Falvé

falve.co.nz
facebook.com/falvemenswear
Physical Address:  Falvé studio, Wellington
Operating Since:  Founded in 2012. First launch in March 2013.

What are you all about?

Falvé is a menswear label based in Wellington, New Zealand. The label was launched in March 2013 by husband and wife, Dan and Emma Johnstone. Falvé produces limited runs of quality menswear garments and accessories with fine details but a considered simplicity. The patterns are all handcrafted using traditional tailoring methods and the carefully selected cloths are all individually hand cut. Quality and finish is so important to Falvé, that even the buttons are individually hand stitched!

Who makes your clothes? 

Emma made the winter range but we have now become big enough to outsource labour and have a seamstress who we contract.

Who sells your clothes?

We sell through our website and currently through Made It on Victoria St in Wellington. But we will be going into a few more shops in town in the next month or so!

What price range are your clothes in?

Accessories range from $25 to $83 and clothes from $75 to $216.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?

Because it is cheaper and we don’t have the resources to manufacture large runs for the commercial companies, here in NZ.

What could the government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?

They are doing a lot at the moment; New Zealanders are definitely more concerned and aware about buying NZ made even if it’s something they don’t support. The shift to manufacturing overseas became about because the government signed the Free Trade Agreement with China- that’s when all the big factories in NZ shutdown.

Vanilla Ink

www.vanillaink.co.nz
facebook.com/vanillaink.boutique
twitter.com/VanillaInkNZ
Physical Address:  293 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden & 438 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland.
Operating Since:  I began on the 2nd April 2001, almost 12 years ago.

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
Vanilla Ink is stroppy and rebellious - we believe that some of the latest trends are unflattering and irrelevant & at best contribute to landfill.  Good clothes should last season after season.  We make beautiful, colourful clothing with a slight nod to fashion but more focussed on finding our customer's individual style.  Versatility is really important to us, creating pieces that can be worn in more than one way.

We are also playful and kind; we've never understood how cool morphed into hostile.  Apart from the sheer joy of designing, pattern making and choosing beautiful fabrics, we have fun with our clients. Problem solving and flexibility are really important to us - if changing a hemline or tailoring a garment slightly differently is going to make it sing, we'll do it and usually for no extra charge.
We also hold evenings for groups of busy women on request, providing wine, food and styling.  These are inappropriately good fun.

Who makes your clothes?
I design, pattern-make, make most of the samples and do most of the cutting. I keep the first three jobs for myself because I love it so much. Going from idea to reality is bliss; cutting I do kinda because I have to. I have two machinists, Kim and Rabya, they're great, they live locally and it suits them to work from home because they have school-age children. I see them everyday and I'd hate to lose them.  We stubbornly reject manufacturing offshore; producing locally increases spontaneity and ensures a good quality of life for our machinists - it's worth the extra money to us!

Who sells your clothes? Can we buy them online?
We have the two retail stores mentioned above. We are in the process of adding an online shopping feature to our website but for now people can email or phone to purchase if they're out of Auckland.

What price range are your clothes in?
Our clothes range from about $89 to almost $300.
(It's hard to keep NZ-made clothes cheap.)

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas? 
Honestly I think the only answer can be greed or survival.  Sometimes I wonder if my business, so hands-on and local, is a dinosaur.  I'm not going to change though - I don't want to do it any other way.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
The goverment could do the following: 1) care; and 2) campaign for buying NZ-made again, making mention of the fact that if money is spent in NZ on NZ-manufactured product then the total spend is contributing to your local financial health. 

Anything to add?
Check out the 3/50 project, started by an American woman at the beginning of the recession - it's very interesting.

Minnie + Ree

www.minnieree.com
minnieree.blogspot.co.nz
facebook.com/MinnieReeSmith
Physical Address:  I am based on the Kapiti Coast.  My business is web-based but I do have a stall at Underground Designer Market on Wellington's waterfront most Saturdays 10am - 4pm.  I also go to other markets and these are notified on my website.
This year I am looking to be in Auckland a lot more!
Operating since:  My first website went live in June 2007, I had been working on the business part time since June 2006.

