Sustainable Fabrics and Quality Manufacturing

We really value sustainable fabric at New Zealand Natural Clothing. It’s so important to us that we’d class it as one of our highest priorities.

Sustainable means that something can be kept at a certain level without depletion and destruction.

What makes a fabric sustainable?

As part of the fashion industry, we are highly aware of the increasing concern of the fashion industry’s environmental footprint.

Let’s talk about why we endorse natural New Zealand sourced fibres as a sustainable alternative to the global mass production of clothing. These things also help us sleep at night under our sumptuously soft possum blankets...

Quality over quantity

Reducing the environmentally damaging effects of fashion is not about asking everyone to walk around with no clothes on, although that could be quite liberating!

It is focused on changing our perspective about what we buy. It is about shifting the mentality away from cheap quality, short-life clothing.

There are two parts to the quality of a garment:

• Quality of materials
• Quality of manufacturing

Quality of materials is crucial to what we seek in sustainable fabrics. Wool, for example, is incredibly durable.

Your woolen garments last longer and you get more wear from them. In fact, people often keep the same woolen jumper for decades.

Quality of manufacturing is equally as important.

We have high quality standards in New Zealand and we end up with high quality in our shops. This can be checked by the Made in New Zealand tag often found on garments.

The simple economic reality is that New Zealand manufacturing can only compete in the high quality end of the market.

9 pairs of socks for $9.99 doesn’t fly here in our stores.

We can promise that any sock that comes from our shop will last at least 9 times longer.

Inputs into the process

The amount of water and carbon emissions per kilo of merino produced is two or three times higher than that of cotton but quality ensures a lower footprint in the long run.

Per kilo might be higher but the per wear equation (production inputs/number of times worn) is what matters when we’re talking about sustainability.

We also cut down on emissions by sourcing New Zealand made.

Our supply chain is comparatively short and so there are less, planes, trains and cars going into the process.

Have you seen our Palliser Ridge range? We worked towards a range that will be local straight from the sheep to the shop floor. You can read the story here

Heating cost reductions

There is only really one way to skin a possum, but there is more than one way to stay warm. Merino wool and merino wool/possum blends are super warm.

This means that instead of having to get the fire going in autumn, you can bundle up in our high quality garments!

Not only are you helping the environment, but your wallet too!

Washing less

Another way your natural fibre clothing keeps your footprint down is through reduced washing needs.

Cotton is a highly absorbent fibre. Wool on the other hand is much less absorbent. Wool is so far from a keen absorber that it is also used by firefighters due to the flame retardant qualities of the fibre.

This all means that less sweat and other nasty things is being soaked up by your garment. The benefit of this is you have to wash it much less often.

Also, when you do wash, a cold wash is essential. This means less water and electricity going through your washing machine.

We at New Zealand Natural Clothing we are advocates for the environment and we encourage you to be too.

Invest in a high quality product made in New Zealand and do your bit for the environment!

Here are a couple of our favourite must-haves;

If you want to know more about what’s important to us, visit us in store. We love spreading the good word about New Zealand quality!