5 ways Clutch Made is sustainable in the making process

The Sustainability benefits of manufacturing

with The Clutch Made Factory

At Clutch Made, we take pride in being a sustainable design agency with an integrated factory, as we have focused on five key elements throughout our years in business, and supported and nurtured them. Listed below are the five key elements of running a sustainable business model that is responsibly designing and manufacturing in the Garment District, NYC:

1-Established Vendor Partnerships

Over the years, the Clutch Made Team has dedicated significant effort to sourcing top-quality materials, hardware (custom + off-the-shelf), printing, woven labels, logo dies, cutting dies, and various trims and specialized materials that are not always prioritized. In our sourcing journey, we have developed two criteria for selecting our vendors: (1) the quality of the products they provide and (2) low to no minimum order requirements.

Consequently, we provide our clients with high-quality raw materials at competitive prices, often with minimal or no minimum order requirements for nearly everything we source. This approach enables established partnerships to sustain a viable business model and foster the development of more sustainable models through our clients.

2-Sustainable Materials

Clutch Made provides a diverse range of eco-friendly materials. Whether it's organic cotton, hemp, cactus, grape, sustainable leather, low-impact vinyl, sustainable hardware, or an extensive array of recycled materials, we seek out the latest advancements in material production. These materials are available in small quantities, with low-quantity sampling options offered to our clients.

In our material sourcing process, we prioritize the inclusion of biodegradable components. This ensures that plastic parts or chemicals remain a relatively small portion of the total material composition and we also try to include recyclable ingredients when applicable.

3-Sustainable Productions

The critical point happens during production, whether for garments or accessories. The production process centers on making either a high-quality, durable product that customers will fully use and purchase, or it results in significant waste, with the final product being made with inferior quality, having high minimum order quantities that end up in landfill, and leaving behind numerous leftover raw materials that are eventually disposed of.

The Clutch Made Team is dedicated to Ethical Manufacturing. We follow fair labor practices, maintain low minimum requirements for raw materials and support small minimum orders for accessories, fully understanding the challenges of selling products in the market. When planning to produce any quantity of a product, we encourage businesses to partner wisely with manufacturers who uphold fair labor practices, offer low MOQs, and provide sourced materials in low quantities.

Also, please try to support local production, as this reduces the carbon footprint and financially supports local communities.

4-Purposeful Design

In sustainable design, it's crucial to remember the influence you wield through thoughtful decision-making at every stage. This encompasses enduring aesthetics, modular design, and minimizing waste.

For timeless aesthetics, aim to craft designs that are classic and independent of trends, ensuring their durability and continued use.

Modular designs provoke deep thought during the design process and enable a purposeful product existence, offering streamlined designs with add-ons and facilitating easy repairs or customization.

Carefully evaluate materials, their sources, sustainability, minimum requirements, and availability before committing, all to Minimize Waste.

5-Useful Packaging

The Clutch Made Team consistently advocates for packaging that is functional and not discarded after the main product is received and opened. There are several key strategies to adopt this approach when developing your branding support products.

We recommend opting for sustainable packaging, incorporating recycled elements or biodegradable materials into the design. For instance, using dust cover bags for your accessories instead of boxes and bags, which are often thrown away after purchase, is strongly advised. Dust cover bags are essential packaging items that are typically branded, can be made from sustainable materials, and frequently reused throughout their life span as small travel bags, shoe bags, storage bags for accessories, dirty laundry bags and storage bags.

Always aim to minimize excessive packaging to reduce waste. Although elaborate packaging can be appealing, it often ends up in the trash. Concentrate on creating a product that is robust and confident enough to stand independently, using sustainable materials, thoughtful design, and minimal waste. This approach will lead to a successful and sustainable brand you can be proud of.

Wishing you joyful. Sustainable designing and creating from The Clutch Made Team!!!!

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