Maree Smith

What are you all about?  
What kind of clothes do you make?
I believe that wearing lovely clothing that fits easily helps make women feel good about themselves. At Minnie + Ree I design clothes that are full of colour, pattern and touch; clothes that are flattering and individual.  

Wherever possible I stick with my two flexi-sizes: Small is NZ 8-10-12 and Average is 14-16-18.

It all started with Sonsie swimwear – swimwear for women with a larger bust.  Sonsie swimwear is bright, colorful and flexi-sized with a design that is chockfull of tricks to make the boobs look smaller and to flatter the rest of the body.  The range includes the Sonsie tankini and Sonsie swimskirt to cover the least favorite parts of the body and each coordinating piece is sold separately to allow the woman to choose the size and what she wants to reveal or cover when wearing a swimsuit.  I then created a range of merino scarves.  They are made to be beautiful and practical.  For example the hoodie scarf can be a hood, an infinity scarf or a shrug. 

Minnie + Ree skirts are the latest creation.  The skirts are made from designer cotton fabrics and I choose patterns that are interesting and colourful.  They are fastened with snaps which enable the wearer to do up as many of the snaps as they want so the skirt can be worn high on the waist, lower on the hips or during any changes in weight or shape.  They are cool to wear in the heat and winter-up nicely by adding tights and boots.  I am currently working on a dress that is flattering and easy to wear, a range of winter skirts and some new merino items...

Who makes your clothes?
I design and cut most of them.  I use a couple of home-based sewers on a regular basis.  My swimwear is made by Soma President Ltd in Hastings. They have also done a couple of other production runs for me. They were so helpful when I first set up and didn't know much about the industry - I strongly recommend them!

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
I currently sell at Underground Market and online.  I am looking at having a few wholesale accounts this year.

What price range are your clothes in?
Currently $35 to $237

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
If you are doing large runs, it is definitely cheaper.  I know some people who have manufactured overseas and it is a new skill to be learned.  I don't think I will become large enough to follow that path.  My goal is to build a network of outsource sewers and grow that way.  I am escaping from the corporate world and don't wish to set up a large company that needs me to be a manager! 

I do source most of my fabrics offshore and do it myself.  I can see a wide variety of fabrics that are all readily available, order online in whatever quantities I want, pay by credit card and have them on my doorstep in a week or two.  The NZ wholesalers just don't try to provide that type of service.  

What could the government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
I think the future of NZ labels is in the SMEs and government can support that by encouraging people to buy NZ-made and providing business training and support.  Brands that get big need to go offshore to compete on the world market but there's plenty of smaller ones coming through.  I work voluntarily as a business mentor through Business Mentors New Zealand (and am also a mentoring client of theirs!) and I think having a mentor is so helpful.  This is a government subsidised service and is great.

Anything to add?
I am becoming more and more influenced by the desire to get away from cheap tacky clothing and books such as Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline help this.  I also love the work of Natalie Chanin of Alabama Studio and am attempting to bring hand stitched work into my clothing.  I recently cleaned out my wardrobe and threw out cheap junk but still kept and wear good clothing that is 10-15 years old.  Buying good quality pays off in the end and having something that is well made from good fabrics and a bit individual is the way to go!

JUIDfashion

www.juidfashion.com
www.juidfashion.com/blog
facebook.com/JUIDfashion
twitter.com/JUIDfashion
Physical Address:  Anywhere with a power-plug for the laptop 
& in close vicinity to caffeine. 
Operating since:  2009!!

James Upton

What are you all about? 
JUIDfashion was founded as a platform for creative license encompassing a number of genres; art, style, photography, progression but mostly fashion.  At first being a men-specific line with an androgynous feel, JUID has starting to do more women-specific pieces with each collection.  The focus however is definitely still on menswear.  All garments are designed and made in NZ, with an extreme level of attention to detail, giving JUID a high-end boutique feel.  Carefully selected cottons, denims,merinos & organic fabrics complement the cuts of these fashion-forward pieces.  Each piece tells an individual story, as well as combining with other garments to fit into the theme of the overall collection in which it sits.  With inspiration coming from many areas both inside and outside the fashion industry, JUID’s edgy but still commercial persona is testament to its growing popularity within the NZ fashion industry.  

