Designed in Byron | Made in Byron
Australian, ethical, sustainable and inclusive. These are the words that come to mind when I hear the words, ‘Jackfruit the Label’. This women’s underwear label is certified by Ethical Clothing Australia and uses sustainably sourced bamboo and organic cotton to make their comfortable, functional and minimal designs. All items are handmade and dyed in small batches, then shipped to you in compostable packaging from the Byron Shire. The label is also known for their inclusive size range – from size 6 to 26. They offer custom sizing to ensure your items work for your body too.
You can rest easy knowing their products are designed with love for you, the planet and their product in mind. But don’t just take my word for it. I sent through some questions to Charada – the brand founder – and she kindly agreed to share her thoughts on all things business, inclusivity and ethical fashion.
Why is it important to support small, local businesses?
Supporting small, local businesses means that the money we spend is staying in the community, and we want our communities to thrive and to be as sustainable as possible, which means sourcing as much as we can, as close to home as we can.
Why is it important to support women in business?
Supporting women in business is super important because it's usually a male dominated world (more men own businesses than women) but women can bring anything to the table that men can. Not that long ago we weren't in a position to do half the things we are able to do now. It's important to support women and women owned businesses so that we can succeed and rise above the limitations previous generations had to endure.
What was your approach when starting Jackfruit the Label and what do you value as a business owner?
Comfort, inclusivity, ethical sourcing, sustainable manufacturing, long lasting garments, and no use of animal products were all driving forces behind the planning for the label. I didn't want to fail on any of these counts, and I'm really proud of where we were at launch, though I've continued to learn and have implemented changes as I discover new information. These changes have been in every area and this will never stop being a journey. I'm proud of my ability to see areas that can improve and improve them. Customers love this too because I listen to their feedback and implement it into my designs. I've learned so much from my customers about what they want, and I really value their opinions.
What are your thoughts on inclusive, ethical clothing?
If we look at it logically, if we really want people to purchase ethical clothing and there are only ethical clothes available in small percentage of sizes, then only a small percentage of the population CAN purchase them. How can we say we value this without taking this into account?
It even goes further I believe. If ethical and sustainable clothing is only available in particular styles, and these styles don't resonate with the customer, that customer isn't going to choose the sustainable option in most instances. How we present ourselves to the world is so entwined with how we feel, and we need more options in this realm. No one garment is going to be right for everybody, but the more people that have the option to choose them, the more people are going to purchase them, which is good for business, customers, and the planet alike.
For me personally I couldn't imagine owning a label that my own friends and family couldn't support, and so inclusivity in sizing was built into the very foundation. It's been a fabulous business decision, I even had to extend this size range not long after launching the label because the demand was there! Yes, you may need to reimagine how you do business, but that's what we need more of.
Images provided by brand.
Jackfruit the Label website.
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