Planet & People

DESIGN & SLOW FASHION

Moving away from the traditional fashion calendar, Ailéisure creates pieces rather than seasons. All Ailéisure collections are designed to be trans-seasonal wardrobe builders and forever garments.

Did you know, it’s estimated that the fashion industry creates around 13 kilograms of fashion waste for every person on the planet every year? (1) Likewise, it’s estimated that extending the life of a garment by an extra nine months reduces its environmental impact by 20 to 30 per cent. (2)

With this in mind, we are extremely conscious about the longevity of what we are putting into the world.

  • Ailéisure’s designs do not subscribe to coming and going trends and instead, are timeless and thoughtfully created on the basis of a simple question: can you see yourself wearing this item 20+ years from now and can you imagine others wearing it 20+ years ago?
  • We invest in high-quality practises to ensure our products are made to last, by working closely with our talented local manufacturers and only using luxurious and durable fabrics.
  • We produce to the New Zealand minimums to avoid having excess stock, and carefully consider each individual items’ purpose in someone’s wardrobe.
  • While we recognise that it’s incredibly difficult to be a fashion brand that is 100% sustainable (after all, we’re bringing new products into existence), Ailéisure aspires to opt for the most environmentally and socially conscious available choices - whether it’s the fabrics we’re selecting, the stickers we seal our wrapping with, or the buttons on our shirts.

MADE LOCALLY IN NEW ZEALAND

All of our garments are produced onshore, in support of our local communities. Our manufacturing partners are leaders in their field (e.g. casual attire and tailored garments) and we work very closely with them to ensure our garments are made to the highest quality. The companies we work with celebrate the premium craftsmanship of their makers. Not only are employees treated ethically and with respect, but they are also paid above the New Zealand living wage.

EARTH-FRIENDLY FABRICS & MATERIALS

It is a non-negotiable for Ailéisure to use sustainable and vegan fabrics and materials.

NEW FABRICS

  • Any newly created fabrics we select are fully traceable from farm to finished product. For example, the fabric used for our organic cotton sweats range: We can trace the cotton back to the farm where it is grown, and we also know where the cotton is spun, weaved and dyed. Finally, we know where and how it arrives at its final location of quality control before it is sea frighted to us. All of these steps are carried out exclusively in accordance with the strict guidelines of the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).
  • Only natural and biodegradable fibres are used and are organic where possible, for example, organic cotton, linen, hemp, and wool.
  • All new fabrics are required to have regulated certifications e.g. GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), ACO (Australian Certified Organic), OEKO-TEX.

REPURPOSED FABRICS

Deadstock fabrics are the leftover fabrics from other designers excess, end-of-line, cancelled orders, or mill overruns. These fabrics unfortunately usually end up in landfill and have huge ethical and waste implications.

We work with local wholesale fabric suppliers who source beautiful and high-end deadstock fabrics from around the world. 

MATERIALS

It’s all in the details. No matter how big or small, Ailéisure always selects the most earth-friendly materials available. For example, the buttons on our (upcoming) shirt are made from recycled hemp and natural shell and sustainable cotton threads are used for embroidery designs.

All Ailéisure Garment Labels and Size Pips are made from natural coloured organic cotton.

SHIPPING

If the fashion industry was a country it would be the sixth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, and is responsible for 4% of the globally produced carbon emissions (3). At this rate, the industry will fail to meet the Paris Agreement’s target for 2030.

  • We are taking the necessary steps of offsetting our shipping carbon emissions with the help of DHL GoGreen Climate Neutral Shipping Service.
  • Although it takes a lot longer, any fabric that is purchased internationally is shipped to us by sea freight.
  • Our courier bags are made by Better Packaging and are home compostable.
  • Tissue wrapping paper & Stickers used are FSC Certified, Acid Free paper, Soy-based inks (made from soybeans).
  • Absolutely no plastic is used in our supply chains, collections or shipping services. 

 

Ailéisure hopes to provide an environmentally and socially conscious option for someone who’s looking for a forever piece and wants to support small business, local production and the use of natural fibres.

 

References

1 & 2. Common Objective (2018), Sustainability Issues, The Issues: Waste

3. Common Objective (2018), Sustainability Issues, The Issues: Energy