What kind of clothes do you make? 
Mainly t-shirts, they are our bread and butter.  However, we do do a small range of jeans, cardigans, polos and shirts as well!!

Who makes your clothes? 
All are made locally in Auckland.  We love NZ MADE.

Who sells your clothes? 
Our biggest retailer at the moment is Needles & Threads in Ponsonby.

Can we buy them online?
Above and through our website.

What price range are your clothes in? 
Our standard print t-shirt is RRP $109. So yeah... fairly pricey, but you pay for quality don't you?!

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas? 
$$$$$$$$$$$ All about the "benjamins".  Although the savings never seem to filter down to the retailers and consumers...?  Some brands are making nice margins..! 

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ? 
Unfortunately I don't think there is anything the government can do. Countries like China and Bangladesh basically have the people resources to make clothing so cheap that NZ can not compete.  They could increase the tax of bring products back into NZ but that is going to hurt a lot of NZ businesses and the cost would probably just be passed onto the customers. It basically means only high end brands can be NZ made.  For us it is a nice point of difference compared to a lot of competing labels that are made off shore.

Anything to add?
We also love organic cotton!!
In an age when consumer products are breaking down the environment, it is important that everyone does what they can to help the cause.  The ultimate goal of “sustainable cotton” is to move sustainable production, manufacturing and use practices throughout the cotton value chain in order to create a healthy and profitable industry for growers, their communities, manufacturers, retailers and users of all cotton products. Besides the environmental benefits that chemical-free organic cotton offers, the quality of clothing produced from organic cotton is also substantially higher.  Organic cotton plants produce longer-stable cotton fibres, leading to stronger yarn and more durable fabrics.  Pesticide-free long-stable cotton also feels softer and more breathable against the skin. JUIDfashion sees this as the future of the “rag trade” & would like to be a part of it.

Design Cartel

www.missabigail.co.nz (This is my label's website. I only have a Facebook page for Design Cartel so far)
facebook.com/Miss-Abigail
facebook.com/designcartel.nz
Physical Address: 109 Willis St, Dukes Arcade, Wellington
Operating Since:  Shop has been open since Monday 5th November.  
I have been working on my own label for about 10 years.  I took a few years away from fashion for a bit of a career change to work in mental health & since moving to New Zealand, I am now completely all into it again.

What are you all about? I am all about meeting local New Zealand designers to share stories and help support each other.  I recently opened Design Cartel; a shop with about 15 designers, which always looking for more local talent.  Part of the reason I wanted to open a shop was so I can make whatever I want, when I want, without designing a year in advance. There aren't any wholesalers in Wellington so it makes it quite hard to source stuff so far in advance; then when you're ready to buy, you run the risk of a fabric not being available.

What kind of clothes do you make?
My designs are fashion forward, being quite girly and cute.  My recent range is toned down a little, compared to usual, to try and accommodate my designs to a wider range of people.  I love using bright colours and cute prints & I love velvet, with some of my pieces having a Victorian feel.

Who makes your clothes?  
My clothes are made in a factory in Napier called Sew Unlimited who are really lovely.

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online? 
Currently they are only sold in my Design Cartel shop.  Online shop will be going live in the next couple of weeks.

What price range are your clothes in?  
My clothes range from $70 to $300 at the moment.  I am also looking into doing some Miss Abigail accessories soon, which may include brooches and scarfs.

What other NZ-made clothing labels do you sell?
Miss Abigail, Love Hotel, Beau, Desiree Clothing, Millicent, HLDB by Tina and twoWORLDS.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?  
I think as it's cheaper & there just aren't too many places in New Zealand to get stuff made.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?  
Support the current manufacturers in some way.  

