InStitchu

Our Sustainability Framework

• Emissions & Key Environmental Issues

  What is your company doing to reduce your emissions or combat key environmental issues (e.g. waste (packaging, end of life product strategy or recycling), biodiversity, land use, water, chemical use, energy use, and natural resource use etc.)?

  Buying made-to-measure custom garments from InStitchu is better for the environment for a wide range of reasons. Firstly, in terms of stock and production, there is little to zero wastage in the custom tailoring model; unlike an off-the-rack retailer, estimating the products and sizes that will sell each season, each garment is created for a specific customer’s order and needs after they have paid, meaning there is no surplus stock, no storage, no aggressive discounting cycles, no landfill and no unnecessary transport of products that don’t sell or are sold and returned. It also encourages thoughtful shopping patterns, as a custom made-to-measure model prompts customers to really consider, plan and order only those garments they really need and want most. The high quality construction of the final product, use of natural fibres and made-to-measure fit also ensure the garment is more likely to be used and loved for longer.

• Materials

  How are the products your company offers made from environmentally friendly materials (e.g. recycled, organic materials)?

  All of our fabrics are crafted from natural fibres, meaning they are breathable, soft and the highest quality suiting fabrics available on the market, promoting a sustainable model that emphasises To ensure a diverse, high quality and sustainable fabric offering, we work with an array of leading artisanal suppliers around the world. We source our Woolmark-certified Australian Merino wool from proud Australian farmers, working closely with local partners crafting the best raw materials for tailoring in the world, stimulating sustainable and local farming initiatives. We also work with cotton, linen and silk suppliers all over the world, nurturing high-quality and environmentally-positive production models that generate natural fibres for tailoring.

• Service Offering

  How are the service/s you offer environmentally friendly?

  The concept of InStitchu is special, allowing customers to design custom, made-to-measure garments down to the detail, choosing from hundreds of customisation options and premium fabrics. Get measured by a Stylist at one of 16 national Showrooms and enjoy an old-world tailoring experience, or hop onto our website to measure, design and order from scratch from home. All orders are covered by a complimentary Perfect Fit Guarantee, meaning InStitchu cover any extra tailoring costs, and all measurements are saved to your online profile for future purchases, simplifying the process of creating new custom, tailored garments over time. As well as offering a more diverse range, high quality garments and perfect fit, the made to measure model encourages customers to really think about what they need and want, emphasising thoughtful shopping patterns that are good for the environment. We talk about ‘cost per wear’ a lot - $699 for a suit is expensive if it’s worn once, but it’s great value if it’s a go-to suit in your work wardrobe each week and it lasts for years.

• Supply Chain

  Do you partner with ethical factories that meet international labor standards? What processes have you implemented to make your supply chain more sustainable?

  The journey of a custom, tailored InStitchu garment starts in the farm; we work with proud Australian Merino wool farmers, as well as an international network of cotton, linen and silk suppliers, to generate high-quality natural fibres in sustainable ways. These fibres are then moved to our trusted mills to be turned into high quality fabrics destined for suits and shirts and other garments, including centuries-old Italian mills like VBC, Stylbiella, REDA and Zegna. The fabrics are held by our trusted suppliers at Dayang, who cut the fabrics and turn them into specific garments, only when a customer has been measured and has designed the garment to their precise taste, needs and measurements, connecting our local tailors with the manufacturers through proprietary technology. This ensures there are no wasted materials and no garment is created unless there is a specific order for that garment, reducing the pressure on the environment. The garment is then shipped in bulk with other orders to our Showrooms, where any final tailoring is done locally, without any unnecessary extra transport.

• Community Initiatives

  How does your company give back to the community (e.g. financial donations, volunteering, partnerships etc.)?

  InStitchu works closely with a variety of local organisations and charity groups to give back. We are closely associated with Thread Together, the amazing organisation looking to use surplus stock for communities in need, donating any accidental or uncollected garments to the group to ensure it is used in positive ways. We’ve also been long-time supporters of Charity: Water, donating and supporting the remarkable work being done by this group to bring fresh water to Nepalese communities in need. In recent months we’ve also launched several community initiatives to give back, including a collaboration with local artist Alesandro Ljubicic to create silk pocketsquares, with all proceeds going to RUOKDay.

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• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

  How has your company made a commitment to achieve and maintain inclusion & diversity (e.g. Gender / Race / Ethnicity / National Origin / Sexual Orientation / Religion / Disability / Age)?

  InStitchu has a robust policy of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all facets of the business. Internally, the HR team have a stringent and proactive policy to seek, hire and retain staff that reflect the diversity of the Australian population, and regular sessions across retail and Head Office teams bring the team together in a shared space to discuss issues like mental health, diversity and social causes. The marketing team have a strict and proactive approach to diversity in campaigns and content production, looking to reflect the broader Australian population through their creative.

• Circular Models

  How does your circular model or circular initiative work?

  InStitchu embrace a circular model for all of their custom garments. Produced from natural raw materials, including Woolmark-certified Australian Merino Wool and linen and cotton, the resulting fabrics are not turned into a garment until a specific customer has ordered a product, ensuring there is no excess or unused product being created. The made-to-measure model and the fact that any further alterations to the garment are done locally ensures an almost perfect success rate for the garment for its intended use, as well as a longer lifespan of wear and use. The use of natural fibres ensures any product reaching the end of its lifespan does not go to landfill, and any rare product that is a mistaken order or does not get collected by a customer is donated to ThreadTogether for use by those in need.

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