Accredited Manufacturer Spotlight: Jac from five.one.six

This is a featured post written by Jac at five.one.six, an Ethical Clothing Australia accredited manufacturer.

My name is Jacinta (Jac), and I’ve been running five.one.six since 2021 (it’s still a baby!). I started five.one.six hoping to meet the demand for small scale localised production, as well as to provide access to industrial grade facilities to support other small businesses. It’s been a privilege to facilitate this space and produce work for brands and people that I love.

I primarily work with small start-up brands based in Melbourne and currently work as a sole trader. It’s an honour to be a small yet important part of such a conveyor belt and watching this space grow has been the biggest joy. Melbourne has a relentlessly creative pulse – always on the next thing, always feeding itself.

My background is mostly in fashion, though I love to learn and take in as much as I can. My fashion studies (a Bachelor of Fashion [Design] [Honours] at RMIT University) were interrupted by the pandemic, which is why I decided to gain back some control and start my own business. It was the best decision I’ve made and at the most unexpected time.

I think it’s important for workers to be paid fairly through ethical manufacturing. The price of garments should reflect the true cost of manufacturing, and that we should respect the work that goes into production. Fast fashion brands often hide their unethical practices, and I think it’s important to fight against that trend. I believe in consuming more slowly and in a considered way.

I recently moved from my studio in Brunswick into a larger space in Fawkner. I’m renovating my new workspace to add a cutting room, as I’ve heard from businesses that they would love to have a cutting service available. five.one.six has plans to expand beyond sole trader ownership, so accreditation is important to me. I would love to hire a fabric cutter and another technician or machinist to assist with my bookings and production runs.