UP CLOSE with Leigh Montague, Founder of Monty & Co.

On the search for sustainable kids clothes, the hallmark is durability. Our ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ mantra means nothing if the clothes don’t last multiple life cycles. This is where a brand like Monty & Co. shines.

Not only are the materials selected with longevity in mind, canvas, twill, corduroy and heavily constructed linen and cotton, 90% are sourced from heritage textile merchants in the UK. The results are unisex garments made to last and made to play. They have a classic workwear inspiration, utilitarian feel and rich earthy palette.

The founder, Leigh Montague, got her start in menswear on the British high street. She took a break after her son Grayson was born and realized exactly what she didn’t want to go back to. After 16 months of research, she launched Monty & Co., as a 100% British brand, conceptualized, sourced and produced within the UK, to keep the company’s carbon footprint as neutral as possible.

Leigh is passionate about sustainability and completely transparent (follow @montyandco to see what I mean). She stands by this with her own circular fashion program, Monty & Co. LOVED. They take back any pre-loved Monty & Co. garments to repurpose and resell, with 10% of the sales going to the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust.

We’re a little behind, but earlier this year Meer Guide had a chance to talk to Leigh about what matters most at her company and the companies she partners with. Also, as a big supporter of British made, she shared her favorite ethical brands for both her and her son and even tells us about her perfect day.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT LIFE BEFORE YOU STARTED MONTY & CO?

Before Monty & Co. I was working as a senior menswear designer for a large British high street retailer. I was travelling the world monthly visiting factories to develop product ranges in India, Bangaldesh, Turkey, China, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and to New York, Paris, Florence, Europe for trade shows, fabric fairs and inspiration. It was an amazing job, a priviledge to travel and I really loved it. I worked hard, learn't so much and worked with some great people. At the time I was living in West London with my Partner Emmerson and when we weren't working we were renovating our first flat together. In 2014 I had my son Grayson and took a full years maternity leave. Having that time away from work, was a game changer, my whole outlook changed and I had time to reflect on my design career and the industry. I went back to work for 6 months after Maternity leave and during that time I realised the industry I knew and loved had negitively changed too much for me to be part of it anymore at the same time I had the idea for Monty & Co.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SHARE ABOUT THE ETHOS OF MONTY & CO.?

Our styles are informed by the past and inspired by a love of history, utility, and heritage. We design unisex modern workwear classics for everyday. We create quality clothing that is crafted by traditional hand methods. Honestly and sustainably produced by small batch production. All our garments are made with hardwearing traditional textiles using 100% natural fibers, allowing a garment to get better and softer with age, washing and wear. In our modern fast paced and disposable world, we seek function over frivolity.We are committed to making clothes to last to hold those special childhood memories and become firm wardrobe favorites. We want our garments to become modern heirlooms that are treasured and proudly passed down to future generations. Our values center on slow design, we don't design to trends, fashions, or the constant fast fashion cycle. Instead taking the time to perfect and create timeless key garments that will be as stylish and relevant in many years to come as they are today.We are currently working with a small factory in England that has an incredible history and heritage producing British workwear for over 100 years, which we are passionate about supporting and keeping alive. Transparency and ethical sustainable practices are of uttermost important to us. We support the Fashion Revolution movement with a respect to the skilled craftsmanship of our makers whose names proudly feature on our swing tickets and all of which are paid the living wage.

YOU’RE LOCATED IN BRITAIN AND PRODUCE THERE AS WELL. WAS IT HARD TO FIND THE RIGHT FACTORY?

Monty & Co is 100% a British brand it is both exclusively designed and produced in Britain. I launched Monty & Co. in London three years ago after an extensive 16 months of Research and development. We moved as a family and the business last year, swapping the city for the countryside and have built a new studio for Monty & Co. at our home in the South Cotswolds. Initially, in the planning stages of the brand, I had wanted to start my own micro-factory/atelier and produce Monty & Co. in-house due to the high-quality aspirations I had for the garments. I had designed and pattern cut and fully sampled all the collection myself and was about to start formulating a plan for the in-house production.

However, I was attending the "Meet the Manufacturer" exhibition, now "Make it British" trade show, to source fabrics from British merchants when I discovered the factory I now partner with, Yarmouth Oilskins. They were showing at the event and had a full range of Adult workwear, it was an "AH HA" moment discovering them. They had manufactured a few items of childrenswear for other brands but never on a significant scale so it was a perfect opportunity to work with them as my designs were workwear-inspired childrenswear. They have a 100-year heritage and history of manufacturing workwear so are experts in constructing wovens and as the manufacturing is all traditionally handcrafted. Something I wanted to achieve with the brand so it made total sense to work with them. I was lucky to find them as I only wanted to manufacture locally and was passionate about manufacturing in the UK and protecting its heritage, despite having many opportunities from previous relationships with factories and suppliers overseas from my previous career as a Senior menswear designer on the High street. It is not easy to find a reliable factory and great partner to establish a meaningful and lasting relationship with.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOUR FACTORY PRACTICES BEST ETHICAL STANDARDS?