Anything to add? 
I just recently found out the only manufacturer in Wellington is apparently closing down in the next couple of months which is really sad.

Jane Sutherland

www.janesutherland.co.nz

facebook.com/janesutherland

Physical Address:  State Highway 6, Kingston 9748, Central Otago

Operating Since:  Established in 2004

 

What are you all about?
When creating our womenswear collections, we take a disciplined approach.  We like to create well-cut, wearable garments that capture attention with clever detailing; pieces that are timeless and will still be in your closet for ten years.  It can be hard to create garments that are creative with a point of difference but yet commercial enough to sell - it’s a fine line.  I feel it depends on whether or not you like creating commercial simple clothes or living a more complicated life!  I feel fashion needs more creativity – it is often as though the main focus is on wearablity, which is most definitely important and is the lucrative part of the industry; however the art aspect should not be lost in the process.  At the end of the day we are not fulfilling a utilitarian function, we are extracting the unique remnants of an artist's imagination that marks the current movements and influences of our culture.  We are creating something that should spark curiosity.

 

Who makes your clothes?
We use a local CMT factory in the South Island and skilled outworkers – it is nice to be able to have strict quality control and a close working relationship with the manufacturers.  Everything is NZ-made, including accessories – all jewellery is handcrafted by local jewelers and artists.

 

Who sells your clothes?
We wholesale to 8 stores nationwide & have just launched an online boutique which we are hoping to build on overtime.

 

What price range are your clothes in?
Anywhere between $90- $500.  Sometimes a fully lined woollen coat may exceed this; with handcrafted metal detailing on a lot of the garments, this can make things a little more expensive but unique!

 

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
At the end of the day I believe it all comes down to cost – this mainly only works for mass produced lines.

 

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
Encourage New Zealanders to buy NZ-made & to advertise and educate people on the importance of supporting our skilled workers, designers and manufacturers.  Reintroduce a Buy NZ Made campaign supporting the fact that eventually if everyone is forced to move offshore, the trade in NZ will drop and where will we be left?!

Anything to add?

It is great to see clothes that are ten years old and people are still wearing them  It's an old-fashioned idea that we build things to last and I think we should all take a lot of pride in that and hold onto it for as long as we can and for further generations.

Even in the Dark

www.eveninthedark.com
facebook.com/eveninthedarkstudio
twitter.com/eveninthedark
Follow us! Like us!
Physical Address:  We're based in Ponsonby, Auckland.  We moved back to New Zealand from London almost a year ago and we love being home.
Operating since:  We launched our brand and online store in October 2012.  We are brand new.

Cara Hutchinson

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
We design beautiful, uncommon clothes for women. Even in the Dark is a new label, and we're building it piece by piece, with new products dropping into store all the time.  Expect limited edition dresses, graphic t-shirts, sweatshirts and beautifully cut jackets.
We believe that quality and design integrity are fundamental to our customers' happiness and satisfaction - so we source the very best materials that we can and manage all of our design and production in-house.

We also want to do some good for others, so a portion of all our sales will always be donated to a charitable cause.  Right now we're supporting Room to Read, a charity that assists children in Africa and Asia to learn to read and to receive an education.  We are particularly excited about the Girls Education Programmes that Room to Read supports - through these programmes 13,000 girls this year will receive assistance to attend schools in locations where poverty, family situations and cultural traditions mean that these girls might not otherwise be in education.  We think this is such a fantastic cause.

Who makes your clothes?
All of our garments are made in-house - we design, cut, sew, press and finish all our garments in our studio in Auckland.  It's incredibly important to us to have a really high quality product and to ensure that we are producing our clothes in an ethical and environmentally conscious way. Producing our garments in our own studio helps us to achieve this.

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
Even in the Dark is available exclusively through our online store.  We're really excited about all the endless possibilities of building a brand and our store online.  It gives us an amazing platform to attract new customers from New Zealand and around the world - so far we've sent our dresses as far afield as London and Norway (and as locally as a couple of doors down the road).  We're really enjoying getting into the social media sphere too and we're excited by the fashion tech start ups that are popping up everywhere.  It's such an interesting time to start a company.

