Marle / Responsibility

DESIGN FIRST

We believe that responsible fashion starts from thoughtful design. That means using high quality natural materials and construction techniques that lessen the waste and reduce the need for frequent replacements. Pieces that are not associated with a trend or a season; pieces that will be well loved and worn often.

MATERIALS MATTER

Plants grow, bloom and eventually, their waste and seeds go back into the earth; it is this circularity that makes up the essence of Marle and why we exclusively use natural fabrics and fibres. After years of use and wear, our garments will return back to where they came from.

Materials alone aren’t what make a product sustainable of course, but the materials used contribute a large portion of a product’s environmental impact - water use and pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and textile waste - and we believe it’s our responsibility to use the lowest-impact, certified materials available to us.

Our decision to use natural fabrics and fibres is not only led by our desire to limit our impact on the environment but also because of the benefits they offer to our wearers. They are long lasting, age gracefully, are reliable and provide an interesting & unique level of texture. They’re also luxurious, comfortable and feel beautiful on the skin.

Through the yarn and fabric we use, longevity is crucial, so we strive to use the highest quality available to us with the consideration that the piece will last many years. Consumers have been led to believe that we always need ‘newness’ but we encourage our community to add to their existing wardrobe, not to replace it and we use materials and designs that enable them to do so.”

QUALITY COUNTS

We believe in our products and the quality so much that we’re a foundational partner of Airrobe in New Zealand, a platform for reselling, renting or recycling your wardrobe. If a customer finds they’re no longer wearing their piece as much as they’d like, we encourage them to list their pieces via Airrobe to extend its lifespan. Our pieces are long lasting, giving the wearer years of use and wear.

MATERIAL INNOVATION AND EDUCATION

We are continually exploring new natural materials to reduce the environmental impact of fashion production. While using recycled plastic fibres is a better option than virgin plastic fibres, we exclusively use natural fabrics and fibres as they not only feel better on the skin, they come from the earth. It's non-negotiable for us and often comes at a greater cost to the business. However, we believe this is essential for a responsible brand and ensure we take the time to educate our customers on the materials we use, how they are sourced and how to care for them.

GARMENT CARE

The lifespan of our garments can easily be extended by caring properly for our pieces. It’s the simplest way to get the most out of your investment. Maintaining rather than replacing is also much kinder on the planet too. 

Discover our Care Guide and partnership with AirRobe

PEOPLE AND PROCESSES

We believe our production should positively impact every person in our supply chain. A garment passes through many hands to come to fruition and our team deserves to be taken care of, to feel safe in their workplace and have job security.

We value our suppliers and relationships with them and partner with the best in-field who are equally committed to better practices, techniques and processes that benefit our planet.

We are a family run business and believe family life, personal life and work life should successfully intertwine. We offer our head office staff flexible hours to assist them to make this happen. This comes back to our philosophy of being more human about business and looking after the people we work with.