It’s estimated that 1 in every 6 people alive in the world today, work in some part of the global fashion industry, making it the most labour dependent industry on earth! Most of this work is done by people who have no voice in the larger supply chain, or have dependants relying on them to feed, clothe, and put a roof over their heads, so they are in desperate need of working for as little as $2.30 a day to survive.

Each year, an estimated $80 billion is spent on clothing purchases.The average person throws away 82 ponds of textile waste a year. Most of this waste is non biodegradable, usually taking up to 200 years to break down, while releasing harmful gases into the environment. - The True Cost by Andrew Morgan

When I create a garment, I think about how and where these materials will end up after its life.

I try to only use 100% organic cotton and natural resources like coconut buttons that will dissolve and nourish the earth, instead of polluting it!

Momo partners with sustainable suppliers like Little Yellow Bird (www.littleyellowbird.co.nz), who use a closed filter system to naturally dye their fabrics. They also produce their garments using low-impact dyes, meaning they don’t contain toxic metals and are completely azo-free. Their dye house has a filtration system that enables them to filter all the used dye water, so that 95% of the water can be re-used and the remaining 5% evaporated and used in bricks and road-making the entire process zero waste. They’ve made sure that at every step of their supply chain, their workers are met with fair trade, inclusive, and ethical work environments.

If Momo isn’t purchasing bulk 100% organic t-shirts or sweatshirts from LYB, they’re paying New Zealanders a great wage to manufacture their garments here in New Zealand. Using New Zealand fabric suppliers like nutex.co.nz or trying to support local family stores to keep open after the impact of COVID, like The Fabric Store, www.wearethefabricstore.com

New Zealand-owned and operated since 1995, also offers a first class experience for the customer. Frankie said, "Of the fabrics we purchase, around 85% are sourced as designer deadstock, and these fabrics come to us through agents and mills in New York, Italy, Japan, and China." You can learn more about our deadstock supply chain here: https://wearethefabricstore.com/nz/sustainability/deadstock

The remaining 15% of our fabrics are those that we mill exclusively, and these are manufactured under strict code of conduct adherence in collaboration with mills we have trusted, long-standing partnerships with. These mills are primarily located in China, Vietnam, Turkey, and Guatemala. To learn more about how and where each of our exclusive fabric ranges are made, check out the information under each range here: https://wearethefabricstore.com/nz/sustainability/exclusive-fabrics

We buy our 100% organic tees in bulk from Little Yellow Bird, who has them ethically manufactured in India. Samantha Jones, CEO of LYB, explains in her blog.

Our very popular hoodies are made at Cloke, and we believe in very strong ethical and sustainable practises.

We believe in supporting New Zealanders into employment where we can. We use local machinists and pay a very generous wage. We also upcycle and reuse op shop clothing that would normally be discarded into landfill, reducing the 10% of the pollution that fast fashion causes the carbon footprint on the planet.

Momo is 100% committed to sustainability! Although we are not yet perfect, we aim to be 100% sustainable and will be by the end of 2024, down to every thread made and every person accounted for. This is just the beginning for Momo and its journey, and it's one that will empower the next generation on the way.

Depending on where you live, this can be arranged with the customer. Please chat box us or email johana@momo.fashion to arrange.

I was raised in a ‘once were warriors’ environment, where daily trauma was normalised! Because of my mother's upbringing, she thought she deserved this kind of life, didn’t understand her worth, but did all she could to protect her Tamariki maa. My Dad continued the volatile cycle he was raised in due to generational colonisation, lack of trust, abuse, and slavery! He was fear-driven and didn’t really know how to run a loving home. In my mind, it became my job to keep the family together and protect everyone, because the world was unsafe and you couldn’t trust anybody. I could draw from the age of 5. It was my safe place, away from the violence, away from the pain and unnecessary trauma. From the age of 10, I visualised I would be a fashion designer. In high school, I wanted to learn about my culture and where I came from. How could I honour who I am if I didn’t know my culture? So I started learning Maori design and my journey began. I studied textile and fashion design, and to everyone’s surprise, including me, I excelled, won awards and got offered jobs in Auckland, far away from my traumatic upbringing. This is what I always wanted—to be in a safe environment free of trauma! But it wasn’t everything I envisioned. The trauma continued in my home, which left me feeling guilty. I feel guilty that I wasn’t there to stop it, to keep the peace! Because I was unhealed and the trauma baggage came with me to Auckland, I had no-one to understand or help me through it. So I drank and drugged instead of pursuing my dream of becoming a global fashion label. I threw it all away due to my lack of self-esteem and confidence in myself! 20 plus years later, after a lot of healing work, I’ve reignited my passion for fashion again. I believe in myself. I can do it now and ignore all the comments of self-sabotage and procrastination that stop me from achieving my dreams. This is how I want Momo whaanau/customers to feel; proud of who they are, the skin they are given, to own it and believe in themselves. Arohanui

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Also use 'Chatbox' at bottom right of page.

Absolutely! Just contact us with your idea or interest in working together and we'll organize a time to meet with you!

Upcycling is the process of reusing old materials, fabrics, and garments. Momo regularly does op shopping to source high-end garments that are deemed for landfill. Next time you think of throwing a garment away, think about how you could reuse it or give it to someone who might love it.