Although he is only ten years old, Sebastian Onate-Henriquez has not only been able to recognise the issue of pollution but has developed a range of products to address the challenge.
At just six years of age, the Scarborough resident founded an eco-friendly clothing line, The Earth is My Place, which plants a tree for each item sold.
According to Sebastian, it all started when he was preparing a small presentation for his pre-kindergarten class about how to take care of our planet.
“I did some research and discovered that the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world,” Sebastian said.
To spread awareness about this issue, Sebastian thought it would be a great idea to design sustainable t-shirts that kids could wear.
“When I was six, that idea became reality, and I won my first national competition as a young entrepreneur,” he said.
Growing a Sustainable Fashion Brand
At first, Sebastian focused only on kids’ t-shirts, but after opening his stall at the Redcliffe Markets, demand grew for mature styles, with the adult versions fast becoming his best-selling product.
Regarding the simple yet impactful graphics displayed on the t-shirts, Sebastian sketches each concept by hand before transferring them to a computer for finalisation and onwards to a vinyl cutter.
“With my parents’ help, we heat press the design onto the t-shirt, and then it’s ready,” Sebastian said.
Sebastian gets his t-shirts from a supplier in the USA that makes them using recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton.
Soon, Sebastian will be officially launching his new sustainable t-shirt collection, which involves a partnership with another eco-friendly supplier here in Australia, as well as other initiatives soon to be unveiled.
Of his success, the young entrepreneur (who is active in Moreton-Bay-based networking groups and the youngest contributor to the book Dear World by Jane Goodall) said he was happy to know that so many people believe in his mission, with an extra benefit.
“It shows other kids that you don’t have to be a grownup to create change,” he said.
Find out more about Sebastian Onate-Henriquez and The Earth here.
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