She Lion works to create a fully sustainable supply chain

When fashion apparel is made, consumers do not understand the amount of waste that is created in making those products. Kate Dillion, founder and creative director at Australian fashion brand She Lion works to make sure every part of their supply chain is sustainable.

“Making garments and accessories does greatly impact the environment and a lot of people aren't aware about how that happens. A huge part of it is some consumer awareness, and understanding and insight about the impact that the creation of these things makes,” she said.

“I had no idea that there was that much water used when you make jeans. It was a huge upskilling experience to me and something that's completely made me rethink how I run my business and to ask a whole lot more questions.”

She has had specialist third parties come in and assess their supply chain ensuring everyone that she works with is ethically certified.

“There's responsible working conditions and the leather we sourced is sourced ethically. But we actually go a step further and properly understand how everything has come about and asking more questions is now I think, more important than ever to properly understand that,” she said.

She Lion has been manufacturing handbags for six years, Dillon originally wanted to manufacture it all in Australia but she said it hasn’t been possible to source all the componentry and parts in the country. However, a garment was something they could create but it wasn’t as easy as they first thought.

“A garment was something that we could explore and something simple like a sweatshirt, which is actually not simple at all to someone who was not totally naive and did have some design background,” she said.

“It was just such a humbling experience and to have been able to involve as many small businesses in the process, and to have done that entirely over Zoom in lockdown was a whole new level of growth mindset. It was wonderful that so many people step up to get on board to help.

“It was the most amazing way to really learn more about fashion manufacturing in Melbourne and Sydney,” she ended.