Made to order clothing is a win for both you and the planet. It helps protect the environment and supports small businesses and unique brands. Plus, it offers incredible benefits to you as a consumer, ensuring high-quality, personalised products made just for you. Here's why it works.
Smart Investment: Quality That Lasts
When it comes to clothing, most people would agree that quality trumps quantity—and made to order clothing is about investing in well-made, timeless pieces. Unlike fast fashion, where mass-produced garments can wear out quickly, made to order items are crafted with care and precision. Designers and manufacturers focus on creating high-quality garments, using durable fabrics and skilled craftsmanship. Garments have a functional purpose. With a focus on quality over quantity, the made to order model focuses on circularity and encourages consumers to change their practices to better care for clothing, and repair and reuse it.
Conscious and careful wardrobe planning means you’re making a smart investment. Rather than buying items that need to be replaced frequently, you get long-lasting clothing that stands the test of time. Over time, this can save you money and reduce the need for constant wardrobe refreshes. By choosing quality over quantity, you’re also helping to break the fast fashion cycle, which is notorious for its environmental impact.
Reduced Waste: A Sustainable Choice
One of the most significant environmental benefits of made to order clothing is the reduction in waste. Traditional fashion often leads to overproduction, with brands creating large quantities of stock to meet unpredictable demand. This can result in unsold inventory being discarded, contributing to textile waste and landfill.
The Australian Institute released information in 2024 that the Australian apparel sector now produces and brings in over 1.4 billion items of new clothing into Australia annually, with over half destined for landfill.
With made to order clothing, each item is produced only after an order is placed. This means there’s no excess inventory sitting in warehouses. You’re contributing to a more sustainable fashion system by ensuring that every garment made has a purpose and a home. Choosing made to order means less waste, lower environmental impact and a more conscious approach to fashion.
Customisable Style: Clothes Made Just for You
Instead of settling for stock sizes and designs, you have the opportunity to personalise your clothing. Whether it’s choosing the fabric colour or the correct length, made to order clothing gives you control over your own style.
This personalised approach allows you to create pieces that truly reflect your individuality and fit you perfectly. Gone are the days of compromising on fit or style just because it’s “off the rack.” With made to order, you can build a wardrobe that’s uniquely yours, ensuring you love and wear each piece for years to come.
Made to order clothing combines the best of both worlds. It’s a smart investment in high-quality, customised pieces that better reflect your personal style. For the planet, it’s a more sustainable approach that reduces waste and promotes ethical fashion practices. By choosing made to order, you’re not just buying clothes—you’re making a thoughtful decision to support a more mindful and sustainable fashion industry.
In late 2022, the Australian Federal Government outlined a plan to transition Australia to a circular economy by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by 2050. This entails a significant transformation in how clothing is designed, produced, consumed, and disposed of within the Australian clothing industry. Seamless, a national clothing product stewardship scheme was developed, led by the Australian Fashion Council. This world leading initiative aims to improve the design, recovery, reuse and recycling of clothing in Australia.
As a member of the Seamless Australia stewardship scheme Twill & Tee pays a 4 cent per garment levy to fund domestic recycling initiatives and a circular clothing model. This approach recognises that the fashion and clothing brands who place clothes on the market are responsible for the entire life of that garment. It's not enough but it's a start.
Circular business models are focused on extending the life of clothing through - rental, reuse and resale, clothing subscriptions and made to order. Made to order clothing presents a clear path toward a better future, so the next time you’re looking to add something new to your wardrobe, consider going the made to order route—it’s a win-win for both you and the planet.
References
https://ausfashioncouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Roadmap-to-Clothing-Circularity.pdf
https://ausfashioncouncil.com/