OUR DESIGN PROCESS + ETHICAL SOURCING

We’re proud of the FELIX + STONE brand and our products - but not just because they’re beautiful.

As a brand, and as people, we place a high value on ethics. Your favourite F+S pieces have had a pretty remarkable journey before arriving on your doorstep.

Design + Sampling

We’re based in Auckland, New Zealand and the process starts here, where we thoughtfully dream up and create designs for our latest products.

Once an idea comes to life, we spend a long time creating, testing, and improving our products. This is a process that can take up to a year before a design is finalised – offering quality product is important to us. 

The process goes a little something like this…

• We dream up a design and sketch it out
• We hash out the finer details, like our signature F+S debossed hardware
• We send detailed drawings and design notes to our manufacturers for a first product sample
• A design template and pattern is made and a sample produced and sent back to us
• We then assess, test and adapt the design with any necessary changes and this process continues until we have the perfect end result to offer our customers

Quality matters. We pride ourselves on our quality and style, and we aren’t cutting any corners to bring it to you. That’s why we put a lot of time and consideration into developing our designs and into choosing a manufacturer who shares our values. 

Style without compromise 

We are partnered with a family-run offshore manufacturer in China and our products are meticulously hand-crafted by masters of their trade.

Our manufacturers are SGS and BSCI audited, so you can purchase with confidence knowing your items are made ethically, in a safe and fair environment.

Let’s explain these auditors, and why this is important:

SGS are world leaders in certification, inspection, verification, and testing. They’re a trusted third-party partner for many international trade, brand, and retailer organizations.

The Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) was established to improve social performance in the increasingly complex global supply chains. 

They have a comprehensive list of regulations and principles in their code of conduct, and they’ve based these on the International Labour Organization, UN Charter of Human Rights and other key international and national regulations in the human rights sphere. 

Why we love our manufacturer

We are reassured knowing our manufacturer is family run and knowing that they also meet the standards of these global auditors.

Here’s a bit more insight as to why we love them, and the conditions your favourite FELIX + STONE piece was made in:

• Pay + Working Conditions. Our manufacturer’s team works a fair 40-hour week, with no more than two hours overtime a day - ensuring adequate rest. They’re paid a living wage - more than their local minimum wage and receive fair overtime allowances.
• Health + Safety. This is a priority with effective PPE and onsite emergency medical equipment being available at all times in the workshop. All staff are trained in health and safety operations both on commencing employment and on a regular basis, and there are two first aiders on-site at all times. 
• Environmentally Aware. One of the BSCI requirements is all about protection of the environment. Waste is managed efficiently, not dumped into the environment, and steps are taken to preserve local water sources.

Alongside this, effective processes for verifying the age of staff upon employment have been implemented, and anti-bribe, anti-corruption and interest conflict procedure has been put in place according to BSCI Code of Conduct and local law. We’re proud to work with a company that looks after their team and takes such pride in its production on all levels.

Why vegan leather?

We’re all about giving you options. When we started FELIX + STONE there were limited choices available when it came to a high-quality leather alternative that truly gave a real leather look and feel.

Our beautiful saffiano textured vegan leather on the FELIX + STONE BOBBIE crossbody - get yours here

We use ultra-fine microfiber ‘leather’ which is a luxurious high-tech simulation of high-end genuine leather. It’s one of the best options available on the market, giving the closest appearance and feel to the real thing.

The structure of our vegan leather closely resembles natural leather, and it’s packed with fantastic qualities:

• Durability
• Scratch Resistant
• Flexibility
• Water Repellent
• Lighter than genuine leather
• Low maintenance - effortless to clean and care for
• Formaldehyde Free

We know you’ll love the look and feel of our vegan-leather products just as much as we do.

Our vegan leather is a sleek and luxurious alternative to the real thing; meaning you can have stylish, low maintenance accessories created with ethics in mind.

In a world of mass-produced products created in less than satisfactory conditions, we wanted to bring a point of difference to the market. An exclusive, immaculate product made with love and ethically sourced - FELIX + STONE put careful consideration into all aspects of our design, sampling and product sourcing processes.

We love our product, and we love our manufacturer.

Keep up to date with the latest conversations, product drops and giveaways from FELIX + STONE over on our Facebook Page and VIP Group.