Being a parent, your mind is probably going 100 miles an hour, all day, every day. The continuous questioning of what is best for my child; I mean, It comes with the territory, right? (Ahh, what a wonderful thing parenthood is?!?)
Now on top of navigating what is good and bad (to put it simply), your clothing choices come into question, Is it safe for my child?, how long will it last?, and how sustainable is the process upstream?
I understand (all too well) Living on a property and having a greater perspective on the start of the textile journey, I am passionate about leading a sustainable lifestyle for myself and my family. Therefore I have reflected this in my Sustainable children’s western clothing line, where I use 100% organic cotton where possible, and my packaging and inserts for my hampers are made from recycled boxes. It is also super important that my pieces for Little Windmill The Label are made consciously. This is why I partner with family-run businesses in Vietnam and India for my exclusively Australian western Designed children’s clothing patterns and final garment production.
As much as we don't like to admit it, there is a bit of guilt in buying mass-produced, cheap clothing. Unfortunately, not everyone is in the financial position to buy “better quality” clothing that most often comes with a hefty price tag. For some, it’s just simply not feasible and that, in lies the problem with the fashion industry. Eco-friendly and sustainably made clothing should be made more affordable from the beginning of the process, all the way down to the consumer, and maybe then, could we start to live a life with minimised impact on the earth.
Ultimately, this was a factor in motivating me to be a part of the new wave of slow fashion that is sustainable while being affordable for the average family.
Living on a property (with three boys, mind you), I understand all too well how fast they grow up and go through clothing. The everyday rough and tumble really tested the durability of fabrics, and I found that there was a gap in the market for clothes that would last long enough to be handed down. I really hated that the quality just wasn’t there to survive patching them up, causing too much waste to justify the means.
All the kids country clothing made within my label are made for the kids of Australia. Overall, my ultimate goal was to create clothing that was made to last, but could still be afforded by everyone. I wanted to create a kids country clothing brand that the little loves in your life could live in, play in and pass on down to another little person. I am so proud to say that we have achieved that! our loved clothes will last, limiting the amount of clothing being bought each year, helping to reduce the amount clothing ending up in landfills. Most of our children’s western clothing designs are unisex so that anyone can wear the hand-me-downs.
If I could give any advice, it’s do something for the earth; it doesn't matter how small, whether it be buying sustainable or living by the concept of mend, repair, and reuse. Doing something is better than nothing.
Here at Little Windmill Clothing Co, we offer all the little people with big dreams and wild hearts ethically made children's country clothing. Check out our website to see our range.
Blog by Shari Keanie