The factory I partner with has high ethical standards. Very important to me is that they are fully committed to paying the living wage, which is often rare for a UK clothing manufacturing especially outside London. They invest in training and have a high retention rate of seamstresses. Some of the ladies have been producing garments for Monty & Co. for the past three years and have been working in the factory for over 25 years, a testament to a happy workforce which would be very rare overseas in a big production facility where the workforce is often volatile as garment workers move factories seeking increased wages constantly. The factory produces an in-house clothing brand Yarmouth Oilskins and is committed to local sourcing from the fabric they use being natural fibres and sourced in the UK, just how I source with Monty & Co.

Leigh visiting the factory — Visiting the factory

ARE YOU ABLE TO OVERSEE PRODUCTION EASILY?

The factory being in Norfolk means I get to visit the factory regularly to oversea production and new developments. I have a great relationship with the team and factory Manager, speaking with them weekly also. Sustainability and ethical standards cannot be implemented without a strong lasting partnership. Many new brands change factories within the first few years of businesses, often starting in the UK due to minimums then moving overseas. From my experience in the industry, supply chain commitments are key to lasting sustainable relationships.

Many factories get into difficulty from brands migrating to new ones as they move to lower labour facilities. Subcontracting also happens a lot with small and new brands where factories take the order, then get bigger orders from key partners and subcontract production to another unit, which leads high chance of being unaudited and ethically sound. Having seen this happening I was committed to working exclusively in the UK, knowing who makes my brands clothes and being able to monitor it closely.

Scenes from the factory during Monty & Co. production

WHAT KIND OF FABRICS DO YOU MOST USE AND WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

I only use quality lasting natural noble fibres, Cotton and Linen. Fustian qualities which are known for there hardwearing lasting properties and durabilities like Corduroy, Twill, Canvas and highly constructed Linen. I source 90% of our fabrications from UK textile merchants, which have a long-standing heritage in British textiles. They source loom state qualities from ethical fully vertical mills from overseas and Europe all of the fabrications are Okeo-Tex Certified. We source our Linen from a fully vertical mill in Ireland, the linen is the finest quality and woven, dyed and finished in the mill. The wool we source locally in the UK, we are currently sourcing Alpaca/wool from a partner in Devon which owns the Alpaca farm and the wool is spun in Yorkshire and Devon and dyed on the Scottish borders. There is extensive consideration in material sourcing. I am passionate about provenance, transparency and sourcing locally and ethically. Avoiding air freighting or shipping fabric which comes with a big carbon impact so sourcing existing fabrications has low carbon impact and with no wastage, as we can buy to demand. When I am not sourcing fabrications from the UK I look to closest mills in Turkey, Ireland and Europe that also have to be Okeo-Tex Certified.

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOUR FABRICS ARE DYED?

Approximately 70% of our fabrications are dyed and finished in the UK from mills based in the North of England, Manchester, Bradford. The remaining fabrics are dyed at a vertical mill source in the country of origin. Vertical mills mean all processing is done in-house so it is not sent to another dye facility, so controls are tightly controlled and audited. All fabrics are dyed to safe Okeo-Tex approved standards.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR OVERSTOCK OF MATERIALS AND FABRIC SCRAPS?

As we produce to a supply and demand model and don't work to seasonal collections, fashions or trends, as we are committed to a slow fashion approach, we don't overproduce therefore we hold very limited fabric stocks. The factory we work with works on a digital low waste pattern lay plan, which avoids as much waste as possible. I have collected the fabric scraps from production and have a zero-waste program planned in which they will be recycled into new products and utilised for a new repair scheme I am hoping to implement later this year.

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PACKAGING FOR SHIPMENTS TO CUSTOMERS?

All the orders are fulfilled in-house at the studio. I support our local community post office by sending our orders via Royal Mail. When not using Royal Mail, we use DHL and offset carbon implications. All our packaging is plastic-free. Our packing took a lot of thought and sourcing, over a year, we have been packaging traditionally and consciously since we launched. We use Kraft paper, traditional British potato sacks as our mailers and we wrap the garments in recycled kraft paper, tied with Jute string which is British made. Our swing tickets are produced in England and the handwritten cards we include in orders are made from kraft paper too. Kraft paper has been chosen as it is unbleached to ensure minimal chemical treatment and is a biomaterial that is bio-based and completely biodegradable and composts quicker, as the caustic part of the kraft paper pulping process removes lignin to leave only cellulose fibres. Cellulose is easy for bacteria to digest when compared to lignin, it is also easy to recycle and the potato sacks can be reused. Our woven garment labels are all British and woven in Plymouth.

WHAT ABOUT PACKAGING TO THE STORES YOU WORK WITH?

This is the one packaging challenge I have yet to overcome in the ongoing commitment to sustainability, I am currently working to resource. Plastic garment hangers and garment bags have a huge hidden impact environmentally. We wholesale mindfully only to a few selected retailers. UK stockists we ship without plastic garment bags and deliver ourselves where we can. Overseas stockists currently we are having to use plastic garment bags which is not ideal. I have found compostable bag options but they are produced overseas and have a huge minimum order, which as a small brand we can't commit to and it would also be a waste and a big carbon implication shipping/flying these from overseas. I am currently investigating sources from the UK and alternatives and hope to make the switch to compostable in 2021.