What price range are your clothes in?
Our items will be priced between $50 - $400.  The upper end of the price range includes items like our limited edition, menswear inspired Shirt Dresses in silks and amazing cottons in our store now for $350.  The lower end of our price range will include garments like our graphic t-shirts, which are coming soon to our online shop.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
We imagine NZ clothing labels take their production offshore primarily for economic reasons and possibly because it can be difficult to find bulk production facilities here.  We're really happy that we are able to offer NZ-made products.  If in the future our production needs outgrow our studio capability, we hope to be able to use NZ-based outworkers and CMTs for our production.

Anything to add?
Thanks for featuring Even in the Dark.  This blog is such a great resource for discovering New Zealand design.  We're excited by all the great labels we've read about in the Home Made/Keeping it in NZ archives.

Seventhwave

www.seventhwave.co.nz
facebook.com/seventhwavewetsuits
twitter.com/seventhwave_nz
youtube.com/user/SeventhwaveWetsuits
Physical Address:  243 Dyers Rd, Bromley, Christchurch 8062
Operating Since:  1987—we have been making and repairing wetsuits for over 25 years. We have made over 50,000 wetsuits and repaired thousands more wetsuits of all different brands and for many different problems.

Kelly, Paul Jared and Tom

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
Seventhwave Wetsuits is a New Zealand owned and operated company dedicated to providing high performance, warm, flexible, lightweight, and hard wearing wetsuits for all water-sport enthusiasts.  We design, manufacture and test all of our products here in Christchurch — the cold waters of the South Island are our testing ground.  We pride ourself on products that are made to fit, made to perform, made to last and made in NZ.

What is unique about our wetsuits (as well as being New Zealand made), is what our wetsuits are made of, and how they are made.

Firstly, we use Japanese Yamamoto neoprene for all of our products — a limestone based neoprene of very high quality.  Compared to traditional petro-chemical neoprene used by most other manufacturers, limestone neoprene has a closed-cell content of over 94%.  What this means, in simple terms, is that limestone neoprene has a lot more air bubbles inside the rubber than other brands (over 30% to be exact), and is less dense than oil-based neoprene.  These thermal and water repellent properties make our wetsuits exceptionally warm and very quick drying.

Secondly, we have a specialised custom-fit service where we can tailor our wetsuits to anyone's specific measurements, needs and requirements.  We've found approximately a third of people don't fit a standard sized wetsuit, so to get the best fit, maximum warmth and top performance, custom-fit can be applied to any of our wetsuit models.  Best of all, our perfected online process means the customer can order a custom-fit wetsuit from anywhere in the world, hassle free.

We provide a lifetime warranty on all our stitching and workmanship, as well as having a superior and efficient repair service to fix all brands of wetsuits for all kinds of problems. 

Who makes your wetsuits?
All of our products are designed and manufactured at our factory in Christchurch.  Our custom-fit team, machinists, screen printers, cutters, pattern designers and customer service team are all together in the one place.  When you order a wetsuit, make an enquiry or make any kind of contact with us you are speaking directly with one of us.  This makes it easier for us to get all of our designs and wetsuits exactly right.  We like dealing directly with our customers to make sure that we are getting every wetsuit perfect, every time.

Who sells your wetsuits?  Can we buy them online?
All of our products are available online, delivery is free and within 10 days anywhere worldwide.  We also have our shop in Christchurch which is like a hardware shop for everything wetsuit and wetsuit related.  We mainly sell direct to customers to make sure we are meeting each person's unique needs.

What price range are your wetsuits in?
Our wetsuits range from $79 to $1099.  Price is dependent on what exactly you need from a wetsuit (whether it's superstretch or more hardy/durable, extremely warm or a summer session suit) or where and how you are using the wetsuit (surfing, diving, canyoning, in tropical waters or very cold deep south winter waters).

