Sustainability at J.Hilburn encompasses many things we do. From our day-to-day practices at our HQ, to wider supply chain control and partnering with manufacturing that shares common values for our future and that of our planet. In the big and small things, we are working every day to minimize our carbon footprint by constantly challenging ourselves, our suppliers and our manufacturing partners to innovate and improve upon traceable, sustainable product that inverts the damage upon our environment that the rest of the fashion industry is infamously known for.
Unlike Any Other
Our unique process of providing a personal service directly to the customer minimizes any retail space encompassing a large section of environmental impact. From the energy and waste used to the stores filled with endless sizes, colors as well as the packaging to service retails needs – all have enormous effects on our environment. We actively encourage virtual appointments with our Stylists, which is much more eco-friendlier as it decreases carbon emissions. Working remotely relying on our innovative TAPE system to set customers up with exact measurements not only services our current lock-down situation, but a modern way to shop without useless trips to the mall.
One At A Time
When we take an order from a Client for a custom-made piece, the process begins of making a garment by hand. It is cut and assembled directly and only upon request, hence manufacturing “made-to-order”. We do not rely on warehouses filled with pre-constructed garments or endless size-runs as is the norm in retail – we make it exclusively from beginning to end based on the customer’s request. This minimizes manufacturing energy and not only reduces the material waste in the process, but offsets the amount of returns in mass manufacturing by achieving perfect fit and specifications to meet the customer’s profile.
The Best Fabrics
We work with some of the best fabric mills in the world. It not only gives our customers a luxury item at an affordable price point, but we leverage the avant garde know-how and technologies of exacting, international standards of traceable and effective sustainability.
From the purified and recycled water used in finishing fabric, the alternative power source of the manufacturing plants and the fibers themselves that are studied to minimize environmental impact. We pride ourselves in offering mostly pure and natural qualities using biodegradable materials such as linen, cottons, wool and cashmere.
We are working every day to reduce the use of any kind of synthetic fibers and blends. This in turn puts pressure upon our partners to create new and cleaner fabrics each season that focus on natural fiber innovation, doubling down on quality that both we and our customers count on.
Lasting Beyond A Trend
While we are known for making custom-made clothes, we may not be known for our efforts in sustainable fashion. Our whole structure of providing an impeccable one-on-one service has re-invented the fashion cycle, providing great fitting quality clothes that work well beyond a season and are the antithesis of throw away fashion.
By creating beautiful product of true value that was designed and built to last, we like to think of our product as ‘keep forever.’ We build our collections like a mosaic of pieces that can work together effortlessly, building every season upon the last and creating tasteful wardrobes with a relevancy well beyond a single season. This reduces the need to constantly change based on fast, superficial and meaningless trends.
When an item in a J.Hilburn wardrobe eventually becomes tired-out, it is usually because our clothes get worn and used extensively more times by Clients. Our Clients tell us all the time that J.Hilburn is their go-to in any situation, for work, for weekends and all the needs of looking good in a modern lifestyle. They also tell us that they feel better dressed, more confident and know that they have spent their money more wisely in creating a wardrobe unique to them.
When eventually, a piece is handed on to a thrift organization or a lucky friend or relative, it will be getting a second or third life lasting well beyond the short lifespan of anything comparable in retail fashion. We believe that this is the future of fashion and that we are on the right path to a better industry model. We are already seeing others follow and we welcome this type of competition. It emboldens us and we are happy to see others share this philosophy which we hope, one day we will all benefit from.
