Story and mission

The owner of a brand shows her work. She's smiling and wearing colorful patterned clothes. All clothes and accessories are upcycled.

Hi, I’m Ewa.
Since 2021 I rescue fabric and trade in color. I strongly believe that second-hand cloth with a use of little bit of good magic result in pieces that not only spark joy but also have a real impact. So I sit by the desk in my own little flat in Prague and make that magic happen with my own hands and a help of a trusty sewing machine.

Let me tell you about a few most important parts of my approach.

RADOST

Radost is Czech for “happiness.” It’s my favorite word and my north star. It’s the feeling I aim for in every piece so we all can be happy—our planet, you—my clients, and me.

Another thing that makes me very happy is that materials I am using are very limiting. It sounds counter intuitive, I know, but stay with me. Because I am using mostly pre-loved clothes every piece, a shirt, skirt, pair of shorts, is just a rather small piece of textile. Isn’t that a bad thing, you may ask, well… yes and no. Yes, because I cannot scale easily, I cannot make things quicker by cutting multiple elements at once like “normal” manufacturers do. That makes the process slow and expensive, but that also makes things different! And this is the good part that I love, I want to give you something special. I use all of my creativity and mix and match different small pieces to in the end offer you absolutely unique products. I can guarantee you, no-one else will have a piece like this <3

REBELLION

Every day we’re squeezed by social norms and expectations. They say: behave, know your place, be silent, be professional, don’t stand out, fit in. Radost is my act of rebellion against that. I encourage you to freely express yourself, play with social standards, listen to your true inner voice, and unapologetically be whoever you want to be. Simply: be happy and spread radost!

73-year-old wearing a babydoll dress full of ruffles and lace? AMAZING! Add some statement sunglasses and go celebrate life!
Department director in a male-dominated field wearing a bright-pink, daisy-patterned suit to an important meeting? YOU GO, GIRL! And dare they not take you seriously…
Men tired of the boring clothing the industry serves them? COME CLOSER! Color, texture, and fun are available to everyone!

Whoever you are—whatever gender, age, size, or occupation—whether you’re a quiet, shy introvert or loudly expressing your extroversion, it doesn’t matter. Here we support you and your true inner voice, no matter what. <3

RESPONSIBILITY — SERVICES

Letting your clothes and accessories lie unused in the back of your closet isn’t sustainable. Before the fabric of a forgotten item decomposes, it’s better to let it live with someone else. Because of that, I offer a special 30-day “Love It or Loop It” guarantee—just in case you decide the purchased product isn’t for you. You can send it back, and I’ll make sure it finds its final destination home.

Used textiles can be imperfect—and I actually love those imperfections. But what I don’t love is when something that could still be used tears, breaks, and cannot be worn anymore. Hence: an unlimited repair guarantee. If something happens to your Radost product, simply let me know. We have a couple of options:

  • I can advise you on how to fix it yourself (for my brave and curious customers!).

  • I can help you find someone local who can fix it (avoiding shipping back and forth).

  • Or the classic option: you send it back, and I fix it for you.

This applies even if the damage was your fault! For exact details of both guarantees, please read the Returns & Refunds section.

RESPONSIBILITY — PRODUCTION

Producing, dyeing, and finishing fabrics is a major source of pollution worldwide, especially water pollution. Synthetic textiles release microplastics; new clothes can release toxic chemicals even after the first wash. New garments are often sewn in highly questionable work environments, sometimes by children. Workers are underpaid and handle toxic substances without proper safety equipment. I could list the fashion industry’s problems on and on.

There is enough existing clothing to supply humanity for the next 15–20 years, and yet tons more are produced every second. I cannot agree with—nor add to—that. That’s why I choose to use only existing, used textiles. The only elements I buy new are accessories and other components needed for sewing. Even here, I try to make responsible choices and buy from local and certified manufacturers whenever possible.

Below are my main sources of materials:

TEXTILES
Second-hand stores, online reselling platforms, cooperation with Česká asociace paraplegiků – CZEPA, z.s., friends, customers, and other sources of textile scraps.

ZIPS AND BELTS
Now: MILA Spółka z o.o. — medium-sized producer of polypropylene, polyester nonwoven products, and haberdashery, located in southern Poland; meets ISO standards.
Previously: products distributed by Stoklasa textilní galanterie s.r.o., origin unknown.

THREADS
Hagal s.r.o. — Czech manufacturer of polyester sewing threads; multiple certificates including ISO and OEKO-TEX®.
AMANN Group — large multinational manufacturer producing in the EU (including CZ) and Asia; to my best understanding, work environments and production processes are high-quality and continuously supervised; multiple sustainability certificates, OEKO-TEX®, and a yearly Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement.

INTERLINING
Polytex, s.r.o. — family business located in the north of the Czech Republic; ISO certificates.

METAL ELEMENTS
Products distributed by Stoklasa textilní galanterie s.r.o., origin unknown. Because I don’t have clear information, I assume the worst; I am actively searching for a better substitute. Ongoing talks with another distributor and a Polish manufacturer. All tips and suggestions are appreciated.

LABELS (textile)
Zakład Pasmanterii EPUS — small Polish manufacturer of textile labels.

PACKAGING
Brown recycled paper only, purchased at various Czech packaging shops. Exception: colorful tissue paper (not recycled).

This covers the majority of cases. In the end, I’m just a one-person (real and imperfect) business. Might it happen that for example your bag was sewn with a different thread than mentioned here? Very rarely, but yes, for multiple reasons. But trust me: I’m doing my absolute best to provide the most sustainable product I can.

And one thing you can always be sure of: NO NEW TEXTILES, EVER.