Our wetsuits are on the upper scale of price because of the higher quality neoprene we use, but they last longer, stay warmer and don't perish the way other big-name mass produced wetsuits do.  A Seventhwave wetsuit is an investment and our customer feedback endorses this opinion.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Financial reasons are the main reason NZ companies are choosing to manufacture overseas.  For us though we like to have full control over what happens with our products, which you lose when you take the manufacturing halfway around the world. Because we focus on the fit of the wetsuit, to have them manufactured overseas is just not feasible when we tend to be making each suit individually.  It would simply take too long to get the product to the customer when instead we can turn around a customised wetsuit in ten days or less.  Besides, we are proud to be a NZ made company.

At the beginning of Seventhwave (back in the 80's) we spent a considerable amount of time exporting, manufacturing bigger runs, and running stock in other countries and it simply did not work for us.  We like being able to watch a suit being made—from the first email or discussion with a customer right through to their first surf or use.  It makes it easier to make sure that every suit that leaves our factory is exactly how it should be, and that every customer is going to be very happy.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
It's a hard one to answer without saying financial incentives or hand-outs.  And no one likes anyone getting a hand out.  The difficulty is it all boils down to more costs and that's why NZ-made is often more expensive; especially if it involves a lot of labour.

Anything to add?
We really pride ourselves on sharing our extensive knowledge of all things wetsuits with the world, regardless of whether they are a Seventhwave customer or not.  From historical guides to e-books, we've been making available some really cool and informative content, so if you want to know more about our craft, have a peek at our Wetsuits101 section on our website.

Gemma Ltd

www.gemmaltd.co.nz
facebook.com/gemma
facebook.com/GemMaternity
Physical Address:  63 Magdala St, Tainui, Dunedin 9013
Operating Since:  2006

What are you all about?  
What kind of clothes do you make?
Gemma Ltd has two labels: our women's wear label, Gemma and our maternity label, Gem Maternity.  Our aim is to provide women with gorgeous NZ-made clothing that makes them feel confident and look amazing.  We started our maternity label in wake of myself & a lot of our regular customers having babies, and wanting gorgeous preggy clothes to wear!

Who makes your clothes?
We do everything in our workroom from designing, patter making, cutting, sewing to finishing.  And that's exactly how we love it!

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
We have our own online store on our website!  We also have a couple of stockists on our website.

What price range are your clothes in?
$35 - $219.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
It's a hard balance to get.  You want to support NZ-made but you also don't want your customers to have to pay the earth for your garments... the cost is the main factor, I believe.

Anything to add?
For small companies, CMT companies can work out very expensive.  I would love to see more outworkers start their own business at home!  I would choose an outworker to do my sewing over a CMT company any day!  Nothing like supporting people trying to make a living from their own home!

Salisbury Boutique

www.salisburyboutique.co.nz
facebook.com/salisburyboutique
twitter.com/salisburyboutique
Physical Address:  Salisbury House, 104 Bond Street, Dunedin 9016
Operating Since:  April 2011

Sheryl & Hayden

What are you all about?
Salisbury Boutique was born out of a love for Dunedin, heritage, design, fashion and quality New Zealand-made products.  Established in 2011, Salisbury Boutique's flagship boutique is located in the heart of the chic historic precinct at Salisbury House & is the ultimate in destination shopping.  We source NZ's latest new designers and provide an outlet for New Zealand's most fashion-conscious to purchase tomorrow's next big label today.  Products are fashioned in limited numbers & can be hard to find elsewhere.  You may have already seen several of the labels gracing the catwalks if iD Fashion Week, Wellington Fashion Week and NZ Fashion Week, taking this industry by storm.  We are also re-inventing how to shop; emphasising and encouraging people to see fashion as an investment and an experience to enjoy.  Open Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday until late, the shop is also open by appointment for private shopping and 24hr online.  We often hold events for our clients and those in the fashion industry.  We have relationships with the Otago Polytechnic, Design Fashion Incubator, the Audacious program, Dunedin City Council and Economic Development Unit, among many others.

