Bird Textiles is a pioneering Australian brand combining style and sustainability principles. Operating from Byron Bay Rachel was inspired to start the brand after “Living in a grassroots community near Bellingen, living with solar power, greywater reedbed, permaculture principles. No looking back! “
Birds’ vision is to pioneer sustainable practices in fashion design
Our Core Values
- To produce a range of products that reflect the environmentally conscious values, lifestyles and aspirations of our customers.
To maintain ethical and egalitarian business practices for all individuals associated with the Bird endeavour i.e. employees, producers, manufacturers, partners
- To establish partnerships with individuals and organizations who are similarly likeminded
- To reinvest both financially and practically in the communities within which we operate
- To use environmentally sound manufacturing processes where possible. To monitor developments in environmental process technologies, and to adopt where appropriate.
Garments designed in: Byron Bay, Australia
Raw materials and their origins: Skal Certified Organic Cotton from India
Fabrics manufactured in: India
Dye toxicity and waste management: Printing is done using low impact water based inks. “Our printers have a waste system which filters the water and ensure that by the time the waste water hits the drain it is not that different to greywater.”
Garments manufactured in: Byron Bay, Australia
Pay and working conditions: Fair Australian Wages and working conditions.
Summary of miles travelled: “Fibre to yarn to fabric is localised in India. Fabrics to manufacture is longest distance from India to Australia, but better to use Indian cotton and travel it once, than use Australian cotton and send to India to weave and then back again.”
Other Ethical Practices: Bird Textiles maintain a climate neutral practice, Solar energy is used to run manufacturing
Future plans for ethical scope of brand: Rachel says she would like to “visit India and work with my supplier towards fair trade certification.”