Our teams across our eight retail stores and head office are committed to sustainable business practices and commitments on a day-to-day basis. Read on for a broad overview of some of the implemented sustainable practices that form our 'business-as-usual'.
Transparent and ethical sourcing are key aspects of our sustainable practice. Of the fabrics we sell, the majority are deadstock fabrics that would otherwise be sent to landfill or incinerated. Our team have implemented supplier analysis processes to gain transparency over our supply chain in areas of environmental and social ethical practices. In addition to this, we work alongside a textile sustainability consultant to ensure we remain up-to-date with certifications, and better understand the points of impact within our supply chain.
At our HQ in New Zealand we collect and use rainwater, have an established worm farm, a well-functioning recycling and composting system, and 25% of our vehicle fleet is electric. We have comprehensive workplace policies to keep our staff safe, and we're proud to be able to support local businesses for all of our internal consumables.
Our Online Team use recycled plastic packaging for all ecommerce orders, and we have a comprehensive fabric scrap/remnant donation scheme to divert fabric off-cuts & scraps to local schools, community groups and charities, across our retail stores and HQ. We maintain a philanthropic program supporting a variety of local organisations through event sponsorship, fundraising support, direct advertising and project partnerships. In addition, we nurture long-standing relationships with key tertiary educational providers in New Zealand and Australia, providing ongoing student discount and award programs.
Ensuring we share our journey and our knowledge is also key! Our TFS teams are dedicated to providing our customers with best practice care guidelines for our fabrics, as well as sharing written and visual educational resources to help develop their slow sewing and fabric knowledge.