We sat down with Tracey from Conscious Consumers to chat about being creative with resources, why we’ve steered away from wholesale, prefer to custom make and the obstacles we face in working towards a more sustainable fashion future.

When we think about conscious consumerism, ethical consumption or whatever you want to call it, the fashion industry seems to be the last industry to address the issues we face – globally. Tell us a bit about Mandatory’s beginnings and how you got into ethical fashion.

Mandatory was founded in 1997 by designers Clare Bowden and Fiona Edwards who switched from their respective established women’s wholesale labels in response to noticeable demand for choice (and fit) in good menswear in Wellington.

Mandatory operates as an independent men’s outfitter on Cuba Street with a manufacturing studio space a block away. Garments are produced in small runs, in season, in Wellington, and customers are offered custom made garments for the same price as off the rack using end customisation and in-time production methods.

Mandatory has steered away from wholesale, preferring to keep the physical and financial costs of production to a level that delivers directly to the market. This approach allows for meaningful, highly appreciated work for employees (all creative) and a quality product that customers continually return for.

The ability to supply actual demand is the way waste is reduced and costs are managed - this has seen us last the distance. Garments designed, fitted, made well and sold for purpose are worn often and last longer while looking better than their mass-produced, cheap counterparts.

 Read the full interview over on their blog: https://consciousconsumers.nz/blog/2017/5/3/profile-mandatory-a-global-leader-in-local-fashion