˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ WHO IS OUR FOUNDER?
FM2U Clothing is a small, POC woman owned Australian fashion brand that specialises in alternative, gothic, and whimsical clothing.
It began with one person, a sewing machine, and a vision to bring something different to the alternative fashion scene. Our founder and designer, Stit, is a self-taught seamstress who turned a lifelong passion with sewing, pattern-making, and fashion into the vampy + whimsical brand FM2U is today. Having been born and raised in India, she grew up surrounded by skilled artisans and tailors, nurturing a deep love for fashion and craftsmanship. India, celebrated for its exquisitely made saris, traditional attire, and mastery of hand beading and embroidery, has always been a place where artistry and textiles intertwine, shaping her appreciation for detail and design.
Stit’s expertise has extended to side projects in vintage clothing curation and educational pieces on responsible fashion. She has visited raghouses overseas for learning opportunities, run meaningful reselling initiatives to prevent landfill waste, participated in runway shows, spoken on panels, and delivered lectures at university on entrepreneurship and ethical fashion practices.
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF FM2U
In March of 2024, Stit began sewing and drafting the first samples of what became the “Morticia” Collection. She taught herself patternmaking and devoted hours each day perfecting her craft. Sometimes staying up sewing and pattern drafting until 2-3 am; purely out of love and passion for the craft. At the time, each order was sewn by Stit in her sewing room at home (in Adelaide, South Australia).
Slowly, the brand began to gain more traction, and Stit was working with the help of some friends to sew these pieces together (Still on a made to order basis). However, demand soared after a video of the “Morticia” dress went viral on Social Media, and orders began flooding in. We had a high volume of lovely customers wanting to get their hands on our pieces, but the demand was too high for us to be able to meet in a timely manner with just 3 people sewing them together.
This is when Stit decided to turn to manufacturing her pieces to keep up with demand. This meant that more vampy & whimsy fashion lovers could get their hands on our products, and an industrial standard of production could be maintained for all of our customers.
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ OUR MANUFACTURING PRACTICES + ETHICS
Transitioning from sewing our garments entirely in-house to working with external manufacturers was not a decision Stit made lightly. In an industry where exploitative labour practices, unsafe working environments and unethical production remain widespread, maintaining integrity in how and where our garments are made has always been non-negotiable.
Sewing in-house was a deliberate choice from the beginning and reflected our commitment to ethical craftsmanship, quality and knowing the people behind our clothing. As FROM ME 2 U grew beyond what could realistically be produced by our small in-house team, we knew that scaling the brand could not mean compromising the values it was built on.
After an extensive process of searching, sampling, communicating and reviewing potential partners, we began building relationships with a small, carefully selected network of manufacturers across India, Pakistan and China. We specifically seek out manufacturers who share our standards surrounding ethical production, fair working conditions, craftsmanship and respect for the people involved in making our garments.
Our manufacturing partners are not chosen simply on the basis of who can produce something the fastest or cheapest. We work with manufacturers whose quality, capabilities and working standards align with what we expect from FROM ME 2 U, while allowing different manufacturers to specialise in the garments, fabrics and techniques they do best.
Our manufacturing standards include, but are not limited to: ethical working conditions and pay, no employment of minors, appropriate leave entitlements, safe working environments and fair treatment of workers. We prioritise working with manufacturers who can demonstrate responsible labour and workplace practices through recognised certifications, independent audits, established workplace policies and other supporting documentation rather than relying solely on verbal assurances.
Our manufacturing partners are sweatshop-free and ethically operated, and we take care to work with businesses that take genuine pride in their craft and the people behind it.
Our Pakistan manufacturing partner, whose certification documentation is displayed alongside this section, is a certified sweatshop-free, ethical, small family-owned business whose workplace policies include sick leave, festival leave, carers leave, dedicated time for morning and evening prayers, no employment of minors and Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) contributions.
This manufacturing partner is independently assessed under internationally recognised standards, including SA8000 and ISO certification. Further certification documentation from our manufacturing network, including our manufacturing partner in India, can be viewed in the certification section below.
We apply the same expectations surrounding worker welfare, safety, fair treatment and ethical production across our entire manufacturing network, regardless of where a manufacturer is located. Certification and independent assessment form part of how we evaluate our manufacturing relationships, alongside workplace policies, supporting documentation, direct communication and our ongoing evaluation of the businesses we choose to work with.
We also believe ethical manufacturing requires an ongoing relationship rather than simply finding a factory once and considering the job done. Maintaining direct communication with our manufacturing partners allows us to discuss production, workmanship, timelines and working standards as our brand continues to grow.
A particular benefit of manufacturing across South Asia is our founder Stit's cultural and linguistic familiarity with the region. Stit is fluent in Hindi/Urdu, allowing her to communicate directly with Hindi/Urdu-speaking members of our manufacturing network and reducing the possibility of important conversations surrounding production and labour practices being lost in translation.
Detailed information regarding labour legislation in Pakistan can be found through the Pakistan Code, Ministry of Law and Justice:
Pakistan Code — Ministry of Law and Justice
We recognise that ethical manufacturing is not defined by the country printed on a garment's label. What matters to us is who is making our clothing, the conditions they are working under, how they are treated and whether the businesses we partner with are willing to be accountable for those standards.
