At State Zak, we are aware of the downfalls and negative environmental impacts of the fashion industry (such water usage, dye, landfill and unethical workplace practices, to name a few), and we have created our label to combat these impacts as much as possible. Here are just some of the ways that we are reducing our environmental footprint:
SUSTAINABILITY & TRACEABILITY
SLOW FASHION
Our timeless basics are designed with longevity, versatility and outfit repeating in mind
Research shows that a garment is worn on average 7 times before being thrown away; some of the contributing factors to this are that garment quality is declining every year, and as a result, our clothes immediately lose shape or look worn out
Trends are also changing so quickly that consumers cannot keep up, and they continue to purchase in order to stay up to date
Our high quality, durable garments ensure that you will be wearing them for years to come
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
Our pieces are made from 93% cotton - with its biodegradable nature, reduced chemical usage in sustainable farming practices and lower water footprint, cotton is considered a preferable choice in the textile industry for reducing its environmental footprint
WASTE REDUCTION
We hold lower levels of stock in our warehouse and re-order our stock based on demand forecasts to reduce the risk of waste
We work with our manufacturers and cutters to minimise the amount of offcuts and make sure the maximum amount of fabric is used out of each length of fabric. We are also creating pieces that reuse/recycle any usable offcuts in our designs
Any of our faulty items that we receive from our manufactures (e.g. small marks on fabric) are donated to charities
We don’t use swing tags on any of our products, in order to minimise waste
SUPPORTING ETHICAL LABOR PRACTICES
Our clothes are made in Australia, which adheres to strict environmental regulations and safe and ethical workplace practices. Our supply chain is ethically and sustainably managed, and workers are treated fairly and paid a living wage, and provided with safe working conditions
USE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS AND PACKAGING
We use Australia Post satchels to post our items, which are made with 80% recycled plastic, and are also reusable for refunds; the satchels can also be reused for general postage to minimise bag usage
We package our clothes in recyclable tissue paper
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND ONGOING TRANSPARENCY
Sustainability is an ongoing process, and we regularly review and assess our sustainability practices, and look for ways to continually improve and reduce our environmental impact
We will also continue to be transparent about our sustainability practices, and what we are doing to reduce our environmental impact and support ethical practices. We will communicate this information to our customers as we continue to grow
TRACEABILITY
The majority of the cotton we use for our garments is grown in Australia, however we source some of the cotton from Asia
The cotton is then knitted and dyed in Melbourne
Our garments are made in Tasmania, and shipped from Tasmania