A brand with an ethical agenda to be commended, Story MFG garments return to Garbstore for the new season.
Story MFG was born from the shared values and vision of husband and wife team, Katy and Saeed, who use a considered, ‘slow-made’ design and construction process to prove that organically made, eco-conscious clothing can be synonymous with good style.
The new season pieces boast a range of textures and craft techniques, from hand embroidery to velvet finishes and corduroy weaves, the creators at Story MFG prove that regardless of their ecological focus, craftsmanship and stylistic detailing are not side-lined by this sustainable label. One of our favourites from the new collection includes the Short on Time Jacket, an exquisitely crafted velvet jacket made entirely from organically grown, hand-picked cotton and dyed to a striking rose red using natural dyes from the rose madder flower. The exclusive use of natural dyes is a condition which Katy and Saeed are firm over sticking to, for reasons additional to preventing further contribution to unnecessary chemical production on the planet. The creators believe that the composition of our clothing is a neglected aspect of self-care, normalised by the ubiquity of factory processed fabrics and dyes. Pointing out an obvious ignorance on behalf of the wearer – ‘If the chemicals in clothing were packaged into a cream you'd never let it anywhere near your skin so why do we ignore it when it's in the things we wear?’ – the team rightfully draw our attention to a neglected aspect of personal care. With this as another element at the forefront of their design consciousness, the pieces at Story MFG are exclusively made with natural, plant-based dyes, never taking shortcuts by infusing chemical dyes for deeper pigmentation. Instead garments are dipped and re-dipped repeatedly if needs be over a gradual timeframe until the desired shade is achieved. The garments at Story MFG also hold a sensory quality found in their distinct scent upon arrival, retaining the rich, earthy scent of the plant-based dyes which, although fading naturally over time, place you right in the land which so inspires and provides for the creation of the pieces.