Hi, I’m Denica.
A decade ago, I was busy living a life that, from the outside, looked like success as an economist. But the more I traveled into rural communities, the more I saw the truth: the systems I was working on weren’t reaching the very people who needed change the most.
I met women—who I now call the Ibus—craftswomen and farmers doing everything they could to care for their families and communities, but who were trapped in cycles of poverty they didn’t choose.
Their resilience and quiet strength made me rethink everything I knew about success and sustainability. It forced me to stop and listen to what my heart had been whispering all along: To find meaning and purpose.
So, I took a leap of faith and founded SukkhaCitta—a farm-to-closet fashion house built on one simple belief: that what we wear can heal. Together with the Ibus, we’re not just making clothes. We’re restoring ecosystems, restoring dignity, and creating opportunities where there were none.
Through the Rumah SukkhaCitta Foundation, this vision grows even deeper. It’s a space where women come to learn, share, and lead. Where ancient farming wisdom is kept alive, and where the land itself is nurtured back to health.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t just about saving the world. It’s about all of us.
Because when we choose to reconnect—to people, to the land, to each other—we create ripples of change. We show that a different future is possible, one that values community over competition, restoration over extraction, and care over convenience.
This is a movement.
And you’re invited.
Whether you’re a conscious consumer, a business leader, or someone who just wants to live with a little more intention—there’s a place for you here.
Because every choice you make—what you wear, how you lead, how you live—has the power to lift someone up, to heal the soil, to rewrite the story of what business and success can look like.
So, let’s do this together. Let’s choose a future where everyone and everything can thrive.
The Future is
Regenerative.
A Globally Recognized Changemaker
Combining Entrepreneurship, Philantrophy and Advocacy, Denica proves a different path forward is possible. Our work has been recognized as a blueprint for change by leading global institutions and media, including:
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![Three women standing together in a lush green agricultural field, smiling at the camera. Two are wearing headscarves, and one is holding a plant.]()
Rolex Award for Enterprise
In 2023, Denica was chosen as a Rolex Laureate and is now part of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Joining the global community of global pioneers who are working to make the world a better place.
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![Denica SukkhaCitta Forbes]()
Forbes 30 Under 30
For creating a cycle of regeneration that connects consumers all around the world with the Ibus in villages across Indonesia.
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![Two women at an awards ceremony, one holding a trophy, standing in front of a red background with Cartier Women's Initiative text.]()
Cartier Women's Initiative Award
Presented by Amal Clooney in Paris, recognizing women entrepreneurs driving impact. She is the first woman in Indonesia to bring home the first place.
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![Denica Riadini-Flesch and Gita Wirjawan at the Endgame Podcast.]()
B Corporation: Best for the World
Our farm-to-closet work is voted as Best for the World™ for Community, an honor given to the top 5% of B Corporations globally (It's like receiving an Oscar for responsible companies).
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![Denica Riadini-Flesch with a group of women in Eastern Indonesia learning about soil health and climate action through regenerative farming.]()
VOGUE Business Innovator
A group of visionaries all around the world reimagining the future of fashion. A moment of immense pride seeing our Ibus' regenerative wisdom be heard and amplified on a global stage.
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![Regenerative farming through cotton agroforestry.]()
SEED Low Carbon Award
The award showcases social enterprises with a scalable model of change who are advancing climate adaption and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UNEP, UNDP and IUCN.
From Indonesia to the World
From Indonesia to the World
9 years in the making—our Ibus' story and wisdom are now on National Geographic! Woven by women who were once invisible, now seen, heard and celebrated.
In The Press
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![Yo-Yo Ma at a SukkhaCitta event, learning to Batik from Ibu Lilik.]()
"Denica’s work is a “cultural edge effect,” creating new connections between people and ideas. “Venture cultural capitalism,” work defined by trust, truth, and service."
Yo-Yo Ma at the World Economic Forum
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![Putri Marino in a SukkhaCitta SappanPink dress holding a yellow flower behind her back.]()
"Disillusioned with the false promises of development aid, Denica launched SukkhaCitta as a rebuke to the reigning system of exploitation, one which spares neither people nor the planet. "
VOGUE
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“Meet the economist transforming the lives of Indonesian craftswomen.”
Financial Times
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![SukkhaCitta SappanPink fabric with hand-drawn Batik flowers.]()
“Ms Riadini-Flesch is setting a new standard for responsible fashion.”
The Straits Times
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![A woman farmer harvesting cotton in a field, wearing a hijab and holding a woven basket with cotton. Surrounded by green plants and trees in the background.]()
“SukkhaCitta was founded on the principle of ending exploitation of artisans, investing in the empowerment of the women who make their clothes.”
United Nations Development Program
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![Close-up of a person using a canting tool to apply wax on fabric in a batik design process.]()
"Denica is taking a time-honored approach to making clothes, regenerating local land, communities and traditions."
The Washington Post
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![Woman pressing fabric against wall, wearing embroidered clothing, in outdoor setting.]()
"Eine Mode-Unternehmerin will das Leben von 10.000 Menschen verbessern."
Der Standard
Join The Movement
The world is changing, and so is the way we define success. Whether you’re a conscious consumer, a business leader, or someone who believes in doing things differently—you have a role in shaping this future.
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Deep dives on regenerative business, conscious entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
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Work with Denica to amplify the message on women’s empowerment and regenerative leadership.
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Help us reach more women who need it most. Each donation provides catalytic support to smallholder farmers and craftswomen in rural Indonesia to build climate resilience.
Learn More