Z. The Label
kafandco interview with Z. The Label Founder Josi Jentzsch.
Tell us about your background in fashion?
I studied fashion marketing and promotion in London and soon realised that I wanted to create the fashion instead. I started my career in fashion at 21, working for a small fast fashion label in Sydney. It was a true “baptism of fire”. It was incredibly fast paced and lacked creativity as a lot of it was purely quantity and profit driven. It did however teach me many important lessons and I met some incredible creatives during my time.
What steps did you take to launch your own business?
Firstly I dreamt about launching Z. for a long time. The dream became more clear once I had given birth to my first son, Zeppelin. I would write list after list, figuring out exactly what our business was meant to be. And then we spent a long time figuring out our brand name. Deciding on the letter Z took us a long time. But Z stands for Zero waste, Zilch rubbish, Zukunft (*German word for future) and of course Zeppelin. We registered our business name, domain and socials and then invested in a graphic designer. Hiring a fantastic graphic designer was such an important investment and I look at our branding daily and love it! Once we had our branding locked in, I finally got to working on our designs. I had years worth of ideas stored in my head, that I would finally bring to life.
What fabrics do you work with and why do you choose these?
We work predominantly with Linen. It is an incredibly versatile natural fibre that is hypoallergenic, doesn’t require pesticides, is biodegradable and it keeps you cool. We also use small amounts of remnant fabrics.
What does sustainable fashion mean to you?
Sustainable to me means that firstly your product has to be well thought through. It should serve more than one purpose. Fashion pieces should fit into your wardrobe at any time of the year and travel with you through many season. I also believe that we have to be realistic in the quantities we produce, that is why we only produce made to order pieces. It is simply not sustainable to create endless piles of fast fashion that has nowhere to go. The fashion industry is a huge contributor to the worlds’ pollution and we have got to be part of the change. For our label we have chosen to work with Australian makers only. Sustainability is not only about Mother Nature, we must also sustain our local work force and circulate money right here.
How do you hope to see the fashion industry evolve?
I really hope that consumers hold fast fashion brands accountable. Not only do these huge brands notoriously copy small independent brands, but they mass produce as such small costs that this cannot be sustained. I hope that more brands concentrate on producing less stock, therefore we have less waste. If we all embraced delayed gratification, and more labels offered made to order pieces, we could massively reduce our carbon footprint. I have a lot of hope for this industry as makers, creators and consumers all take more care of our planet.
How do you wear Z?
I style my Z pieces usually really casually. My favourite Z. shirt matches perfectly with my Levis’. I wear my Tallow jumpsuit barefoot in the garden. And my Daisy jumpsuit is my most loved piece that I wear with my Birkenstocks, a backpack full of kids toys and my hair in a messy bun. I have designed our pieces with ease in mind, every shape is a no brainer that you can throw on over a pair of jeans as you’re running out of the door or with a pair of heels as you’re sneaking out of the house for a tipple with your girlfriends.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Life! Every piece has been inspired by something I am lacking in my wardrobe. I am surrounded by mums and women that are looking for well made clothing that not only looks and feels beautiful but that serves a purpose. I get inspired by our day to day routines, where we want to feel gorgeous on a limited time schedule, whilst chasing children. Nature inspires me, I am in ore of how this earth provides for us every single day. We live amongst so much beauty…our latest range features a new colour that was completely inspired by the thistle blooming in the cow paddock next door to us.
How does being a mum influence the brand?
It influences every angle of our brand. As mums we have gone through a HUGE transition and we have not landed in our new bodies yet. I aspire to make every woman feel beautiful and worthy of gorgeous threads regardless of her age and size. Our pieces are easily adjustable and fit into the day to day life with ease. Doesn’t every mum need pockets? Where else could I carry Zeps’ numerous rocks and Bears chewed up mango pieces. I also want to leave this earth a better place for my children. That was the main inspiration behind creating a made to order label, crafted in Australia. I want to show my boys that we can create purposeful designs without hurting Mother Nature. As a working mum I get to set my working hours. And whilst those are usually late at night, I am grateful for the presence I am able to dedicate to my boys. There really isn’t much in my life that isn’t influenced by my children. And who knows… I might just design some sustainable kids pieces with the help of my boys soon too.
