Made in New York
At WILI, we explore what it means to create the most beautiful version of conventional pieces—extending far beyond the surface of aesthetics, to how it’s made and the impact it has on our earth. Each piece is ethically made in Brooklyn, New York in partnership with Panah Project who ensures a clean, safe working environment and fair wages for their makers.
If it’s made in New York, doesn’t that mean it’s ethical?
Unfortunately, no. While the U.S has laws in place meant to protect workers, the fashion industry is notorious for finding ways around them. Sample rooms even in New York are known to pay their workers by piece, often resulting in hourly wages that do not meet legal requirements. We’ve partned with Panah Project for all of our development and production. They take social responsibility very seriously and we are thrilled to work with Morteza and his entire team knowing each garment worker receives fair, hourly wages and safe, healthy working conditions.
We prioritize sustainability
Since each item is made in our backyard, we significantly lower our carbon footprint by eliminating all the air, boat and rail travel involved with manufacturing overseas. Whenever possible, we work with natural fibers or deadstock fabrics. Producing small quantities avoids overproduction that leads to garments ending up in landfills. Our packaging is made with recycled materials. In the design, pattern, development and cutting of each piece, we seek to eliminate waste and repurpose scraps. Each piece is made with top of the line fabric and finishes to ensure it lasts for years, extending the garment’s life cycle as long as possible. As our company grows, we’re extremely excited to fund research and development into new sustainable fabrics and recycling initiatives that push the entire industry forward.
Since everything is produced in our backyard, we’re able to closely monitor production
Morteza invites us to drop by whenever, often unannounced (and we do, sometimes as much as 4x a week!), demonstrating radical transparency and a genuine commitment to the social welfare of his team. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for overseas factories to prep for audits and visits, hiding underage workers or even going so far as to create a fake working environment that’s clean and well lit in order to fool auditors.
We let our production partner determine the price
Fashion brands are notorious for demanding factories to produce items for unrealistically low prices and threatening to go elsewhere if they fail to comply. This results in the factory cutting corners, lowering wages and exploiting workers. At WILI, we rely on our sample room and production team to inform us of how much it will cost to produce each item ethically, and pride ourselves on never negotiating with them.
We pride ourselves on the quality and craftmanship of every single piece
At WILI, each piece bears the unmistakable stamp of exquisite fabric and impeccable construction. By working with highly skilled artisans in New York, we are thrilled to be part of preserving the workmanship the city is famous for. When choosing fabric and considering trends, each piece is made to last many years, and as a result, is priced at a point to discourage fast fashion or overconsumption. We want you to love and enjoy your WILI closet, and then be able to pass it down to your children.
Contact us.
If you have any questions or would like to chat more about ethical and sustainable fashion, please don’t hesitate to reach out!