A win for us and mother nature
Last Friday, Citizen Wolf won the highly coveted Circular Economy category in the NSW Banksia Sustainability Awards!
Supported by the NSW Government, the Banksia Foundation’s 36th Annual Sustainability Awards “seek to identify and champion individuals and organisations that are making a profound difference in Australia’s sustainability landscape”.
This latest win joins our other accolades including a Gold Good Design Award (2019), Innovation Champion of the Year (2019) and Green Fashion Brand of the Year (2021).
In addition to winning the most contested category (with more finalists than any other), we were also one of two runner-ups for the SME Sustainable Leadership Award.
Circular what, now?
Currently, our industries are overwhelmingly “linear” with a take-make-waste model of extracting and refining raw materials, turning them into products, then discarding them in landfill.
The circular economy by contrast aims to "minimise waste and promote a sustainable use of natural resources, through smarter product design, longer use, recycling and more, as well as regenerate nature" while serving a critical role in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.
In the fashion industry, this can range from practicing regenerative agriculture, to using organic dyes to protect the health of consumers and ecosystems, and focusing on higher quality garments that last longer and can be recycled.
With the report released by Seamless last week highlighting that over 1.4 billion garments were bought in Australia alone last year and 222,000 tonnes of it ending up in landfill, it's a critical problem needing urgent solutions.
So why did we win?
The judges highlighted several key areas where Citizen Wolf leads the pack on circularity:
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Starting with our business model, our on-demand model eliminates the overproduction endemic with fast fashion. By making only what is sold, and ensuring it fits perfectly, we eliminate the need for 1/3 of inventory that's typically unsold going straight to landfill.
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Our product design focused on classic, everyday clothing with free repairs for life encourages more use, making the cost per wear much better economically and environmentally
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We prioritise a local supply chain and local labor, which is better for local communities and our carbon footprint
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By using only natural fibres, our factory offcuts combined with our end-of-life take-back program can be upcycled into new yarn to make new Tees
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We are independently audited to verify our claims, with both Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation and B Corp certification, as well as strong community engagement with academia and industry associations
It takes a community to change the world
While this latest award recognises Citizen Wolf’s leadership in the sustainability space, it's also a testament to the incredible work that our small team of dedicated staff do every day to move the industry forward. We couldn't be prouder of them.
However, we also recognise that all these efforts would all be for nothing if we didn't also have your support. Even all the way back eight years ago - when we were two crazy guys cutting t-shirts by hand in a garage in Darlinghurst - you have believed in our mission, loved our products, and have voted accordingly with your wallets.
As a small business, that support means everything. Because every time you choose us, you’re not just buying the most sustainable clothes on the planet. You’re also helping us to create the future of fashion that’s more ethical, sustainable, and circular.
And now more than ever, that's definitely worth a big round of applause.