Sustainability

At Hayley Menzies, we are on a mission to create the vintage of the future. From the fabrics we choose to the artisanal communities we celebrate in our intricate designs, we are future-proofing our pieces in the hope that they too will be unearthed like a treasure years from now.

"Only pieces built to endure can accompany you on life’s greatest adventures. Whether inspired by a vintage piece I have discovered on Portobello Road or designed as an heirloom to be passed down through generations, where a piece has been – and where it will go next – is integral to my vision."

We favour natural fabrics such as silk, cotton, merino and alpaca - all of which are selected with integrity - ensuring that the optimum material is used to compliment a design. We are passionate about craftmanship and committed to celebrating traditional artisanal techniques in every collection.

From original print designs painted by Hayley's father, or by Hayley and Laila in our London studio, to perfect patterns crafted in our London atelier. Decades of experience and passion are poured into every piece.

Most of the time we produce under 100 pieces per style, less than demand. However the past 12 months have been a particular challenge for the industry as a whole and we made more of some styles than we’d prefer. We're on a journey and that’s why we’ve reviewed our overall buying strategy so we can refine our process even further and remain as considerate (and special!) as possible.

We started out with our longstanding mother daughter factories whom we still produce many of our pieces with, but as our product range has expanded we’ve collaborated with renowned suppliers who produce for leading international designers and luxury brands.

Inspired by Hayley's curiosity to know all about a piece, moving forward, every item we create will possess a sewn-in woven Future Vintage label detailing the collection name and the year it was made, with the vision that our designs will be unearthed like a treasure years from now and their history more simply traced.

The inspiration for many of our signature prints comes from nature, while its creatures – namely the leopard and tiger – have cemented themselves as our leitmotifs. As much as we take creatively, we strive to give back. We’re not perfect, but we are committed on our journey towards sustainable practices. We mostly use natural fibres and are doing all we can to ensure a cruelty free supply chain.

You’ll find the below icons throughout our site which illustrate our fabric certifications, and the positive social and environmental element of our garments, as well as unique hand finished components.

You can also discover the full list of certifications we’re currently using below.

OEKO-TEX 100 STANDARD
A certification that the materials used have been tested and proven free of harmful levels of toxic substances.

RWS- Responsible wool standard
A certification of improved welfare of sheep and the land they graze on, with the guarantee that yarn used is non-mulesing. 

Alpaca association

A certification of high standards for animal treatment among the largest possible number of producers. 

COTTON USA

A certification that the cotton is produced in the USA using reduced amounts of water, land and soil to be grown and aligns with US Sustainable Development Goals.

BCI
A certification from The Better Cotton Initiative, a non-profit group that promotes better standards in cotton farming and practices. 

OCS

A certification from Organic Content Standard, a global standard that sets the criteria for organic materials and promotes organic agriculture.

 

Want to read more about our commitment to creating the vintage of the future? Read all about Future Vintage here.