How are we Affordable whilst being Sustainable?

How do we keep our products affordable?

At Merineo we strive to keep our products affordable whilst putting sustainability at the forefront of everything we do.  Our merino wool and organic cotton fabrics are premium fibres which are more expensive than synthetics and cotton, as is having our products manufactured ethically in Australia and using local suppliers for everything from hang tags to packaging, compared to having these functions done overseas.  We have ways of keeping our direct costs to a minimum which we'll share with you.

Affordability is also about value for money.  At Merineo we aspire to give parents the best possible experience with our products, leading them to become repeat consumers of sustainable clothing.  We produce a first class product for their little one to sleep in or wear, and we ensure our designs are long lasting for their growing child.

For example, our singlets and tops are longer in length that mainstream brands, delivering a longer lasting, value for money product.

Above image:  children wearing Merineo singlets made from superfine merino, designed with longer length to provide long-lasting wearability and value for money.

So how are we keeping costs down?

Our baby sleeping bags and kids clothing are sewn locally in Melbourne, Australia, not requiring overseas trips and agents.  We have a direct relationship with our production team, not requiring an agency to manage production which would increase our cost of production. 

We don't use agents to purchase our fabric and materials, or sell our products.  There are no middlemen.  

• We work directly with the knitting mills who create our fabrics.
• We work directly with graphic designers and printing houses for the production of our marketing material, including hangtags.
• We work directly with retailers (carefully chosen as being those who share our values).
• We sell directly to customers via our website merineo.com
• We use local makers, meaning we don't pay international freight.

We take every step to ensure the prices of our products remain affordable.

How does our business model incorporate sustainability and affordability?

Our business model is about creating a classic, long lasting collection, rather than a series of seasonal collections, or fashion items, which might result in having to heavily discount stock or write off stock in order to move to the new season.  It is estimated that 50% of all fashion products are sold at a discounted price. On top of that, almost 20% never end up selling.  A classic collection means we can carry our stock longer, and the products can be used for years and years.

Sales are not part of our business model. This means we don't push products onto the market at inflated prices, only to offer them at a sale price to give the customer a feeling of having a good deal. 

We're constantly reviewing our supply chain to ensure we're using sustainable, affordable suppliers who share our mission to create a better world.