This unique boutique is also part of a bigger concept promoting business in Dunedin and New Zealand.  Salisbury House is already home to a strong business collective that has encouraged young entrepeneurs to stay in New Zealand to start up their business.  We are personally and professionally in encouraging the refurbishment of character buildings in Dunedin's historic Warehouse District. Central to our business plan is the marketing of Dunedin as a leading centre of business innovation and design, in addition to its already established reputation as a centre of creative fashion design.

What NZ-made labels do you sell?
Too many to mention!  Check them out online.

What price range are your clothes in?
$30 for a singlet through to $600 for a winter coat.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Cost and scale.  Producing overseas is definitely cheaper than doing it in NZ.  Here we have limited people in NZ who still have the ability or expertise and machinery to produce clothing or shoes in New Zealand.  In addition to this, many production companies have minimum numbers you have to produce & for exclusive/unique boutique NZ designer businesses, who do not want to mass produce a range, this makes it very expensive to get things done.  When it costs more to make a product, the margins for everyone are much smaller.  The designer and retailer both have smaller cuts than products made overseas.  This = more money for everyone if it's made overseas.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
I would say, through business support.  Starting a business is hard work in itself; financial support, business mentoring and benefits provided to stay producing in NZ can go a long way.  Most people would rather produce NZ-made but have limited capital or business knowledge to start.

Pia Boutique

www.piaboutique.com
facebook.com/piaboutique
twitter.com/piaboutique
Physical Address:  Howick, Auckland 
Operating Since:  1st May 2012

Pia Naera

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
Pia Boutique is all about prints, femininity, fun and colour!  I design all of my own digital prints which gives my label and garments an individual and unique touch.

Who makes your clothes?
At this stage, I personally cut out all of my garments and I have a lovely seamstress who does all of my sewing.


Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
At this stage, I am only selling my pieces online but I do have a show room where people are welcome to come try things on.  I will be at the NZFW designer garage sale this year selling my pieces.

What price range are your clothes in?
My price range is from $110 to $245.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Getting things made in NZ is obviously a lot more costly, and can take time.  I feel that the main reason to why they do that is to save money.

Anything to add?
Although getting things made in New Zealand can be the more expensive approach, there are a lot of people that do notice the extra mile that us designers go to keep it in NZ.  I love having great relationships with my suppliers and seamstress, and making sure that they are being treated fairly and paid the right amount!

Jane Henry

www.janehenry.co.nz
facebook.com/janehenry
Physical Address:  30 Bay View Rd, Redcliffs, Christchurch
Operating Since:  2011 in reality.

Jane Shand

What are you all about?

What kind do clothes do you make?

We specialise in scarves and shawls made from very rare merino fibre.  We have two types, naturally coloured merino which doesn't need dye and from which we make our woven scarves & white ultrafine (15 micron) which we eco-dye to make beautiful knitted shawls and scarves.  Both types of fibre are rare and the quality and softness is amazing.

We take the fibre directly from Henry's and Will's farms all the way to fashion and we are proudly made in New Zealand.  We try very hard to be sustainable in all that we do, and to create something beautiful and lasting without resorting to chemical treatments.  Our designs are classic with a view to them being both trans-seasonal and favourites for years to come. We do not want to perpetuate the throw away culture.  It is our belief that NZ deserves this beautiful end product, when it would otherwise be destined for the fashion houses of Italy.

Who makes your clothes?

Two NZ manufacturers weave and knit our products, one in Auckland and one in Otago.  We are very fortunate to have found them.

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?

We have our products in many outlets throughout the country, both gift stores and fashion outlets.  We have just gone live with our online shop as well.

What price range are your clothes in?

They range from $159 for woven naturally coloured scarves to $249 depending on the size and the complexity of the knit structure so they are at the higher end of the market, but the softest and warmest merino fibre available in New Zealand.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?

