the mothers of the children. This is a heart warming story of how a guy with a passion and a pencil uses business to help the kids that touch him on his adventures.

To find out more about the Choclo Project, visit their site: www.chocloproject.com

To participate, click here.

Their online shop.