To achieve industry-leading sustainable production, we consider the entire lifecycle of our garments.

There are a few aspects that make this possible, having full visibility of our supply chain, designing everything in-house and making 94% of it here in New Zealand. 80% of a garment’s impact is determined at the design stage, so to really understand how we create garments with minimal impact, we caught up with our amazing design team.

Sustainable fashion starts in the fields, whether it’s growing cotton or wool. Our Design Team and Sustainability Manager work together from day one of a collection, to ensure we are choosing materials that have minimal impact on the planet. They insist on organic or regenerative cotton, so there’s no nasty chemicals being leached into waterways. Merino is sourced from regenerative farms, so the soil health is improved with farming, rather than being depleted. (For more on this read our journal entry on regenerative farming).

If the team need a different kind of fabric to achieve a specific look, we work with suppliers who adhere to our strict sustainability and social welfare guidelines. Occasionally this involves using deadstock fabric, leftover from other brands or manufacturers who have overproduced. Other times we utilise entirely new, innovative fabrics, such as cotton paper which has a beautiful dry handle, perfect for summer pieces. Our flexible, responsive sourcing process allows us to take advantage of these innovations in textiles.

Starting with the fabric means the team can design a collection with fabric minimums in mind, and our designers cleverly adjust their patterns to eliminate waste.

Every minute detail of a design is considered in terms of impact. Commonly used polyester fusing is substituted for cotton, and natural options like Tagua Nut or shell are used for our buttons.

Once the design reaches our make-up team, they have their own set of tips and tricks to reduce waste. Placing different sizes together when cutting out pieces for example, laying out XS and L together, to use the whole width of the fabric. This is helped by our prints being designed to work in both directions, another stroke of genius from the design team. The offcuts we do produce get recycled either through Impactex, who make our in-store signage from our woollen scraps (among other things) or they are recyled into new products, like our Rubbish Socks.

Our care doesn’t stop at the construction of the garment. The next step is wear and wash testing. For a wear test, some lucky team members get to wear the garment as much as possible for a month. This tests whether it can stand up to regular use, and gives us the chance to address any issues before it is put into production. Wash tests follow a similar logic, ensuring there’s no risk of shrinkage or warping. Testing helps determine what the washing instructions should be.

All being well, as it often is, with nearly 30 years of production under our belt, the garment is made and ready to meet its new owner. To get it to the store we use POLLAST!C bags, which are made from ocean bound plastic that is collected and turned into bags. Our stores then return the bags back to headquarters so they can be reused.

If anything untoward does happen once the garment is in your hands, our mending programme will take care of it. We’ve had garments back that are 20 years old, and our skilled menders have extended their life by another 20 years by mending anything from laundry mishaps to moth holes.

93% of our collection is made from entirely natural materials, and when no longer wanted, these garments can return back into the earth without a trace in a matter of months, as we discovered when we buried one and failed to find it three months later! We are working hard to find solutions for the remaining 7% of garments which contain a small percentage of synthetic fibres. This is usually necessary in items like socks, to add durability.

Our commitment to a garment's life cycle is unwavering, extending across every stage of its journey. From the soil that nourishes the sheep to ensure the finest quality wool, to repairing garments that have been chewed on by the dog. Our team meticulously considers each phase from the very beginning of the design process.