Well-loved design brand become the first to offer embroidery services in the Cook Islands thanks to Adaptation Grant

Ana File Heather is the Managing Director of Fave Designs – Red Door Rarotonga and South INTL. She is also the first-ever recipient of the Cook Islands Business & Professional Women (CIBPW) Emerging Entrepreneur Award 2017 and a Business Mentor for the Taki Tahi- Cook Islands Young Entrepreneur Network, the US International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and the Academy of Women Entrepreneur Alumni.

Fave Designs is a 100% locally owned and operated garment printing and urban apparel retail store based in the heart of Rarotonga. They pride themselves on having the best quality designs and printing. Their services include custom printing, graphic design, pull-up banners, stickers, screen printing, digital and vinyl printing and offer sublimation off-island. They are now expanding their services to include embroidery, thanks to the support of Business Link Pacific.

Initially starting as a printing company in their home, Fave Designs has become a popular retail store in stocking Ana’s very own label, South INTL and bringing in trendy streetwear from known brands such as AS Colour, CONVERSE, New Era, Birkenstocks, Freedom Moses, JanSport and FILA.

Ana describes her label, South INTL, as young and trendy, representing the unique motifs of the Cook Islands and South Pacific. This idea stemmed from all her customers throughout her years in business. Her goal is to showcase the Pacific to the world through her label and local pacific streetwear.

Ana has created a platform for young Cook Islands women in business to market and sell their brands in stores. Fave Designs take pride in supporting local women in business by providing a space to sell and showcase their brands such as Ko’u, LuSantials, Little mamas and papas, Koka, Laylo Creations, Vatea Co, Liliko’i and so much more.

The pandemic bought many key learnings to the business community in the Cook Islands, especially for Fave Designs. The travel restrictions and the border closures limited business operations as they relied on freight. Once freight was functioning at a minimum, it became apparent that there was an imperative need to provide more services locally. The country had downsized to one incoming international flight per week. Airlines like JetStar and Virgin Australia had ceased operations when the outbreak happened, so this caused a major delay in trying to get more products over to Rarotonga in a timely matter.

This experience granted Fave Designs the inkling of adding another service to their business. With the support of a BLP Adaptation Grant, Fave Designs introduced embroidery to their current list of services. There have not been any embroidery services in Rarotonga for more than a decade, and businesses here were sourced overseas. There are many benefits to having an embroidery machine; it’ll allow Fave Designs to create uniform designs, higher productivity rate, error-free designs, unlimited choices of designs, environmentally friendly and many more.

After long awaiting their newest addition to the business, Fave Designs received their embroidery machine in June 2022. The prolonged process of importing and installing the machine has paid off, and the business is excited to implement its goals and start servicing its customers.

With the direction that Fave Designs has taken they believe that incorporating unique niche services like embroidery will strengthen the company’s values by creating additional jobs and market skills, reducing the environmental footprint by operating using solar energy, and using more environmentally friendly products over plastic application.

Ana’s focus within the next year is for her business to become more sustainable and reduce plastic waste by turning plastic into garments. Something many of us are excited to see come to fruition.