The Better Project
It's about time we mention the rush hour Auckland traffic jam sized elephant in the room:
Greenwashing.
How many clothing brands do you see now days throwing around the words 'sustainable' and 'ethical' just because they ship their orders in compostable postage bags? This is one of the biggest issues in the fashion industry.
We've made a promise to ourselves and to you that we won't be throwing those words around unless we've absolutely without a shadow of a doubt earned it. At the moment the only brand I can think of that has that right is Patagonia (Yvon Chouinard you legend).
We aren't perfect purely of the back of it being a flawed industry, but what we can dois aim to be a transparent brand that is up front about the good, the bad and the why we operate the way we do.
Our Mission
Creating Better Clothes, Inspired by Aotearoa.
You know that one piece of kit you found at the bottom of ya Dad's wardrobe? Or the grail that caught your eye in between racks of clothing at the op-shop? The kind of piece that makes you think - "They just don't make em' like they used to". Well we do make em' like they used to. Every item we release is designed to be a certified slap, a generational noggin pleaser. We aim to make clothes that will still be going strong for future generations to pull from your wardrobes.
Our biggest focus right now is to be making pieces that don't end up in a landfill, instead can stand the test of the New Zealand lifestyle n' weather. We make durable and quality clothing. For every Lid, Tee or Hoodie that we make that can become your go-to for the next 5+ years, that's countless items of clothing we're preventing from being tossed. We may not be perfect yet, but if we can slow the rate that clothing ends up in a landfill it's a bloody good start.
The vision of the future we want to be a part of is one with legacy at the core of everything we do. We have loved growing up in such a stunning part of the world and want to be able to leave it in a better place for future generations, with clean oceans to surf in, snow on the mountains, kai in the seas and a bloody sweet Shaggy lid on their heads!
We're making a commitment to you (and you can hold us to this) to be transparent on what we do. We'll try to always do the right thing, and aim to get that little bit better everyday.
The Good
Currently
- All orders receive a care guide we've put together to help their clothes last a lot longer and cut down the post purchase impact.
- We use organic cotton corduroy, and hemp in our hats.
- Our Hoodies are lined with recycled polyester, made from recycled plastic bottles.
- We're committed to supporting local non-profits and causes that are close to our heart whether socially or environmentally through 1% for the planet.
- Our Tees are printed locally with water-based inks.
- We don't mass produce. All pieces are made in limited runs, cutting waste, the need to run clearance sales, and keeping them unique.
The not so Good
Our Work Ons
- We believe we're sourcing from manufacturers fair working conditions and responsible material sourcing (with the right certifications). We haven't independently audited this though. Our aim is to be able to have them verified, and to visit the factories to see the processes and meet the people.
- We're working on shifting from compostable packaging to recyclable cardboard to make it easier for our customers to dispose of packaging responsibly.
- Supply chain transparency! We're putting together a blog on all our manufacturers so you know where it's all coming from, and who the people are who make your favourite hat.