🪴 The only seasons that we work with are- Birth, Life, Afterlife.
🪴 Birth is the beginning of the lifecycle, but it's also the middle and the end, you see nothing is born unless something was first planted, and what is planted cannot thrive without nourishment from what came before.
We encourage you to take time to learn about how the things in your life were made, the craftsmanship, stories, love and passion behind a product as well as beginning to grasp the nuance and implications that each action we take has on both people and planet.
Rather than sweeping you up in the latest trends, why don't you join us in falling in love with the stories of the garments we already have. And when we really do need something new, let's go deep into how and why it came to be. This is what Birth is all about at Whakatō.
🪴 Life is hopeful, practical, it's for you, me, all of us. In the context of Whakato seasons and the Lifecycle of Things, Life might be our favourite season of all. That's because it's where we as individuals can have the greatest environmental impact when it comes to the things we buy and use. We all have the power to cherish what we have for longer and not feed the beast.
For our little brand and the people who make us, it has to be holistic. We can't make, sell and forget. It's our responsibility to show you what goes into making a garment, how you can keep it loved for as long as possible and even what will come of it in the end. It's about honouring the process and the entire lifecycle. It's about getting the fit right for greater physical and emotional durability. It looks like customer centric clothing and customisations to suit your unique body. It's the fact we'd rather mend your clothes for you, show you how to sew a button or provide you with care tips to make your garments feel fresh again than convince you to buy something new prematurely. When you do buy new, it's buying for life, not a season.
🪴 Afterlife is the part of the lifecycle of clothing where things get a bit more technical. It’s where we discuss and share the end of life plan for clothes - after they are no longer able to be worn of course.
Afterlife without Birth or Life would be futile. Recycling (and then final stage composting) should be the absolute last resort for our clothing.
With Whakatō seasons we wanted to recalibrate what a season can mean, shine a light on the cycle of needs over a lifetime and build respectful connections across the value chain - from raw materials, processes, methods, people, skills, care and return to nature.