FIBRE 101: COTTON

Fibres for our future. Here at JAG, we're all about leaving a lighter touch on the world we love. We're on a mission to drive a transition to low impact fibres. And guess what? We've put together a list of our favourite materials that JAG revolves around. We value transparency with our customers, so we've shared our top preferred fibre choices and why we've made the conscious decision to use them.

Fashion has ever been evolving, and with it – the technology that surrounds it. JAG is one of the Australian brands at the forefront of digital 3D fashion design, building the use of this technology into our design, manufacturing and marketing process. Read more about the process here.

This festive season, transform your gift-giving into an art with our handpicked selection of JAG lifestyle essentials. Whether you're shopping for the fashion-forward friend or the style-savvy family member, we've got you covered. Make sure you’re the favourite child this Christmas by surprising your loved ones with gifts that go beyond the ordinary.

Explore the world of JAG, as we see how our customers like to style some of the best pieces of the season. Ultra-versatile and made for a relaxed, laid-back summer aesthetic, our Spring Summer collection embodies a coastal Australian lifestyle. Get inspired by some of our faves, who show us how to seamlessly style the best of JAG's summer collection.

I graduated from UNSW Art & Design in 2009 and established Gaawaa Miyay in the same year. My connection to design and making started at an early age, as a young girl making jewellery from emu feathers and echidna quills for family and friends (by-product of big family and community meals) as a way of maintaining connections - a holder of country and a tactile vehicle of exchange.

In the wake of our SS23 campaign shoot, we're thrilled to share with you some insider beauty tips from our favourite hair and makeup artist, Nisha Van Berkel who has offered us some of her top tips for glowy skin and a natural radiance to help you step into the new season with a natural glow.

It was an honor to be a part of the Indigenous Fashion Projects runway show this August, showcasing our JAG x GAAWAA MIYAY capsule, titled 'Of Place'. Country to Couture is a runway show held on Larrakia Country in Darwin, where First Nations textiles, fashion and art collide in a colourful showcase of creativity from across Australia. Country to Couture is a contemporary way of cultural storytelling, and sharing knowledge.

Denim is the hardest working part of any wardrobe. It’s a timeless staple that we turn to as part of our everyday wardrobe, and at JAG, we have been perfecting denim since 1972. Taking care of it is in our genes.

For Spring / Summer 2023 we have taken inspiration from one's connection to country and place as we strive to employ more circular design principles at JAG.​

You might have noticed that we’re a little obsessed with linen. It’s one of the oldest cultivated fibres in human history, with most of the world’s linen being grown on the coastal band of Western Europe stretching from Northern France through to Belgium and the Netherlands. Linen fibres are thicker and longer than cotton, which gives it the strength and longevity that JAG products are known for.

Polyester, and other manufactured synthetic fibres such as nylon and elastane, are derived from petroleum. Their use and disposal comes with negative environmental impacts like the leaching of microplastics through wash and wear, as well as the burning of fossil fuels. At JAG, we have a strict policy of using no synthetics unless they provide a function that prolongs the life of the garment.

Regenerated cellulosics are a bit like cotton, but a whole lot better. Man-made cellulosic fibres (aka, MMFC’s), commonly known as viscose, rayon and modal, are unique in the world of textiles. They’re created through a hybrid process where natural materials – wood pulp (the ‘cellulose’ of trees) or cotton waste – are broken down and mechanically turned into a pure cellulosic fibre. Though they mimic the lustre and fluidity of silk, not all these fibres are created equally.

Denim has been around since way back in 17th century, and was originally named after a city in France where it was first made: Nîmes, also known as ‘Serge de Nîmes’, which eventually became the ‘denim’ as we know it today. Fast forward a bit to 1873, denim was made even more famous by an American tailor who manufactured the first rivet-enforced denim pants. Initially designed as durable workwear, denim gained popularity in the 1950s and has been an everyday wardrobe hero ever since.

Leather is one of those materials that’s been used for thousands of years, enduring through its ability to provide durability, insulation, and protection from the elements. Our use of leather is super limited for obvious reasons; and we’re extra committed to full transparency on where our leather is coming from and conscious of how many products we offer that are made from leather.

We’re on a mission to make your fashion choices easier. Wool is a key fibre for us (moreso in the winter months of course). We love it because it’s one of the earth’s most renewable fibres, being an annually shorn and replenished resource. Its unique structure gives it a natural ability to breathe, stay wrinkle-free, and adapt to different climates and situations, and as a fibre it has great recycling potential.

Yuwaalaraay wirringgaa Lucy Simpson is Creative Director and Principal Designer and Maker behind Gaawaa Miyay, a First Nations process led studio. Lucy’s work is grounded in and guided by the timeless and sophisticated philosophies of First Nations design.

JAG is exploring the next frontier in digital design by introducing 3D Virtual Fashion Technology that is revolutionizing the way we design and develop our apparel. The use of this innovative technology allows us to dramatically reduce sample waste, trial unlimited fabrications and print layouts in turn reducing sample production by over 50% and improving design sustainability ethos.

Good Earth Cotton ® is a proudly Australian owned farm that has been developing industry-leading regenerative farming practices for years, leading the way in lower impact agricultural models for the growth and harvest of cotton. Good Earth Cotton ® seeks to minimise the environmental footprint of their cotton and maximise the benefits it can provide to soil health and biodiversity.