Manufactured in Safe, Fair and Ethical Conditions
We are proud to work with a diverse range of people who are committed to sustainable practices and processes - from Australian farming families who grow wool sustainably our garment makers - all of who share our desire to influence change to better care for our environment and the future of our children.
Our baby sleeping bags and clothing are sewn in Australia whilst some of our fabric, and other bits and bobs, are made ethically overseas. Part of the fun of running Merineo is the ability to pick and choose who we work with, and in sharing common values and ethical, it makes working with these business that much more enjoyable and personally rewarding.
Above image: stock photo from Pexels of woman operating sewing machine.
Visiting those we work with
We engage with a number of businesses to create our products, and we meet with management to satisfy ourselves the workplace conditions appear fair and ethical, and management share our ethos.
Textile factories
Our fabrics are sourced from two factories: one in Italy and the other in Australia. Both factories carry a number of certifications which deal with the welfare of sheep, the land on which the sheep graze, ensuring customers and staff are treated ethically and fairly as part of independently audited management systems and the health of consumers, all of which are set out on Our Fabrics.
We have visited both factories we source our fabrics from and met management -
Italy: The textile factory in Italy is considered 'global state of the art' in terms of energy efficiencies and systems and recently achieved B Corporporation Certification, an award for businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
Australia: The factory in Australia we source from has a clean energy project underway to utilise solar power plant with 1400 panels to support their operations. It also has a full on-site 5 stage water treatment plant, allowing up to 85% water to be reused, either back through the manufacturing process or via third party recycled water programs for agriculture parklands and industry.
Binding, screenprinting and fire testing
An Australian factory cuts our fabric into binding to use on our baby sleeping bags, and a Melbourne printing studio do our screen printing, who who support our quest to help the planet by using non-toxic, environmentally friendly water dyes. We've even met with management at the laboratory who fire test our baby sleeping bags. We're proud to say these operations share our ethos.
Cutting and making
Also sharing our sustainability mandate is our fabric cutting and making team. These people are based in Australia, and we meet with them regularly. They share our sustainable ethos by reducing fabric wastage in the fabric cutting methods and recycling fabric wastage. This team of people are remunerated and treated ethically in accordance with Australian laws.
Haberdashery to hangtags
We use local Australian suppliers, graphic designers and printers for everything associated with turning the fabric into the finished baby sleeping bag or child clothing to ultimately hanging it on the rack for sale.
Australian made
As such, we have met the criteria of The Australian Made Campaign and we are proud licensees to carry the "Australian made and owned" logo on our products.