Design, Production and Sustainability Ethos
The Friends with Frank ethos sits at the heart of everything we do, it encompasses our design values; our production processes; and our commitment to sustainability. We welcome you to learn more about these aspects of our business below, as we strive toward increased transparency with you – our valued customers – and continuous improvement as we evolve our business. Although to us, it is much more than a business. We believe that there is power in simplicity, and investing in quality over quantity. Less, but better. As a brand we live by this philosophy, creating garments which are considered, empowering, functional, high quality and designed to last.
Timeless Design
Our approach to sustainability goes hand-in-hand with our core mission: to create beautifully made pieces that bring our customers great joy to wear; bringing together timeless design, high-quality materials and expert craftsmanship. The lifespan of our garments is carefully considered and we actively avoid trends that will become obsolete in a season or two. While we update our range every year, many of our designs remain part of our core collection we carry across multiple seasons; a true testament to their enduring design and popularity within our community. The spirit of buying less, but choosing well is also at the heart of the Friends with Frank approach; both as a fashion label and a business, we believe in investing in quality rather than quantity. We encourage our customers to do the same, so that they may wear and treasure their FWF pieces for many years to come.
Materials
The use of high quality materials is central to our design and production philosophy. We are constantly striving to achieve the balance between working with luxury textiles, while keeping our pricing accessible. Where possible, we love to use natural fibres like Australian wool, cashmere, duck down and by-product fur. Not only do we favour these fabrics for their warmth and how they wear, but also for their biodegradable attributes in how they break down over time. Although our design philosophy prioritises the use of natural fibres, sometimes the use of high quality synthetic materials offers superior functionality. This also allows us to offer our customers a luxury product at an accessible price point, another concept which is at the heart of our brand.
Limited Production Runs
We are lucky to have great working relationships with our suppliers, allowing us to place orders with relatively low minimums. With a focus on producing responsibly, we place small, carefully sized production runs in an attempt to avoid waste. Each of our stockists are required to order in advance so that their stock is made completely to-order, minimising excess and over-consumption.
Manufacturing
We work extremely closely with our valued manufacturers, most of which are family-owned and run businesses. Some we have now been working with for eight years. It’s extremely important to us that all people involved in creating our garments are treated fairly and respectfully. All technician working arrangements are personally vetted by our business as well (as being formally audited by external bodies) to ensure that our manufacturers are aligned with the values of our brand, including that employees experience a comfortable, safe and respectful working environme
Packaging
One of the challenging by-products of transporting and protecting garments in the fashion industry is the packaging that comes with it. We have therefore been actively sourcing, and investing in, more sustainable packaging. In 2019, we introduced recyclable cardboard boxes in which to send all customer orders. These boxes are recyclable and avoid the commonplace (but often unnoticed) use of plastic materials in boxing. They also do a very good job of protecting your forever pieces while in transit! We have also made the switch from plastic tape to water-activated kraft paper tape, which is 100% biodegradable and recyclable with no need to segregate from cardboard when recycling. We are proud to say that our customer orders now get sent out entirely plastic-free.
Supply Chain Packaging
FWF pieces are now packaged in 100% biodegradable, compostable and non-toxic corn starch garment bags. This is how they travel from our suppliers to us, and from us to our wholesalers. Switching from polybags has been a big investment, but definitely a worthwhile one, as we work towards eliminating plastic altogether from our production process. Unlike regular plastic bags, which can take up to 1000 years to break down, our biodegradable and compostable bags can break down as quickly as in 3-6 months and help to reduce our environmental impact.
Garment Care
How you care for your garment also plays a significant role on reducing your environmental impact. To resist the throw-away culture we now live in, we encourage you to take pride and responsibility in prolonging the life of your garment. Practically, this can be done by storing your pieces properly, and taking the time to mend, if needed. We also recommend avoiding dry-cleaning unless necessary, not only for its impact on the environment but also on the product. Frequent dry cleaning can speed up the lifespan of how fabrics wear over time, especially natural fibres. When your piece does need to be cleaned, we recommend using reputable, organic dry-cleaning services. In Victoria, Australia we work with Laundry Box Dry Cleaning (where if you mention you are a Friends With Frank customer you are entitled to 15% off your service). You can read more about caring for your FWF piece here, or if you have any questions about the upkeep of your garment, you can reach out to us as hello@friendswithfrank.com.