Sustainability and Ethics
Stock Quantities and Releasing Small Limited Ranges
At Makins we produce made to order garments to avoid having unnecessary overstock. Makins will be releasing it's range in small runs of limited quantities, as to not over produce but still keep customers interested in our products. Our primary sourcing method of using deadstock fabric from designers that's destined for landfill means that there is limited fabric and when a fabric is finished, it will be difficult to source more of that material.
Fabric Scraps
All fabric scraps from both the toiling and garment production processes will be sent to a fabric recycling facility that can repurpose and reuse these wasted pieces, to minimize our waste during production. Makins will also look into possibilities in the future of our scraps being reproduced into fabric that we can then repurchase and use in future collections creating a circular life of the fabric and optimising its use.
Beeswax Wraps
We have now introduced DIY Beeswax Wraps as an initiative to reduce our fabric waste. We've been looking at ways to reduce our reliance on recycling we have introduced the perfect way to repurpose our fabric waste that was not big enough to be made into other products. We sourced our beeswax made from local sustainable bee farmers in the Swan Valley, Western Australia. Our choices for our beeswax wraps are 100% natural fibre fabrics, therefore once they come to the end of their life they are 100% compostable.
Labels (Name, Care Labels and Swing Tags)
All of Makins’ care labels are made from 100% recycled material and the name labels are made from 50% recycled material. These labels are made according to the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, meaning they are free of harmful substances. Our swing tags are also made with 40% recycled paper.
Garment Repair Program – Slow Fashion Promotion
We offer a repair program for a fee, dependant of the type and size of repair. All garments wear and tear over their life and rather than disregarding a perfectly good garment we encourage our consumers to participate in our repair program. This will allow the consumer to be able to own the garment for longer, while adding more life and character into an ever-evolving piece of clothing.
Fabric Sourcing
Deadstock
Our fabric is predominantly sourced from designer deadstock fabric, meaning the fabrics are end-of-line, mill overruns, cancelled orders or designer excess. These fabrics are typically deemed a waste product in the fashion industry and would usually end up as landfill or simply incinerated. Therefore our ranges will be release in very limited runs.
Given the nature of sourcing deadstock fabrics, it is difficult to identify the original and exact milling processes that were used. By using deadstock fabrics, we are in constant balance of weighing (a) the environmental benefits of less fabrics in landfill, (b) the resources involved in milling directly and (c) the complicated deadstock supply chains. We endeavour to provide as much information as we can on our product pages relating to specific fabrics used in our garments.
Vintage Finished Linens
The flax fibre origin for our Vintage Finish Linen range is from Belgium and it’s growing/harvesting stages are covered by Belgian Employment and Labour Laws. It is then milled in Harbin (Northern China) and dyed in Zhejiang, by a cold-pad batch dyeing method, which requires far less water usage and energy consumption, no salts or humectants and no bio-polishing. This is a slower process with smaller dye batched per colour, allowing the mill a greater degree of control and accuracy. The supplier has provided assurances that they are working towards labour certifications for the processing stages of this particular line. All our fabrics are certified to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
Liberty Fabrics
Our Liberty fabrics sourced as mill overruns or end-of-line stock. Liberty is a member of both EU REACH and the BCI (Better Cotton Initiative).
EU REACH is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Further information can be found on their website here
The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in, and better for the sector’s future, by developing Better Cotton as a sustainable mainstream commodity. The BCI and Innovation Fund is a global program designed to support the Initiative in its goals of reaching five million farmers in key cotton-producing countries and have Better Cotton account for 30% of global cotton production. For more information visit their website here
Liberty fabrics are also OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified.
SCANFIL THREAD
For our thread we exclusively use SCANFIL thread which is 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and dyed to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100. All SCANFIL thread is spun in the Netherlands and cover by Netherlands labour laws.
BUTTONS
Shell buttons and coconut shell buttons are sourced for our garments, which is a by-product from the food industry.
ELASTIC
Our elastic is undyed and made from GOTS Certified Cotton and Natural Rubber from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). Being GOTS this means the cotton is grown organically, the production is sustainable, and the fabric is made under fair labour conditions.
OEKO-TEX Standard
The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels. OEKO-TEX tests for harmful substances from a consumers’ point of view, based on the respective purpose of the material or textile. OEKO-TEX testing ensures that these fabrics are free of harmful substances such as Azo colourants, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol (to name a few), as well as a number of harmful chemicals that have not yet been legally regulated. For more information visit their website here
Ethical Production
All products are made in Boorloo (Perth), Australia under good working conditions and with fair wages. All garments are currently produced by Courtney Makins herself and supports garment production within Australia.
Packaging
Makins is considering all areas in its business to improve our sustainable practices. Therefore, our packaging has been carefully considered to ensure that it is either recyclable or biodegradable.
- Our paper postal satchels are sourced from sustainable materials and are compostable and recyclable. The suppliers supply chain is Sedex Certified and manufactured from sustainable plantation forests.
- Our postal satchels are 100% biodegradable, compostable satchels. They are made from cornstarch, PLA and PBAT and are worm farm safe.
- Our tissue paper is compostable, recyclable, sustainable and acid free.
- Our jute string is an environmentally friendly, biodegradable alternative to plastic string.
- Our brown wrapping paper is FSC certified, acid free and contributes to the Restoring Australia initiative - planting 2 trees for every 1 tree used.
Postage
Makins uses a courier service to send their parcels. They are B Corp Certified and 100% Carbon Neutral.