Because the manufacturers keep closing their doors here.  We have had 4 manufacturing facilities close down since we started, causing huge difficulties and delays.  Of course, it is very challenging for NZ manufacturers to compete price-wise, but really sad that some have found it so difficult because it is great to be able to do small batches and talk to the people involved.  Small people with a big idea can't get started unless they have this kind of small scale facility.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?

I think there should be smaller grants available to help businesses get started, rather than the $50,000 you need to match to go to a big trade fair.  Most ideas have to start slowly and do a lot of testing along the way, and there is very little help for start-ups.  Support to train more young people in the craft of spinning, knitting and weaving would also be helpful.

Anything to add?

Natural fibres are the heroes of the textile world and New Zealand should be doing all it can to promote what we have here.

Standard Issue

www.standardissue.co.nz
facebook.com/standard-issue
Physical Address:  Our office and manufacturing plant is in Eden Terrace, Auckland.
Operating Since:  Early 80's.

Laura Ellery - designer

What are you all about?
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. 

Jessica Young

Physical Address:  Wellington
Operating Since:  June 2011

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
To me, clothing creates memories and evokes emotion.  I believe clothing has the power to make you feel beautiful or bold, happy or courageous.  My designs are inspired by my childhood, my own views on the world & the belief that clothing should be beautiful yet functional.  Comfort is key.  My clothes are classic and simple but with a twist.  A dash of colour in a draped cape or beaded features on a simple silk tunic.  My pieces are only made in ones or twos, and so are unique pieces which I hope people love.

Who makes your clothes? 
I make all the pieces here in Wellington from locally sourced materials.

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
I sell through Salisbury Boutique in Dunedin.

What price range are your clothes in?
The price may vary dependent on the item and materials used.  Silk tops start at about $60, while my woollen capes retail at $350.

lhotse

www.lhotseclothing.com
facebook.com/lhotseclothing
twitter.com/lhotseclothing
Physical Address:  Auckland
Operating Since:  2011

Jenine Briggs

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
We make yoga, pilates and exercise clothing for both men and women from organic, eco-dyed fabric.  We produce high quality garments which feel great to wear both inside and outside of class; while also being kinder on the environment.  We are also a huge supporter of the New Zealand industry and a key component of our brand is that the clothing is made here in NZ.


Who sells your clothing?  Can we buy them online?
Our clothing is stocked at Herne Bay Yoga School in Auckland.  Some of our range is also stocked at the Iyengar Yoga Centre in Hamilton.  You can also purchase online on our website.


What price range are your clothes in?
Our clothing ranges in price from $65 to $125.


Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Probably due to the cheaper costs in doing so.

Rosie Miller

www.rosiemiller.co.nz
facebook.com/rosiemillerdesigns
twitter.com/RosieMDesigns
Physical Address:  Christchurch
Operating Since:  July 2011

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
Rosie Miller is a women's fashion label based out of Christchurch.  This label has been born out of a love of fashion and textiles.  Having my own clothing label has always been a dream of mine and now I am lucky enough to be living my dream.  What I love most about fashion is understated glamour.  It's the little things like pleats here, tucks there, a surprise patterned lining in a jacket, or the hint of something vintage-inspired coming through in the design.  My latest collection includes coats, capes, jackets, tops, dresses and skirts.


Who makes your clothes?
I design and produce all the garments myself, which I love.  But soon I will look to locally  outsourcing some of the processes that go into making a garment.


Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
You can buy my clothes from my website or in store at Where The Fox Lives in Christchurch, Made.It in Wellington and soon to be stocked in Dunedin as well.


What price range are your clothes in?
From $70 up to $430 for the Flared Coat.


Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
It really comes down to the price.  You can get cheaper fabric, labour and production & then even when you factor in shipping from overseas, garments are still working out a lot cheaper.  It's hard to compete with that when you're just starting out.  But just know that when you buy NZ-made, it's unique and was made with a lot of love.


What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
I think there needs to be more community education and support for why we should be moving away from 'disposable' fashion & more of a focus on the slow fashion movement and buying New Zealand made.  I would love to see a mentoring program set up between new designers and more established designers.