OUR STORY & ETHICS
We believe in the adage ‘less is more,’ and intentionally create each piece to be multifunctional and seamlessly adapted to all lifestyles.
Arcaa was created by Australian designer Gemma Stanford in 2016, after she saw a lack of active pieces that was both elevated and functional. 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.
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.
Our Makers.
Arcaa is ethically manufactured in certified factories in China. With audits completely yearly. Each factory is a family run businesses where employees are supported in a safe working environment.
We work very closely with our factories and visit them when possible, with the last time being August 2019. 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, at the same time ensuring their employees are well looked after.
Knitwear is located in Guangdong, movement/stretch in Guangzhou and fleece in Zhuhai.
Arcaa values working with family run business that share our ethical values. Our factories share the same vision with us of continually in the process of improving the ethical journey.
In Indonesia our production team is more than just a factory, it is a family that has supported the growth of Arcaa to what it is today. Together we have harbored a close relationship based on mutual respect and support and they’re very grateful for the continued growth of the brand, that has allowed their employees to support their families.
Considered Fibers.
Wherever possible we prefer to use fibers of a natural form or recycled in the most high quality.
Organic Cotton - Natural, soft and clean.
Linen - Natural, durable and soft.
Recycled nylon and polyester from ocean waste.
Hemp - A plant that is naturally resistant to pests, does not require herbicides or pesticides and needs little water to grow compared to other fibres. Hemp is carbon neutral or carbon positive, meaning it puts more nutrients back into the soil than it takes out. It also breathes carbon dioxide and expels oxygen. Plus it's super strong, breathable, anti-microbial and resistant to mould.
All our printed and dyed fabrics are free from harmful chemicals.
Minimal Production Waste.
Many of our lifestyle pieces are of a knitted construction. Choosing this process provides less wastage in the production process compared to a woven construction. Each panel is knitted to the exact shape required. Therefore we don’t have leftover fabrics, only left over yarns that can be used for future developments.
Sustainability.
We are aware there is an environmental cost to run our business, so we actively move towards becoming increasingly sustainable.
In the studio.
We use recycled paper.
We 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’re currently transitioning to use 100% recycled swing tags and cards