While you might know Boston duo Warung for their tech house flair, you may not know that they've also been using their platform for a good cause, launching an upcycled apparel line entirely handmade by their Beyond the Gates record label crew. The collection features screen prints of their logo onto thrifted clothing that they've bought or fans have sent in. By doing this, they've breathed new life into discarded pieces because—as the old adage says—one person's trash is another person's treasure.
The upcycled apparel refers to their process of reducing waste from clothing, which ultimately cuts down on air and water pollution, landfill use, and lowers their footprint for greenhouse gas emissions. To top things off, Warung share 5% of the shop's profits by donating to the nonprofit organization Kiva, with the mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses affected by COVID-19. The duo's hope is to provide relief to those who run art-focused businesses, an objective they recently actualized by funding a loan for Kenyan artist Vickbon. They are now donating an extra 15% of profits to Boston's Artist Relief Fund, which provides aid to local artists whose work and income have been impacted by the virus.
The duo's entire ethos of support was developed while on a trip to Bali. There they saw the word "Warung" across the city, later finding out that it was Indonesian for "small family-run business." The term sparked inspiration, later to be channeled into their music under the same name, creating organic sounds from scratch.
They are now continuing this journey with their new Madness EP in collaboration with Devon James. The two-track record draws inspiration from worldly sounds and is the perfect mix of energy that works for both livestream parties and more reflective moments. Both tracks feature hypnotizing, progressive grooves ranging from the house vibrations on "Madness" to the jungle beats of "Lucidity."
You can shop Warung's upcycled apparel line here and stream Madness across all platforms here.
FOLLOW WARUNG:
Facebook: facebook.com/warungmusic
Twitter: twitter.com/warungmusic
Instagram: instagram.com/warungmusic
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3535J1f