Our factory
We currently manufacture in one of 2 places – our in-house atelier run by our creative director and a small production unit based in Stratford – only 7 miles away from our atelier. Our production unit is a small female owned-managed business that is proud to pay fair wages to her skilled workers.
Minor Components
As a small brand, we source very small quantities of minor components, meaning that at times the supply chain behind that component is not visible to us. As we grow, we will make more improvements on this side of sourcing. Currently, we use the following:
Buttons – We 3D print these in house on-demand using PLA. This reduces waste and PLA was chosen as it is possible to industrially compost PLA once they come to the end of their lifecycle. The buttons on the surface, look and behave like any other plastic buttons.
Zips – We use nickel-free aluminium teeth zips with recycled polyester tape.
Interfacings and pocket fabric – these are all made from organic cotton from the same supplier that produces our main fabrics.
Studs – We use nickel-free metal studs. We currently are unable to tell where they come from.
Elastic – Our elastic is 65% organic cotton and 35% latex.
Thread – Our factory provides thread for us and they choose to use Gütermann threads. Gütermann produces excellent quality thread that helps provide strength to our seams, which creates a longer lasting garment.
OUR SOURCING
Our sourcing policy is that we try to work with organic and recycled fabrics as much as possible. However, this is not always possible and at times we have to make compromises. This may be for reasons such as: distance the fabric will have to travel, fabric of a particular type not being available as organic or recycled, quality or pricing. Where we have made a compromise, we will explain why this has been done. On this page you will find information on the fabrics, components and the people that have helped make our clothing come to life.
Cotton
All of our cottons are sourced from one company based in The Netherlands. They work exclusively with Turkish certified organic mills in the Aegean Sea area. All the cottons are GOTS certified - a rigorous organic certification that means that the farms are organic, GMO-free and no toxic dyes and chemicals are used in the growing and processing, no child labour is used and fair wages from farm through to mill must be paid.
Silk
We currently use a single silk organza that is woven by a mill in Italy and the fabric is Seri.co certified. This means that the fabric has been woven and dyed following strict environmental, health and safety and ethical labour requirements. The fibre comes from China. Though we are trying to reduce the air miles traveled by our fabrics and components, China produces 80% of the world’s silk and India produces much of the rest. China has much expertise in producing excellent quality silk fibre and is generally the first choice for many top mills in Europe – we are happy in this case to choose a product of beautiful quality, though it has to travel further. At the moment, we have been unable to source an organic or peace silk organza.
Tencel™
Tencel™ is a trademarked lyocell, a fabric similar to viscose. Whilst viscose uses a process that creates contaminated wastewater, lyocell uses a closed-loop process in which the chemicals used are recycled and creates very little waste. Viscose production also uses hazardous chemicals and in jurisdictions which have low environmental standard or poor enforcement, these chemicals can leach into the environment and endanger the health of workers and locals. Tencel™ specifically also uses wood from sustainably managed forests.
