Sustainability & Ethics
There’s no denying the fashion industry’s harsh impact on the planet between textile waste and pollution. Here at Lindsay Nicholas New York, we’re far from perfect. We recognise that the industry as a whole needs to do better, including ourselves. These are some of the efforts we’ve made so far to make Lindsay Nicholas New York as kind as possible to the planet:
When designing garments, Lindsay focuses on creating versatile pieces that transcend seasons. Our pieces are designed to be cherished for years to come and worn over and over, never losing their beauty. They live outside of the trend based universe of the fashion industry, remaining timeless and elegant season after season. They are not destined for landfill after a year, like much of the fast fashion in the industry these days. They are made to be coveted and admired eternally.
We focus on using fabrics that have a minimal impact on the environment. Silk, wool and recycled polyester are staples in our collections, all luxurious yet long-lasting fabrics that put a smaller strain on the planet than their alternatives.
Where we can, without sacrificing quality, we use remnant fabrics to further reduce the waste created by the fashion industry.
Australia wide, we ship with Australia Post, who are also working towards minimizing their environmental impact. They’ve diverted 100,000 tonnes of material from landfills since 2018, have reduced their CO2 emissions by 25% since 2000 and are dedicated to reducing them by a further 15% by 2025. You can find more information on their sustainability plan here.
Internationally, we ship with DHL. They’re on a mission to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and have vowed to invest €7 billion until 2030 to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. You can learn more about their other sustainability initiatives here.
We are constantly growing and learning. We look forward to furthering these efforts in the future.
The Making Of…
“In Bangladesh most [garment workers] earn $68 a month; that’s not a living wage and 98% of garment workers do not make a living wage. They can come up with all the solutions they want, but they’re still having too much of an impact on people and the planet… their model is archaic and damaging”
Dana Thomas, Author of Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes on the impact of the fast-fashion business model on garment workers.
In her book, Dana Thomas explains that the fashion industry makes 100 billion new garments each year and employs 1 in 6 people, yet only 2% of them make a living wage. This simply isn’t good enough.
At Lindsay Nicholas New York, we value and appreciate the talented individuals who put so much time and care into creating the garments you love. We ensure each of our garment workers not only earns a wage they deserve for their hard work but is treated well and has a safe and comfortable working environment.
The majority of our garments are made in Melbourne at a family-run manufacturer, who is accredited with The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia and Ethical Clothing Australia. Lindsay has a close relationship with her manufacturer and visits the factory frequently.