SUSTAINABILITY + ETHICS

First off, thank you for clicking this link because that means you care and/or you are interested. And we thank you for that!

Showing interest in sustainability and ethics is the first step to creating change.

At Miakoda, we want to create CHANGE. Change the way we consume, the way we shop, and most importantly: the way we treat our planet, our animals, and each other!

MEET OUR FABRICS

SUSTAINABLE PLANT FIBERS

We work with some of the best and softest eco-friendly plant fibers around. Our favorites are: organic cotton, bamboo, and soy.

Organic Cotton

Traditional (non-organic) cotton is one of the most chemical and pesticide laden toxic materials on the planet. Organic cotton is free of GMO seeds and toxic pesticides that pollute our environment and harm the health of our farmers. Cotton is also one of the most thirsty crops and requires lots of water to grow. Organic cotton actually requires less water than its conventionally grown cousin. The organic cotton that we use is grown and harvested ethically in Turkey or India.

Bamboo

Bamboo isn't only an awesome material because it is so soft (seriously, seriously soft); it is also an incredibly renewable resource. For any of you who have grown bamboo, it grows like a weed! It doesn't require any pesticides and only drinks a little bit of water! Growing bamboo actually improves soil quality, and it is a better CO2 extractor and O2 emitter than most trees! The bamboo fiber is certified organic, and the bamboo yarn is OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified! The bamboo that we use is grown with love in China.

Soy

Soy gets a lot of controversy as it's a huge GMO crop (thanks Monsanto, we are looking at you). Soy production is absolutely huge, and unfortunately a ton of the soybean crop goes to waste. A large portion of soybeans are pressed for oil (how many food labels have you read that contain soybean oil?!). This leaves the soy fiber to be disposed of. This soy fiber is collected (saved from the trash) and turned into fabric. Soy is essentially an upcycled material: taking something that would be garbage and turning it into something beautiful! The soy fiber that we create our clothing with is grown in China.

Modal + Lyocell

Modal is a super soft and amazing fiber. It is made from the wood pulp from Beech Trees. This fiber requires less land and water than growing organic cotton. The fiber from the trees is turned into knit-able thread using a closed loop process. This fabric is the softest one we offer!

Our Dyes

Our fabrics are dyed using Procion low impact, fiber reactive dyes. These dyes are nontoxic, safe, and eco friendly. They require only low temperature water processing and the auxiliary agents used are only salt and soda ash. Our white colors are created using hydrogen peroxide instead of harsh chlorine, and we don’t use any optic brighteners in our products.

MEET OUR SUPPLIERS + FACTORIES

FABRIC SUPPLIERS

As a small company, it is impossible to do everything ourselves. We have to partner with other awesome companies doing awesome things to bring you awesome stuff. We have sourced fabrics from only the best suppliers who monitor their supply chains, standards, certifications, and so on to bring us-- and subsequently YOU-- the best fabrics in the sustainable field!

All of our fabrics are GOTS certified or Control Union certified. If the fabric doesn't have a certification, we don't use it!

The fabrics are knit in factories that abide by the Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production (WRAP) regulations ensuring that the workers are working in a maintained, healthy, and safe environment. The workers are trained for their jobs, treated with respect, paid fair living wages, provided health insurance, and no child labor is used, ever ever ever!

MEET OUR SUPPLIERS + FACTORIES

OUR FACTORIES

We work with some of the best factories in the NY garment industry to bring you the highest quality and most ethically created clothing. When there are initiatives and programs to "Save The Garment Center" you know that overseas production has taken its toll on American manufacturing, jobs, and preserving our history!

We personally visit our factories multiple times during every season to ensure that the factory is a clean, safe, and respectful work environment. The owners of the factories are amazing, and the garment workers are incredibly talented and, of course, paid well and treated absolutely ethically!

Our Core

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Miakoda was created solely for sustainability. The fashion industry at large is deeply exploitative in every way. We came into existence in the hopes of reimagining fashion as compassionate, using practices and materials that respect the planet and all its inhabitants. The sustainable fashion community is largely white washed, which is why we aim to be sustainable in a 3 dimensional way-- in terms of materials, labor practices, and socially. Social sustainability is just as imperative as choosing materials and labor practices. It is of utmost importance to us that Miakoda is inclusive and represents all of you, from the models you see, to the sizes for purchase, to the collaborators we work with.

Here is our pledge, along with some of our newest practices for being socially sustainable.

We are working with a consultant, Quincie Zari, on how we can take accountability and invest fully in uplifting Black voices by working with Black influencers, brands, and models. When casting models, we promise to avoid colorism and represent people of all ethnicities.

We respect and celebrate all bodies of all sizes and abilities. We are currently in the midst of expanding to 4XL to create more inclusive sizing. When casting models and choosing influencers, we promise to represent people from all walks of life, including varying sizes, ages, and abilities.

Miakoda is not womenswear, it’s everyoneswear. We believe that fashion should be an art of self-expression, and we believe that everyone has the right to be exactly who they are and express it loudly. When casting models, using language, and choosing influencers, we promise to be inclusive of all genders and identities.

Quincie Zari put together a post outlining our commitment with details on actions we are taking towards becoming a more socially sustainable brand.

[artwork by Jermaine Hollins @drawingsbyjoh]

MEET OUR PACKAGING + OTHER MATERIALS

OUR PACKAGING

Sustainability can only go so far, right? WRONG. We strive to do everything right from start to finish. All of our packing materials are 100% recycled.

Shipping Boxes: 100% recycled post-consumer + post-industrial content

Shipping Bags: 100% recycled poly mailers

Garment Bags: We recently made the switch to organic cotton, fair trade packing bags. You can reuse them forever. If you get your item packed in a clear bag, we are still using up the remainder of them. They are still an eco option, made from 100% recycled polyethylene.

Labels On Garment Bags: 100% recycled

Packing Tape: (the tape used to seal boxes): Renewable + biodegradable cellulose backing with a high-performing natural rubber adhesive

Shipping Labels: 100% post-consumer content paper

Paper Inside Your Packages: (where we thank you for supporting us and write any extra info you need to know): Also, 100% recycled!

*And all of our shipping supplies are made in the USA!

MEET OUR ZERO WASTE INITIATIVES

ZERO WASTE

The amount of fabric that goes to landfill is tremendous. When we learned how much waste is produced during production, we knew we had to find a better option for our scraps. We’ve created our zero waste collection as a way to give our scraps a second life and keep them out of landfills!

Or shop the Zero Waste Collection: HERE

*We are constantly coming up with new ways to repurpose our scraps so be sure to check our shop page to find out what new zero waste projects we are working on!

Circular Fashion

SHOP + SELL PRELOVED MIAKODA

As an ethical and sustainable brand, it’s important to us that your clothing doesn’t go to landfill when you’re done wearing it. Creating a space for you to buy and sell your already loved Miakoda clothing helps us extend the life of each Miakoda piece and ultimately reducing our carbon footprint.

Carbon Neutral Workforce

With Carbon Neutral Club

We offset our personal carbon footprint with Carbon Neutral Club. You can offset your footprint and gain access to special discounts at sustainable brand including Miakoda by clicking the link below.

Questions about anything you've just read? Comments? Concerns?

Shoot us an email: INFO@MIAKODANEWYORK.COM

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