Building a business over 22 years has shown me just how much our choices matter.
Who we work with, the talented people we employ and the causes we stand behind all contribute to the kind of industry, community and country we want to be part of. It feels like a good moment to reflect on that, at a time when many of us are thinking about what we value.
Fashion can be about more than the clothes we wear. Behind every garment is a network of people - our team in the Avondale workroom, and the cutters, makers, finishers, fabric and button suppliers who bring each piece to life. We choose to make the majority of our garments in New Zealand because for me, that is where the true value of what we make lies: in the finished piece, and in the care and livelihoods behind it.
As a founding member of Fashion and Textiles NZ, and its chair since 2023, I see the depth of talent we have in NZ and the contribution our industry makes to the economy through jobs, manufacturing, creativity and skilled work.
Supporting local fashion and textiles means supporting the people and businesses behind it, and helping ensure these skills and opportunities remain part of our future.
I believe we have a real opportunity to build stronger creative industries and businesses for the next generation, and I hope the next Government, whoever that may be, is open to engaging in these conversations with industry bodies like FTNZ.
Contributing to our community beyond fashion matters just as much, and as a business, I feel a responsibility to give back where we can. We have had a partnership with Child Poverty Action Group since 2020, with our recent Motif Tote initiative supporting its work with donations.
Our ‘Kind’ T-shirts with Kindness Collective have helped raise funds for their important mahi with children and whānau, and we regularly take part in charity shows with Breast Cancer Cure. We also recently partnered with Craggy Range again to host an event that raised $10k for the Heretaunga Women’s Centre.
Responsibility extends to our team too. We want JH to be a place where people feel valued and have room to recharge. Our 9-day fortnight, with a paid day off every second Friday (the gift of a ‘free day’ that we call Freda) is one way we put that into practice. It gives our team time to rest, and reflects our belief that how we work matters as much as what we make.
Whether as a business or individually, every choice says something about what we value - where we spend our money, the businesses we back, the pieces we choose to keep and wear for years.
For us, that means a thriving local industry and strong communities around us. That is what we choose to support here at JH, and I’m grateful to every customer who chooses it with us.
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