Our Social Responsibility

Ovae's Guiding Principles

April 24-30^th is Fashion Revolution Week. Fashion Revolution Week is a global movement that calls for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. The movement encourages millions of people to ask brands ‘who made my clothes?’ and demand greater transparency in the fashion supply chain.

We thought that this week is the optimal time to launch Ovae's ‘Ethical Mission Statement’ and ‘Guiding Principles’.

The manufacturing and fashion industries have not always been known for their ethics. This is especially true for some of the countries where Ovae works, such as Indonesia, India and Nepal.

At Ovae we acknowledge that we have a moral obligation to ensure that in creating and selling our products, we ‘do no harm’. We take our supply chain seriously, as we do our responsibility to make choices that contribute positively to the lives of individuals and communities, but also to the fashion industry and our environment.  

To aid our work, Ovae has developed an ethical mission statement and guiding principles.

A lot of these practices we already do, but we know we can always do better. These principles allow us to be transparent with our customers, so they know what to expect when they choose Ovae. But most importantly they guide our work, guide our future, our decision-making, and ensure we never lose sight of what is important. 

Ethical mission statement

Ovae is committed to always respecting and valuing our artisans, suppliers and customers, and in the development of our creations minimise any negative impacts on people or the environment. 

Guiding principles

Ovae will:

1. Know where our products come from and who makes them.
2. Work with suppliers that prioritise healthy and happy working conditions.
3. Maintain open and trusting relationships with our suppliers.
4. Prioritise ‘slow fashion,’ with a focus on quality and longevity.
5. Respect and preserve traditional artistic techniques.
6. Continually assess our practices to minimise negative impact on people or the environment. 

We are excited to discuss these principles with our suppliers when we visit in a few months. We know that like us they will be really excited to be a part of the fashion industries ethical evolution.

For more info on Fashion Revolution Week check out: http://fashionrevolution.org and use #whomademyclothes.

For more information on what Ovae's principles look like in practice, head to https://www.ovae.com.au/pages/ethically-made-fashion 

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