Sustainability

 

 

SUSTAINABILITY

Sorrentino Studios is committed to sustainable and ethical design practices, implementing the below in its operations:

• Premium dead-stock fabrics: these fabrics are no longer desirable to other brands/factories/suppliers, for a number of reasons – colour, style, seasonal changes, and more. Sorrentino utilises these fabrics where possible, which saves them from landfill and gives them a new life. ELEMENT 1.0 is made entirely from these dead-stock fabrications including fusing, interfacing, shoulder pads, zips and trims.
• Minimal waste policy: during production scrap materials, excess fabrics and surplus supplies are re-purposed into unique embellishments, design details, and toiles. If there are no other uses, they are sent to Upparel where they are shredded and recycled into new fabrics and materials.
• Local suppliers: the label prioritises local suppliers and designers, helping to reduce emissions
• Packaging: orders are packed and sent in packaging made from recycled materials and satchel slips are biodegradable. 
• Renewable and biodegradable material: we are passionate about selecting materials that are made from renewable sources, including wool, cotton, linen, silk, bamboo, hemp and man-made cellulose fibres such as viscose, rayon, cupro and tencel. In some instances synthetic fabric is used to achieve certain finishes, but these are deadstock fabrics where possible.

 

Sorrentino’s designs do not follow seasons, cycles or trends; pieces are hand-crafted with love and have been designed to be timeless. Instead of acting as a quick-fix for an impulsive shopping mood, Sorrentino’s garments are designed to be kept, cared for, and loved. Neutral colour palettes and eye-catching design features ensure works can be worn across multiple events and occasions, formal or informal, dressed up or dressed down, meaning you can wear your Sorrentino just about anywhere you go. Sorrentino garments don’t go on sale, and are designed to be carefully considered and cared for. The trans-seasonal capsule collections are available in limited edition fabrics, and are available until the fabric roll is finished. This is a more environmentally conscious way of producing clothing, and it means that these clothes are available all year. 

 

We believe in supporting our local industry to help it thrive. All zips, stickers, cards, and packaging materials are manufactured within Australia. All fabric, materials and trims are sourced through local Australian merchants or directly through other local designers. We believe in being transparent with our network of suppliers so we have listed them below. 

RB Patterns: We work closely with renowned Melbourne-based pattern makers who have over 25 years’ experience and are ECA certified.

OZ sticker printing: Based in NSW - All our business cards, thank you cards, stickers and swing-tags are made in-house in Australia.

JK Trading: Based in Sydney- JK Trading supply our cutting equipment and mannequins. 

Jimmy Buttons: A family run business and our go-to place for trims, vintage buttons and accessories located in Fitzroy. 

Ozpack: Based in NSW, Ozpack supply our recycled boxes.

Back to Earth packaging: Compostable mailers based in Melbourne.

Hero Packaging: Compostable mailers based in Sydney

Wall fabrics: Based in New Zealand and offer a beautiful range of dead-stock fabrics. 

The Fabric store: Founded in 1995 in New Zealand and expanding throughout Australia. The Fabric store sells dead-stock end-of-the-line materials that have been saved from landfill. 

Eliza Fabrics: A Melbourne based and family run business that unfortunately closed down in 2020. Eliza fabrics sold a variety of premium dead-stock fabrics. Prior to their closure Bel purchased a large range of their selection. 

Silk Trader: Silk Trader began in 1964 in a suburban garage in Canberra. They are now located in Abbotsford and supply an extensive range of silk, bridal trims and motifs.

Silk World: Silk World has a variety of bridal, trims, motifs, linen and sustainable materials. 

Sterns Textiles: Established in 1947 and based in St Kilda, Melbourne. Sterns has a beautiful variety of quality apparel and upholstery fabrics.

Davisha Textile Merchant: A Richmond based wholesaler that has a beautiful selection of wool suitings and cotton shirtings.

Potter Textiles: A family run business based in Perth, Western Australia established in 1908.

Upparel: Is based in Melbourne and is at the forefront of circular fashion. They recycle and shred unwanted clothes, shoes, socks, and other textiles into FlipUp and other upcycled products. They also save undesired deadstock textiles from landfill handing them off to designers and crafters. Bel sends off all unusable scrap fabrics that cannot be repurposed to Upparel to be recycled- ensuring that no waste is created during production.

Local machinist: When Bel Sorrentino is inundated with orders she works with her trusted local machinist, Kay who has over 30 years experience in the industry.

 

 

Garments are thoughtfully hand crafted to order in our Melbourne studio. Each design is hand-cut, sewn and constructed in-house or handed over to our local machinist, who works from her home studio and is paid above the industry standard. Our pattern making and grading is outsourced to a renowned Melbourne pattern maker with over 25 years’ experience, to ensure immaculate fit.

Sorrentino works on a made-to-order model, meaning that once an order is placed, it is then cut with precision, carefully assembled by hand and delicately packaged, just for you.

This is a more responsible way of manufacturing garments, as we only produce what is needed, thus reducing garment waste whilst helping us to be more resourceful with materials.

Production time is between 2 to 14 business days. This is subject to change, depending on how many orders we have and the complexity of the design. If you have a particular deadline, contact us on sorrentino.studios@gmail.com so that we can accommodate your timeframe.  

Garments are designed to be timeless, they transcend trends and circumvent seasons, ensuring a lifetime of wear from your Sorrentino item. Quality is paramount at every stage of the garment’s life, from concept to creation, and it’s important to us that love your item for life.

Further setting Sorrentino garments apart is the studio’s use of dead-stock fabrics, which are limited in supply by nature. This means that, for certain pieces, only a handful of items can be made, creating a unique look.

Designs are made-to-order; clients are able to customise the designs where possible (for example: our wide-leg trousers have cut-outs, if you wish to have your trousers without the cut-outs then we can make one specifically for you). The best way to enquire about customisation is through the email:  info@sorrentinostudios.com

To ensure your Sorrentino piece lasts a lifetime, we offer repairs. Please see the repair tab for more information.

 

Sorrentino Studios garments are hand-made with love, so a degree of customisation is always available – just let our team know what you need. Please email  info@sorrentinostudios.com to chat further about your specific requirements.

Garments are designed to be cared for long into the future, so our team is committed to making sure you are 100% satisfied with your product.