Based in Australia
All Kuwaii clothing items are produced locally in Melbourne within 15km of their design studio. 80% of Kuwaii footwear is made in Melbourne, 20% in China. Their stores are run with 100% renewable, carbon-neutral electricity. To minimise leftover stock, they produce small runs in limited editions. They list their fabric suppliers on the website, and some of them have certifications like bluesign and OEKO-TEX. They also share where most of the fabrics are produced (China, Korea and Japan). To show transparency about their prices, they give a cost breakdown
Kuwaii uses deadstock fabric (fabrics left over from other production runs) and their own fabric remnants, as well as new fabrics like Lenzing Tencel, cotton, linen, rayon, polyester, recycled polyester, silk, wool and a little spandex. Some of the fabrics are certified GRS, FSC, Eco Vero, OCF or Better Cotton Initiative
They use the methods approved by the ECA (Ethical Clothing Australia) and TCF (Textile, Clothing, Footwear) Award to ensure the working conditions are fair and review these standards each year. They claim their footwear maker in China is also committed to ethical working conditions, including: fair wages, safe working conditions, training and opportunities for improvement, and undergoing audits by SMETA
They use deadstock fabrics, and they have a Textile Recycling Program in which they turn the textile offcuts and waste from their production processes into smaller accessories such as scrunchies, eye masks, face masks or hats. They donate some fabric to craft groups, community groups, schools and kindergartens. Smaller pieces of fabric are sent to Textile Recyclers Australia, where they’re recycled into new fibres or other products. They also aim to phase out as much single-use plastic as possible in the business
