facebook.com/standard-issue
Physical Address: Our office and manufacturing plant is in Eden Terrace, Auckland.
Operating Since: Early 80's.
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| Laura Ellery - designer |
What kind of clothes do you make?
We believe in making functional, wearable knitwear - our designs are not overly tricked up but rather beautiful in their simplicity. The collection is designed with longevity in mind, both in the manufacture and design. You can pull out a Standard Issue cardigan two or ten years later and it will still look good. Our clothing is also about the yarns we use - artisan quality pieces crafted from some of the most beautiful yarns in the world.
Who makes your clothing?
We do - it's all done in-house from the design stage to the last button. We employ about 40 staff to make Standard Issue, another women's knitwear label called Visage & we also do contract knitting for other people.
Who sells your clothing? Can we buy them online?
We have about 30 retailers throughout New Zealand and a handful in Australia and the U.S. And you can buy them online.
What price range are your clothes in?
They're not cheap but when you consider the quality and volume of yarn that goes into each piece, they represent great value. For example, you can pick up a 100% merino dress for under $300 and a jumper for around $200, which is pretty amazing. We don't just price something for the sake of it - we price as competitively as we can, given the materials and cost of manufacture.
Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
I think choosing to manufacture offshore is purely a financial decision. Manufacturing locally is more convenient but it's also expensive. But for us, it's also a creative and quality decision. We have our own manufacturing plant - so our designer works closely with our technicians to achieve different effects in the garments; which is a luxury you can't afford if you're working with technicians halfway around the world. We can also closely control the quality of every part of the process. When you manufacture offshore, you can lose control of little things, even down to the type of thread that gets used to sew pieces together - which might be rotting or the wrong colour. We enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that every item to leave our warehouse is beautifully constructed.
What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
There are many ways the Government could help make it more financially viable, including raising the tariffs on imported goods. But we don't believe in limiting the market - at the end of the day, it's up to the consumer to spend their money as they believe best.
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