Words: Lara Pacillo // Main photo: Finn Mellor
Imara had a love-hate relationship with tote bags in the past. While they are aesthetically pleasing, convenient, and affordable, they sometimes have a habit of breaking, the dig through is painful, and spillages can be tragic.
“I always carried heaps of tote bags, but it would be really frustrating because I’d think, ‘oh, I’m gonna buy a tote bag and use it for shopping and it’s not using plastic bags’,” 21-year-old Imara says.
“But these thin cotton bags would break so easily, and then I’d have to go buy another one, adding to that consumption cycle. I would get really nervous having my water bottle and keep cup in there, and I was always fumbling through to find my wallet, bus card, or my keys.”
Imara’s relationship with totes is now all love, however, after launching Adamo, her very own tote bag brand.
Adamo totes are water-resistant, made from heavyweight cotton with a lined interior, and have a dreamy number of compartments. These include a laptop sleeve with padded lining, a water bottle spot, and an assortment of zipped and open pockets.
With two colours to choose from, Imara’s aim is for the totes to be long-lasting, both in quality and style.
“I didn’t want to come out with heaps of crazy colours that wouldn’t be trendy anymore in a couple of years,” she says.
“Keeping it neutral is my plan. I wanted to create something that was really sturdy, with easy access to what’s inside.”
While Adamo was born in July last year, Imara celebrated the official launch of the brand and its initiation into a flat shop on Wednesday March 22, with a few artists joining in on the celebration.
Visual artist Miles Dunne projected Adamo video campaigns along the walls, and refreshments were poured by Delinquente Wine Co. Claude Creighton did flash tattoos, with a portion of proceeds going to Indigenous youth-led climate justice organisation Seed Mob.
Growing up in Sri Lanka during the Civil War, Imara says owning her own business was a venture she had never considered; now studying full-time and working another job, Imara runs Adamo solo, reaching over 2000 sales since the business’s launch.
“It was something that I thought wasn’t possible for me, especially being a queer woman of colour too,” she says. “I know the ability to create is a privilege. It’s something that I’m choosing not to waste as well, and I’m exceedingly aware of the luck that has been given to me.”
She says going at it alone can be scary, but a lot of research, trusting your gut, and determination helps.
“I didn’t know anyone to guide me. It took me about a year to learn everything and build a website. Doing as much research as you can helps to feel confident in your decision, and don’t go into anything you’re not sure about.”
She says social media and TikTok, in particular, have also played a massive role in growing her business and act as a creative outlet for her marketing-wise.
@officialadamoco Replying to @benjibrinson comparing the ADAMO to a regular tote #totebag #totebagwithpockets #ecofriendly #adelaide #fyp #sustainability #sustainablefashion #sustainablefashion #comparison ♬ Lazy Sunday – Official Sound Studio
Imara has made a conscious effort to create an ethical product. She has chosen an overseas supplier to work with who prioritises workers’ health and safety, and the materials she has selected for the totes are made from recycled and renewable sources. Her goal was also to keep the price accessible, especially for university students who are a large market for the brand.
There are plans for bum bags and mini totes to join the original tote in the Adamo line of products, but continuing to back herself is at the forefront for Imara.
“Creating and what you put out into the world — a lot of it has to do with empathy, and I think that’s something you have to be careful with,” she says. “But that empathy also extends to yourself, and believing that you can do what you set your mind to as well. ‘Adamo’ comes from the Latin phrase, to conceive, love, or desire to find pleasure in, and I want to emphasise that love, at the end of the day, is what life is about.”
Adamo
