Six years ago we made our way into a fashion industry we had big plans to change. An industry which causes landfill crises all over the world while also being responsible for 8-10% of global carbon emissions. This was just not good enough and we were committed to re-engineering the way clothes are made at scale to be better for the planet, and better for you.
We began by creating the best possible Tee: ethically made in Sydney, using only natural fibres, and custom made to fit your body with our Magic Fit® technology.
We were already going above and beyond anybody else in the industry by making to order and then we threw in free repairs for life, because it's the best outcome for the planet.
But being ahead of the pack hasn’t stopped us from pushing even harder.
We’ve always been zero-waste. Now we’re 100% circular.
"Waste isn’t waste until we waste it" - will.i.am
From Day One we’ve continuously evolved our production process to be more efficient; creating as little waste as possible. However, there’s just no getting around the fact that making things in the real world creates waste. But as will.i.am famously said, "waste isn’t waste until we waste it".
We’ve always had solutions in place to make sure nothing goes to landfill. At the beginning our fabric scraps were made into jewellery by a local artist. When she couldn’t make them fast enough, we started filling meditation cushions. Our next move was to create our very own zero waste collection of scarves, totes and knitting yarns to upcycle any waste we do create into gorgeous accessories designed to last a lifetime.
As we’ve grown, we’ve needed to find bigger and better solutions to this problem and we could not be more excited about our next step…
Product stewardship from cradle to grave next cradle
"The circular economy is a systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution" - Ellen MacArthur Foundation
We’ve done everything humanly possible to make the most ethical and sustainable Tees on the planet. They’re all made to last and backed by free repairs for life so you can love them for years to come. But it is possible to lovingly wear your Magic Fit® Tee to death (sad as that may be), aka beyond repair.
At this point, the accepted next step is to throw the Tee away (or maybe turn it into a shoe polishing rag). After all, it’s done its job diligently, and all things must come to an end right? Not necessarily.
In the traditional linear economy, landfill is the accepted solution but in a circular economy, by contrast, landfill doesn’t exist, because there is no waste. Any product that reaches the end of its usable life is repurposed, recycled, or remade to ensure raw materials aren’t discarded.
We’re forever responsible for the Tees that we make, which is why we’re proudly going full circle by launching our very own take back scheme.
Introducing Our Take-Back Scheme: Where Your Next Tee is Made From Your Old Tees.
This is the circular future of fashion – it’s a win for the planet, and it’s a win for you. The best bit? It’s free.
We’re super proud to launch our very own take back scheme. We’ve made it easy to send that loved-to-death Tee back to us, so we can have it recycled and, eventually, turned into a new one.
The best bit? It’s free.
Here’s how it works – we send you a prepaid satchel and you return it to us with your old Tee inside. Once your Tee is back at the factory, we’ll credit you the cost of the prepaid satchel so you can use it to replace the Tee you’ve sent back to us to be recycled. We’ll get busy shredding your old Tee to be made into new yarn, new fabric and a new Tee.
It’s a win for the planet, and it’s a win for you.
Our new recycled Tees are made from a 50/50 split of cotton recycled from old Tees and GOTS certified, virgin organic cotton. This means they’re soft, sturdy and long-lasting, all while treading even more lightly on the planet.
And yes, this is a pretty big deal.
We’re not just connecting you to a random textile recycling facility that will downcycle your Tee into insulation or rags for the local mechanic. We’re now guaranteeing that your old Citizen Wolf Tees will never, ever end up in landfill by turning them into completely new Magic Fit® Tees.
This is the circular future of fashion we’ve been waiting for.
PS - Some brands call themselves ‘circular’ because they tell you to send your trashed clothes to be recycled somewhere else. Yet, all the while they continue to exacerbate throw away culture by making too much crap that no one needs. That’s not good enough, and it’s not a genuine commitment to eliminating fashion waste.
We’re proudly doing our bit to ensure NOTHING we make ever goes to waste, and that everything stays in our Citizen Wolf loop, at every step of the supply chain.