The concept of Kuwaii has always been the same: to provide a beautiful and thoughtful alternative to trend-driven, mass-produced fashion.
Established in 2008 by designer Kristy Barber, Kuwaii clothing and footwear is carefully considered and meticulously made to last.
As one of Melbourne’s original slow fashion brands, our values of kindness, respect, honesty, environmental accountability, and empowerment of all people inform how we make our clothes, the people we work with and how we run our business.
To this day, each Kuwaii clothing item is proudly produced in Melbourne, Australia, within 15km of our design studio in Brunswick.
In 2023 we were very proud to reveal our ethical accreditaion with Ethical Clothing Australia (E.C.A). To secure accreditation, we underwent a thorough audit of our operations, spanning from design to dispatch. This comprehensive review ensures that all our workers, including outworkers, are fairly compensated, receive their legal entitlements, and work in safe conditions.
Our Melbourne made footwear is made by one of the very last surviving footwear factories in the country, with our team of amazing craftspeople taking up to a day to make a single pair of Kuwaii shoes.