Our design process

Lisa Bennetts, the founder of OiOi, began designing & sourcing manufacturing partners for her nappy bag range in 1997.

Prior to founding the business, she worked as a Fashion Buyer with a number of leading Australian and International accessories brands. In the 1980s and 1990s, she grew up working in the Australian “rag-trade” being mentored by her grandmother who worked as a pioneering Fashion Buyer into her 70s. Lisa travelled extensively in her 20s to find the most talented craftsmen in fashion, including accessories and jewellery, discovering new technologies and material development in Asia, UK, Europe, USA & Brazil.

This training & experience has equipped Lisa with extensive knowledge on quality materials, compliance, manufacturing, product development and sourcing.

Her daughter Isabella grew up in the world of OiOi. As a little girl, she would use fabric samples to make outfits for her teddy bears and at the age of 16, sold clear zip purse samples to friends at school to use as exam pencil cases! Many a carton was shipped to major department stores with Isabella’s drawings on them, the boxes certainly kept her occupied as a toddler as her mum packed all the orders. Isabella grew up visiting our manufacturing partners in Korea and China - the same team of people who she now talks with daily as we develop new products & receive photo updates on production. Naturally, as a Gen Z, Isabella is especially passionate about the environment & sustainability and has been working with her mum step-by-step to minimise our impact as a fashion business on the planet.

From the get-go, OiOi has partnered with boutique manufacturing partners that are the best in their field to source and create quality products that will last for your whole family. It is such a buzz to see our original OiOi nappy bag designs that are over 20 years old out & about or on online Marketplaces being resold. We believe that one core part of minimising your impact on the planet is to design quality, timeless pieces that with love & care can be used for a lifetime.

In this blog article, I will detail our processes, recent changes & commitments so that you can make an informed decision when purchasing from us. Each member of our team has made a personal commitment to constantly educate ourselves and critically review our processes on our journey to minimise our impact. We welcome feedback and are making changes step-by-step.

Where are OiOi products made?

Our design process is closely linked to our 15+ year relationship with our current boutique manufacturing partner, who runs their office in Korea, one factory in Qingdao and another in Dalian. Our team is spread between Korea (sourcing the most innovative materials for our designs) and China (working alongside the talented craftsmen & craftswomen that produce our designs). They are leaders in producing quality & innovative products that we are all very proud of.

We source materials that are REACH compliant.

Where is your leather sourced from?

Over the past 18 months, we have taken our time to responsibly source the finest quality, pebble-grain leather from a tannery that is a member of the Leather Working Group.

Leather Working Group is a non-for-profit organisation responsible for the world's leading environmental certification for the leather manufacturing industry. Since 2005, LWG has identified environmental best practices in the industry and to become a member, tanneries must adhere to a strict protocol – this audit focuses on energy and water usage, waste management and the control of harmful chemicals.

For our new Leather nappy bag range, we are very proud to be working with a supplier that is a member of the Leather Working Group.

In addition to this, the leather sourced for this range is a by-product of the meat industry, meaning we only use animal skins that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

How do you provide quality assurance?

OiOi does not compromise on high-quality materials. We have sourced YKK zips, high-quality faux leathers and so on for our designs.

Each production is independently checked by a third-party and must pass the inspection report prior to being shipped. Products that did not pass the inspection report, for example there may be a stitching issue or faulty zip, are reworked by the factory to minimise waste.

As an example of a product-specific QC process, each new Faux Leather Nappy Backpack production run includes the following steps:

• Faux Leather peeling strength test: 1.8kg - 2.0 kg 0.3/3cm
• Faux Leather abrasion resistance: grinding wheel with 750g weight 1200 times
• Confirmation of compliance with international quality standards REACH169 and EN71-3
• QC checked by third party & again at our warehouse before dispatch

Will my order be delivered to me in eco-friendly packaging?

All of our packaging materials are sourced from local Victorian family businesses.

Postage Boxes

We work with a leading Victorian manufacturer of corrugated cardboard packaging that is FSC® and PEFC™ CoC accredited.

Our cardboard partner is committed to an environmentally safe manufacturing process which includes sourcing sustainable paper materials for the manufacturing process.

The materials used to manufacture our corrugated cardboard packaging are considered 100% recyclable and can be sent to any recycling facility to be made into renewable fibreboard liners and/or corrugated cases.

Further, the materials are also biodegradable and will break down easily back into the environment.

Postage Tape

We are excited to be using Ubis 4700 ECOline Kraft Paper Tape customised with the OiOi logo, sourced from a supplier just around the corner from our warehouse.

This environmentally friendly tape has the following features:

• Natural rubber adhesive
• No chlorine, whitening, silicon or plastic polymers and pigment free
• Can be recycled with the postage box

Compostable Mailers

We post smaller items, such as our bamboo baby clothing range, in compostable mailers. They include a double-adhesive strip so that they can be re-used.

Certifications:

• Australia: Home Compostable (AS5810) and Commercially Compostable (AS4736)
• International: Home Compostable (EN13432) and Commercially Compostable (EN13432)

Marketing Materials

We work with a pioneering eco-friendly printing company in Castlemaine, Victoria.

All of our marketing materials are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled card with non-toxic inks.

How do you manage freight?

Current research shows that shipping by sea is still better than air freight. Further, we ensure that every container & carton is packed to the brim to ensure no wastage.

New container ships are currently in production world-wide and with the Paris Climate Agreement, we should see some vast improvements in the sustainability of these ships.

In fact, we are already starting to notice a number of our shipments have been delivered in eco-friendly shipping containers with bamboo flooring.

What steps are you taking to minimise textile waste?

Many of our fabrics are exclusively printed for OiOi, so we work with a supplier who is able to create the exact quantity needed for our orders.

What other socially responsible initiatives is OiOi currently engaging in?

Two key partners that we have worked with in the past 12-months are:

Thread Together

Thread Together’s mission is to deliver new, good quality clothing and shoes to people in our community who are doing it tough.

They have a fleet of mobile wardrobes that are filled to the brim with a wide range of styles so that people can choose clothing that they love. This program is about more than just supplying clothing but also instilling independence and enabling dignity.

Our first donation included 100 brand-new nappy bags which were distributed to families in need, and we are looking forward to making more contributions seasonally.

Learn more

To learn more about OiOi before you make your purchase, read our brand story here or contact us.