Location
Australia
Made In
Australia
Values
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Artisan
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Fair
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Gender Equality
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Give Back
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Made Locally
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Size Inclusive
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Transparent
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Vegan
This next brand’s a KEEPER.
Sorry, had to. KEEPER Denim is an Australian made and owned company providing women with jeans that “blur the lines between comfort, style and sustainability.” With KEEPER Denim, it’s a women thing, as this (totally epic and impressive) company is women owned, run and designed.
Much like EME’s founder Jas, KEEPER Denim’s founder Kate Bartuccio watched The True Cost documentary and became inspired to make a lasting and positive change within the fashion industry. Armed with a passion for ethical and sustainable fashion but no fashion background whatsoever, Kate brought KEEPER Denim to life, and boy are we glad she did.
KEEPER Denim uses denim sourced from ISKO, a world-leading denim producer with sustainability at the core of their production. This denim, which is OEKO-TEX certified, is ethically manufactured in Turkey, and is made from GOTS certified organic cotton and recycled polyester that is a product of post-consumer plastic bottles.
As for the manufacturing, KEEPER Denim keeps this local. Like Melbourne local. The garment workers who craft the KEEPER jeans are paid fairly, receive their legal entitlements and do their job within a fair and safe working environment. Also, instead of using harsh toxins and chemicals to fade the jeans, KEEPER Denim’s artisans use a manual brushing technique to lightly fade each and every pair.
What’s more is the brand patches are made from a sustainable vegan leather alternative and are OEKO-TEX certified; the zippers are supplied by YKK, a brand dedicated to sustainability and high-quality fasteings; their swing tags are made from 100% recycled paper; and their “thank you” notes are printed on 100% recycled paper with environmentally-friendly inks. Oh, and they also package their jeans in recyclable paper, seal it with an adhesive label printed with enviro-friendly inks, and send your goodies out via Australia’s first 100% carbon neutral delivery service Sendle in biodegradable and home compostable mailer bags.
You know we love a cert. Lucky for us, KEEPER Denim has a few good un’s. KEEPER Denim jeans are Ethical Clothing Australian (ECA) accredited, which essentially means all workers are appropriately compensated and work within a safe environment. The jeans are also PETA-Approved Vegan, and are made without the use of any animal products whatsoever. Last (but most certainly not least) is their Climate Neutral certification, and in order to achieve this, KEEPER Denim has reduced their carbon emissions and offset the rest by investing in projects working to reduce global carbon emissions.
Just when you thought they couldn’t get any better, they do. Srsly. With every single pair of jeans sold, KEEPER Denim donates $5 to Water,org, an international non-profit organisation providing families around the world with access to safe drinking water.
Aside from being one of the first Australian denim labels to use organic cotton denim for their jeans, as well as doing literally everything ethically and sustainably, KEEPER Denim’s jeans are honestly just extremely well-made from quality materials. We think KEEPER Denim is well on their way to achieving their goal of becoming Australia’s most favourite ethical and sustainable denim label.
Want to know where Keeper Denim sits and what they’re working on in terms of these 5 values? Hover over these values to find out.
Eco Friendly
Our jeans are made with denim constructed from sustainable, cruelty-free fibres including organic cotton and recycled materials, that respect our planet, to ensure the jean will last and age well with time. Our swing tags and thank you notes are made from recycled paper and we ship our products in a compostable mail bag. We are also Climate Neutral certified as we offset our carbon emissions by investing in climate change solutions.
Fair
Each pair of KEEPER Denim jeans is ethically handcrafted in Melbourne, Australia. Our jeans are also accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. This ensures the workers in our supply chain are being paid appropriately and have safe working conditions.
Minimal Waste
Our jeans are manufactured in small production runs, reducing waste. They are also made from sustainable materials including GOTS certified organic cotton and recycled polyester made from post-consumer plastic bottles, minimising our impact on both the environment.
Give Back
Carbon emissions, mass consumption and water pollution are some of the major environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry. Since the beginning, we at KEEPER Denim have wanted to support charities that are doing incredible work to help heal these effects on our planet. That is why we donate $5 from every pair of jeans sold to Water.org, who help families around the world get access to safe water and sanitation.
Transparent
We are dedicated to having a transparent supply chain and each material we use is especially selected based on its’ ethical and sustainable production. This ensures the final piece is of the highest quality.
Behind the Brand
“I watched a documentary called The True Cost, which explores the dark side of the fast fashion industry. Like most of us, I had thought about where my clothes were made but it wasn’t until I watched this documentary, that I saw just how much devastation the industry is having on farmers, garment workers and the environment in the developing world”.
What made you start KEEPER Denim?
I have degrees in Architecture and Commerce and have always been creative by nature. I worked in corporate banking for a few years until I realised something was missing from my life and I needed to make a change.
I watched a documentary called The True Cost, which explores the dark side of the fast fashion industry. Like most of us, I had thought about where my clothes were made but it wasn’t until I watched this documentary, that I saw just how much devastation the industry is having on farmers, garment workers and the environment in the developing world.
After this eye-opening experience I wanted to make a difference and help bring about change in fashion, specifically denim and that is how Keeper Denim began.
Do you have a morning routine? If so what is it you do to set yourself up for the day ahead?
My morning routine is what gets me in the right mindset for the day. I like to get up early, have a smoothie for breakfast and then go for a walk along the beach, I usually listen to a podcast or an audiobook for some inspiration.
I then like do a workout and meditate for 10 minutes before I begin my work day.
What’s the biggest barrier you’ve found to succeeding as a socially conscious business?
I would say the biggest challenge was in the beginning when we were setting up our supply chain. We have always been dedicated to having a transparent supply chain and each material we use is especially selected based on its’ ethical and sustainable production. This process required a lot of research and sample testing but it was well worth it to ensure our final product was of the highest quality.
Within the ethical fashion community, there’s a big question that we ask which is ‘who made my clothes?’. In the scope of KEEPER Denim, who made your jeans? Can you tell us a bit about them?
Each pair of our jeans are handcrafted in a small facility located in Melbourne, Australia by denim artisans who have over 30 years of experience in denim manufacturing.Our jeans are also accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. This ensures that the workers in our supply chain are paid appropriately and have safe working conditions.
Why did you pick the fabrics you have chosen to work with?
Our denim is sourced from ISKO, where sustainability is at the centre of everything they do. The denim is manufactured at their mill in Turkey. It is Standard 100 OEKO-TEX® certified, which confirms no toxic substances are contained within the material. The denim is comprised of GOTS certified organic cotton and recycled polyester made from post-consumer plastic bottles. ISKO is also the only denim mill in the world to have been awarded with two prestigious certifications; the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel. You can read more about our supply chain on the Transparency page on our website.
Best piece of advice you have ever received?
Trust your own judgment and always remember to back yourself.
What’s next for you and KEEPER Denim?
To expand our denim collection to include a variety of different style jeans in different coloured denim.
One book and/or documentary everyone should read/watch? Why?
I just finished reading Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris and it was incredible. Tim is a self-confessed avid note taker who had hundreds of notebooks with notes he had taken over the years when he interviewed many successful people for his Podcast, The Tim Ferris Show. He decided to compile it all into one book, sorted into sections based on the industry the interviewees were in. The result is an amazing book filled with life lessons Tim has learnt from each individual. It’s a book I would highly recommend if you haven’t already checked it out, there is something in there for everyone!
Are there any other Movers & Shakers out there in your world that you think people should know about?
Stella McCartney has been a driving force in promoting both ethical and sustainable practices within the fashion industry through her elimination of leather and fur in her collections.
Take your 10% off voucher, ‘ETHICALMADEEASY’, with you.