DO YOU WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING ELSE WITH OUR READERS?

Monty & Co. was started to provide an alternative to fast fashion. The most sustainable thing we can do it to buy/own better and less and slow consumption. Our Monty & Co. garments are designed to last and avoid landfill, they are unisex and timeless in design to make it easier to pass down and keep garments desirable and in existence. We won the "BuyMeOnce" durability award in 2019 a testament to the lasting quality of our garments. Our Monty & Co. Loved programme launched in 2018 and has been very successful. It is a take-back preloved programme, a commitment to sustainability and circularity, where we encourage our customers to extend the life of the garments brought from us by passing them on or sending their loved, worn, outgrown garments to use to be loved and reworn. By sending pre-loved garments back to us customers receive 50% of their next purchase and we then wash and resell the loved styles in our online store at 40-50% of the recommended retail price, 10% of those sales are donated to the Fashion and Textiles Trust, who support families working in the UK textiles industry needing essential financial support. 2020 will see the launch of a repair scheme to further our commitment to lasting quality and sustainability.

WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU FEEL IS MOST IMPORTANT TO LIVING A MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFE DAY TO DAY?

To pause and consider their consumption habits and choices. Every decision and purchase has an impact on people and planet. Not every decision is going to be right or perfect, its about trying to choice the best option, taking time to come to a decision that has the least impact within your means. I volunteer locally at my local childrens charity that takes donations of kids stuff from buggies to cots, clothing and toys which is resold and donated to help families in the local community. It's been a huge eye opener the amount of stuff and excessive consumption that is indulged in having a child. We are all buying too much stuff and often not thinking about the lifecyle of products and clothing. What happens after we are finished with something, where does it go? What’s its impact after use?, after its outgrown?, can it be reused/resold? how long will the material take to decompose? The complete lifecycle from how and where it was made by who, to what happens after we no longer need or want it? There are so many questions we have to consider with every purchase. I think we need to take more time on our choices and consumption, which is not always easy for busy parents in a fast paced world where convenience is king!

How would you describe your personal style?

British, tomboy, utility, casual

What are your favorite clothing/accessory brands to shop for yourself?

I rarely shop, only for needs rather than wants. About 60% of my wardrobe is vintage, which I’ve collected over the past 2 decades. But when I do purchase new I try to buy British made from ethical independent brands or brands who's products are of high hierloom quality and made to last. I'm really passionate about supporting local homegrown industry and British manufacturing.I love my friend Nadia's brand Nadinoo which she handmakes in her shop/studio in Rutland all made from natural fibres her styles are very timeless, I have a few of her styles I wear on repeat. I love Margaret Howell as an investment, Toast for its British made pieces Scottish Knitwear in particular. Kate Sheridan does amazing british outerwear and jackets. I'm a big fan of the factory I partner with Yarmouth Oilskins range of classic workwear. Me and my husband Emmerson share our favourite canvas bags by Rural Kind and a selection of vintage printed neck scarves.

What are your 3 wardrobe essentials you couldn't live without?

A timeless workwear jacket. I have quite a collection and pretty much wear one everyday all year round my essential workhorseNow living in the countryside, I couldn't live without my Blundstone boots. A pair of my Yarmouth Oilskin cotton dungarees, always with my phone and pencil in the top pocket so I don't need a bag.

The one purchase you've never regretted?

A vintage Chanel chain belt I brought at a flea market when I lived in New York. It turned out to be real gold and very valuable.

Besides Monty & Co, what are your favorite brands to shop for your kids?

I am a big fan of Mabli knitwear. My son Grayson lives in the merino wool skinny ribs they are such amazing quality and last a good few years. We styled the skinny ribs with Monty & Co in the recent photography its a perfect match. Grayson has lived in Salt Water Sandals every summer since he has walked due to the lasting quality. I has my first pair 8 years so its a brand I trust. Always natutral fibres, heirloom and hand me down potential is what I look for in the brands I choose and buy. They have to have another life value beyond my son. Again supporting British is always a first priority for me too, so Sleepydoe and Nights by Wilder nightwear are favourites and Amy and Ivor leather moccasins I have kept and treasured in case we have another child.

What are the 3 items in your kids wardrobe you couldn’t live without?

A pair of Monty & Co. Porter dungarees
A Mabli skinny rib top
Disana boiled wool jacket from Mamaowl (which sadly after this one he's too now old for)

AS A WORKING MOM/FOUNDER, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE COME UP AGAINST?

I think exceptance of my limitations and time. When I was starting out I got so frustrated that I never got what I wanted to achieve done. Having to except that its just me running a business alone. That there will be limitations and I won't be able to achieve everything I want to. Understanding it will take longer than others and to be at peace with that, realising the positive in that limitation. Now I'm more focused on doing less but doing it well than trying to do it all.

LASTLY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.

Would be time with my family and dog Albert. A long walk locally in the Cotswolds valley with a trip to a food or flea market then home to cook a curry, followed by an evening curled up by the fire to read, knit, sew or draw!

Up Close with Leigh Montague, Founder of Monty & Co.