Behind the Scenes: How an Ethically Made Garment Comes to Life

Designing an ethically-made garment in New York City is a labor of love—and a process of creativity, precision, and a deep respect for people and the planet. At our studio, every piece begins with a spark of inspiration and ends with a garment that’s been carefully crafted from sketch to shipment. Here’s what goes into making each piece, step by step.

1. Ideation

Before a stitch is sewn, there’s the idea. This early stage is all about dreaming up the kind of garment we want to bring into the world—one that blends comfort, function, and style.

2. Sketching and Refining

Once the vision is clear, we hit the sketchbook. Drawing the design over and over again helps us refine the silhouette, think through construction details, and make sure the design is not only beautiful but also realistic.

3. Sourcing the Right Fabric

The perfect design deserves the perfect fabric. We sift through our swatch books searching for materials that feel amazing, drape just right, and align with our ethical standards. We check for softness, stretch, weight, and structure—making sure the fabric complements the garment’s design and function.

4. Sampling

Once we’ve found the right fabric, we order sample yardage and head into development with our NYC factory partners. This phase includes:

• Pattern making
• Cutting and sewing the first sample
• Testing the fit on a real model

From there, we tweak and repeat. It usually takes 2 to 5 rounds of pattern adjustments and sample-making before we land on the final version.

5. Grading + Planning for Production

When the final sample is approved, the pattern goes to a grader who sizes it for our full size range and creates a “marker” (a layout for cutting fabric efficiently). They also calculate the total yardage needed, which helps us place an accurate order for production fabric.

6. Production: Cut, Sew, Press, Pack

Once the factory receives the fabric, we send over everything they need: the approved sample, a cutting ticket, trims, packing bags, and packing stickers. From there:

• The fabric is cut
• The garments are sewn by the amazing team at our factory
• Each piece is pressed, inspected, and packed

Quality control is built in—any flawed garments are pulled before they leave the factory.

7. Final Steps: From Studio to You

We pick up the finished garments from our factory partners and bring them to our studio. Here, we:

• Measure each size for our website size guide
• Prep the styles for photoshoots
• Organize inventory so we’re ready to pack your orders with care

Each piece is a product of intention, integrity, and craftsmanship—ethically made, start to finish, right here in NYC. When you wear our clothing, you’re not just wearing something comfortable and stylish—you’re wearing a story of conscious design.