Small batch, relaxed fit t-shirts, inspired by surf culture. We asked Avi Dharmasiri to fill us in on the back story.
What inspired you to make these t-shirts?
Honestly, Sagaraya just started out as a creative outlet for me since I don’t get to express this much in my day job. I wanted to create something tangible and thought, hey let’s make some t shirts… like a million other people.
It was actually the complexity of making something as simple as a t shirt which has shaped what Sagaraya now stands for. Using blanks was never an option, and going the custom design route opened my eyes to just how crazy the fashion industry and supply chain is.
I feel like ‘sustainable’ as a buzzword that gets thrown around very loosely at the moment, and I’m very reluctant to use that word to describe my clothing since there is still an impact. But I thought there’s definitely a better way to create quality garments and that’s kind of what led me to continue with this and see where it goes. I’ve since been able to partner with some really great organisations like Sustainable Surf to sell the tees at their events with all revenue going towards their initiatives like coral reef and kelp forest planting.
It's a cool project Avi. What's the story behind the name Sagaraya?
Sagaraya is a Sinhalese word for ocean. Surfing and just being by sea is something I enjoy, and friends of mine would start throwing on the tees after a surf. I think the heavier fabric but boxy fit is a nice combination for this. So I wanted to have the brand have a nod back to that, and I would say the style from surf-sub culture definitely inspired the silhouette.
So the first Sagaraya garment is a boxy, cropped t-shirt with a retro fit?
I started off with plain tees, with a heavy focus on silhouette and fabric. I wanted to specifically use recycled & organic cotton but struggled to find manufacturing partners who would work with this material, especially at low quantities.
It took several factory visits in Portugal, language barriers and email threads to finally find a partner who could support this vision. I finally had the first batch of tees delivered which I’m really proud of. I learned so much in that process.
If you could see a dude of your choice in one of your Batch #1 tees who’d you choose?
I’ve been loving listening to Allah-Las at the moment, a surf rock band out of California. It would be sick to see the boys rocking the tees whilst jamming out.
At last the warmer weather is landing in London. Care to tell us what an ideal summer day in London looks like for you?
Long strolls, good coffee and just taking in the energy of the city. London in the summer is hard to beat.
You can pick up a Sagaraya t-shirt here
