Hats made by refugees in New Zealand.
Photographer: Banner by Kareen Durbin, all other images by Ophelia King
Ethically made. Locally made. Minimal waste. Social enterprise.
Companion’s simple series of hats emerge from a thoughtful design practice, encouraging acts of care for the self, the environment & the other.
Companion is located and manufactured in New Zealand.
Who makes your hats?
Migrant & former refugee women.
Can you share a little more about your values?
Ethically made: Our hats are created in small quantities with sustainable textiles by people we know personally who receive a living wage.
Locally made: Made in New Zealand and we are often sourcing recycled textiles locally.
Minimal waste: We prioritise the use of discarded textiles, supplemented with deadstock fabric. Other items such as cushions & bags are also created from the offcuts which we patch together to create a quilted outcome.
Social enterprise: Companion was formed from a desire to generate meaningful employment opportunities for migrants & former refugees.
Which particular fabrics do you use?
Vintage textile remnants, discarded clothing such as jeans & deadstock fabric – enough already exists!
Any extra efforts you make at Companion that you can share?
We regularly release an item other than hats (currently cushions) which we can create from a patchwork of the offcuts of our hats. Since moving to NZ our main machinist has become an active member of a migrant quilting group here. We love facilitating her use of these new skills while further reducing waste.
Can you share some labels you admire?
Kowtow, Patagonia, Marine Serre
Price guide: $50 – 100 up to $100 – 200
Size guide: Currently just one size but we will have a range for our next Spring Summer Collection.
Want to get in touch with Companion:
