When it comes to fashion labels, we get the most info on a brand’s creative genius, getting insights into the lives of designers like Stella McCartney and Mara Hoffman. But when it comes to bringing a physical garment to life, there’s an entire department that ensures raw materials are successfully turned into a consumer-ready piece: the production department.
In the world of conscious fashion, the production department is where quality of materials and standards of ethics are addressed.
At organic label Coyuchi, production and sustainability manager Margot Lyons reviews samples, focuses on materials, and upholds high standards of conscious making all while balancing time outside. Here’s a day in her life at the Coyuchi offices, located in the hip industrial district Dogpatch in San Francisco:
Review samples
“There are several check points to make sure that products reflect our standards and meet our requirements. We carefully check color, fabric, and construction of every program before and during production. Our design and production team works really closely with us and it’s incredibly rewarding to see their vision come to life!”
Respect materials
“We only work with natural materials like organic cotton, linen and wool. Each season we set targets that are materials based. For our current season, which recently launched, we wanted to convert our largest volume of linen to organic. We knew this would support a group of organic farmers, which we feel strongly about.”
verify each step
“Almost 90% of our product is made from organic cotton with fully certified GOTS supply chains. That requires verification from step to step not only of the materials but also the chemical inputs, water treatment in the dye houses and processing. We communicate regularly with vendors, certifying bodies and other partners to make sure that we are in compliance. When we are developing new product that means that we need to ask about every stop along the supply chain, any chemicals used, and who we are impacting. It is a meticulous and therefore tedious process but we pride ourselves on these kinds of details.”
Spend time outside
“I live on the coast where it’s hard not to spend all your time outside. I often run or surf before coming into the office, which is a daily reminder of why we do what we do.”
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