WARES | A note on slow fashion

The essence of the Slow Fashion movement makes up one of the core values that we apply to all that we do here at Olli Ella. Each piece that we create, is made to be timeless - something that will last you and your family for years to come, not influenced by trends nor suited to one specific need. WARES by Olli Ella was developed to be worn throughout all stages of life, produced using materials that will stand the test of time. The classic silhouettes are carefully designed to remain wearable, no matter the current trend, and each step of the production is consciously curated to ensure the dresses have as little impact on the environment as possible.

Slow Fashion is a considerate approach in which each design is developed to provide longevity through high quality and sustainable materials, whilst the production aspect remains true to the values of fair treatment of the people and planet. Typically, it can be characterised by smaller production runs (small number of garments) and less frequent product releases, unlike the fast fashion model which is driven by trend cycles.

When creating WARES, our choice to use Organic Cotton came easily. Organic Cotton is soft yet durable, breathable yet sturdy, and most importantly, is manufactured from start to finish without the use of harmful chemicals, like pesticides or fertilisers. This means that the material is safe for you, your family and each person involved in the manufacturing process, from field to fabric. Using Organic Cotton also supports a healthy eco-system, as materials free of nasties have a far lesser impact in the environment. Because no fabric is entirely sustainable, we've made the conscious decision to produce smaller quantities of garments, designed to be worn for life.

The beautiful, vibrant hues that you see in our WARES dresses were all created in our certified organic dye factory in India, using only organic dyeing materials. The factory that we use adheres to a strict dyeing process and water management method that treats and reuses up to 95% of the water. Not only does this mean that no harmful toxins are used in the process of colouring the garments, but this also helps to ensure that the environmental impact of the production is kept to a minimum.

We chose to steer away from using petroleum-based buttons while creating WARES and instead opted for a natural and more sustainable alternative; Coconut Buttons. The buttons you see on our dresses are made using readily available coconut husks that are collected, cleaned, smoothed and cut to be sewn onto the garments.

Once the fabric has been woven and dyed, it is then sewn into the pieces you know and love today! This takes place in our SA8000 certified factory in Chennai, India. SA8000 is the leading social certification used around the world. It was so important to us to only work with a factory that follows a globally recognised, ethical framework that demonstrates dedication to the fair treatment of factory workers. Olli Ella is committed to supporting the employment of women in all areas of our company, and we're proud to say that of the 250 employees at our chosen factory, up to 75% of them are female.

At Olli Ella, our community such an invaluable part of who we are as a company. When creating WARES, it was essential that this line was something you, our customer, could feel good about purchasing knowing that it was created consciously with people and the environment in mind. However, as our first venture into the fashion world, we know that these are only the first steps on a much bigger journey. This is why we pledge to remain transparent with our customers, continuously make adjustments in our production and supply chain and strive to better our knowledge of sustainable fashion practices, applying this knowledge to each item, clothing or otherwise, that we produce.