Our Story.
Founded in Byron Bay, Arcaa creates premium wardrobe essentials with a responsible approach. Incorporating fibres of Organic Cotton, other considered natural fibres, and responsible practices, we believe in the adage ‘less is more,’ and intentionally create each piece to be of purpose and seamlessly adapted to all lifestyles. Arcaa prides itself in its high quality, versatile pieces that withstand passing trends.
Arcaa was created by Australian designer Gemma Stanford in 2016. With a passion for conscious living and an understanding of the female form accumulated from years working as a designer, she now creates well-crafted, considered pieces that honour the female body and our environment.
Giving Back.
Arcaa proudly supports PANDA, perinatal anxiety and depression Australia, with a donation commitment of $1 from every sale. Donations go towards staffing the Helpline, producing vital resources for families, and raising awareness so that more parents reach out early for support. PANDA provides support to parents and families affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and within the first year of parenthood. They are helping to shine a light on a very common, yet serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting and new parents.
Since 2021, Arcaa has donated $17,972 to PANDA.
Our Makers.
Arcaa is ethically manufactured in certified factories in China, with audits conducted yearly. Each factory is a family-run business where employees are supported in a safe working environment. We work very closely with our factories and visit them when possible, with the last visit being in March 2023. Having strong relationships with our factories is incredibly important to us in ensuring our mutual understanding and ethical improvements are nurtured and continue to develop. Our factories are committed to producing high-quality pieces while ensuring their employees are well looked after. Knitwear is located in Guangdong and fleece in Zhuhai.
Arcaa values working with family-run businesses that share our ethical values. Our factories share the same vision with us of continually improving the ethical journey.
Considered Fibres.
Wherever possible, we prefer to use fibres of a natural form or recycled in the highest quality. Our fibres include Organic Cotton, which is natural, soft, and clean; Linen, which is natural, durable, and soft; and recycled nylon and polyester from ocean waste. All our printed and dyed fabrics are free from harmful chemicals.
Minimal Production Waste.
Many of our lifestyle pieces are of a knitted construction, which provides less wastage in the production process compared to woven construction. Each panel is knitted to the exact shape required, resulting in no leftover fabrics, only leftover yarns that can be used for future developments.
Sustainability.
We are aware there is an environmental cost to running our business, so we actively move towards becoming increasingly sustainable.
In the studio.
We use recycled paper and reduce/reuse where possible. We limit the use of air conditioning and unnecessary appliances. We participated in the NSW EPA Bin Trim program to evaluate our space, maximize recycling, and minimize waste.
Packaging.
All orders are shipped in 100% compostable bags that break down in 3-5 years. We are currently transitioning to use 100% recycled swing tags and cards.