The Factory
Introducing The Factory—A creative studio where we research, design, prototype, develop, manufacture, retail and repair clothing, all under one roof.
A concept space that is open to the public, you are able to witness the processes that go into localised production and consumption.
With a commitment to produce in small batches just in time, we aim to avoid overproduction while providing the opportunity to build a closer connection to the makers.
We invite you to join the slow fashion movement and to understand all that goes into creating a single article of clothing, made here.
Our Process
Research
We always start with the end in mind. With a focus on natural materials, we evaluate performance, quality, durability, origin, certification, and environmental impact at the fiber, yarn, fabric and trim level. Think of this as the ingredient list—all the contents of a garment from start to finish.
Our aim at the research phase is to choose materials that are built last over time, are from natural sources, and don’t harm people or the environment in the process of creation. This is a journey of constant learning and evolution.
Design
We design for you. At the core of the design process, we are ultimately creating for the human body and the myriad circumstances you may face in your life. Not all garments are appropriate for all things, of course, but we do our best to provide functional clothing that you can feel and look your best in throughout the day.
Feedback is an integral part of the design process, and when we create another production run we take into account what we’ve been hearing from the community to serve you better. Let your voice be heard.
Prototyping
Prototyping is an iterative process to ensure we are getting the fit and design of a product just right. We may go through anywhere from one to five fittings on a single garment as we test fabric, finishing, pocket placement, seam lines, hem lengths and more.
Once we are sure we’re satisfied with a garment’s overall design, we create a production prototype as a reference sample.
Development
The development of each product is important as it supports the order of operations for the manufacturing team. Detailed technical flats and drawings of which fabrics to use in which sections are documented, how to lay the fabric to get the best utilization and lowest offcut waste is completed, and patterns are sized and graded across the collection with confirmed tolerances.
Lastly, patterns are digitized, edited, proofed and printed to ensure consistency and sent to the team for production.
Production
Production for Ecologyst clothing is done partly in our own Factory and HQ space in Victoria, BC, and partly with our vetted partner facilities in Vancouver, Ontario, Quebec, and New York. This is where we set the total number of units we are producing, and once complete they are sent to our retail locations or other stores for purchase.
Retail + Fullfillment
The most visible part of the process is when the production is complete, and finished styles are sent to retail locations to be brought home as a purchase. We fulfill all of our clothing out of our central headquarters where we offer customer experience support, a shoppable showroom experience, and offer guided tours of the Factory space.
The heart-center of the organization, you can see each stage of the process all under one roof.
Repairs
In order to extend product life, we have a commitment to offer repair services on our clothing to ensure you can continue to love your pieces. Repairs are like scars that show the life a garment has lived with you.