As FROM ME 2 U continues to grow, we remain committed to working with a small, carefully selected network of manufacturers we trust, maintaining transparency around our manufacturing practices and refusing to compromise our standards simply for cheaper or faster production.
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ SWEATSHOP FREE & INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED CERTIFICATIONS
Independent certification is one of the ways we seek to substantiate the standards we expect throughout our manufacturing network, alongside direct communication, workplace policies, supporting documentation and our ongoing relationships with the people producing our garments.
Our manufacturing partners hold certifications relating to social accountability, workplace conditions and quality management, including internationally recognised SA8000 and ISO standards. Certification documentation from our Pakistan manufacturing partner is displayed above, alongside our manufacturing practices, with certification documentation from our India manufacturing partner displayed beside. (See above for our Pakistan manufacturers certifications).
SA8000 is an internationally recognised social accountability standard focused on workers’ rights and workplace conditions, including areas such as safe and healthy working environments, fair treatment and responsible workplace practices. ISO certifications are internationally recognised standards covering areas such as quality management systems.
We view certification as one part of responsible manufacturing rather than a substitute for our own standards. We continue to assess our manufacturing relationships through communication, documentation, workplace expectations and the standards we establish for the businesses producing FROM ME 2 U garments.
For privacy and to protect our manufacturing relationships, identifying information relating to our manufacturers has been blurred from the certification documentation we make publicly available.
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ SUSTAINABILITY
At FM2U, we are deeply aware that we can’t claim to be 100% sustainable as a clothing brand, but instead of using that as an excuse, we treat it as motivation to do the best we can for the planet. Our approaches towards sustainability include:
SMALL BATCHES MODEL & INVENTORY FORECASTING
Every decision at FM2U is intentional. We forecast our inventory with precision to make sure production aligns with real demand. We never overproduce or run excessive stock for the sake of big markdowns later.
Our designs are produced in small, thoughtful runs, and every piece goes through extensive sampling and fitting before release. This means every collection feels cohesive, meaningful, and crafted with love. Our inventory forecasting allows us to produce exactly what’s needed, and nothing more. If ever we do overproduce, we keep the product selling until we sell out.
SLOW FASHION APPROACH
The fashion industry has increasingly moved towards a cycle of constant newness, with new styles released at an incredibly fast pace and clothing often treated as disposable. At FM2U, we’ve never wanted to design that way.
We typically release a new collection every 1–2 months, with timing varying depending on the design and sampling process. While FM2U has grown and our collections have become more frequent, we still believe in designing consciously, not constantly. We don't design around the expectation that something new needs to exist every week, nor do we want our clothing to feel disposable the moment the next collection arrives.
Each collection goes through a considered process of designing, sampling, fitting and refining before it reaches you. Our goal is to create pieces people genuinely want to keep wearing, rather than clothing designed around a constant cycle of micro-trends and overconsumption.
We also regularly share styling videos showing how our pieces can be worn in different ways and styled alongside previous FM2U releases. We intentionally design across collections with this in mind, creating pieces that can be mixed, matched, layered and re-worn rather than becoming obsolete when a new collection drops.
Ultimately, we want your FM2U wardrobe to grow with you, forming a collection of distinctive staples you genuinely love and reach for again and again.
SAMPLES & FAULTY GARMENTS
At FM2U, we are proud to say that we have never let a single sample or faulty garment go to waste.
Samples: Every sample is resold through our sample sales, held both in store at our Adelaide boutique and online as dedicated sample sale drops. This gives our community a chance to own a piece of FM2U at a lower price point while keeping fashion in circulation. It also offers a behind-the-scenes look at our design development, where you can see early versions of your favourite styles and how our craftsmanship has evolved over time.
Faulty garments: Pieces with faults, such as fabric flaws, stitching imperfections or sizing variations, are sold as seconds at a reduced price. We clearly describe each fault so you know exactly what you're getting before you buy. These pieces still have plenty of life left in them and deserve to be worn rather than thrown away.
We believe that sustainability starts with intention, and that even the smallest actions can make a difference. Instead of discarding imperfect garments or overstock, we make sure every single piece finds a home, because each item was made with care, time, and artistry, and deserves to be worn and loved.
We also encourage our customers to resell, rehome, or swap their FM2U items once they no longer wear them. Whether through resale platforms, clothing swaps, or gifting within the community, extending the lifespan of each garment helps reduce waste and keeps our designs circulating for years to come. By doing this, our customers become an active part of the slow fashion movement, helping us close the loop and create a more conscious, circular fashion ecosystem together.
RETURNS & EXCHANGES
We do not destroy or discard returned items, ever. Each return is carefully inspected, re-steamed, and repackaged with the same care and attention we give to every new order. Our priority is to make sure that every garment we’ve created continues its journey and finds a new home, rather than ending up in landfill.
We design intentionally to minimise the need for returns in the first place. Every piece comes with detailed sizing information, accurate garment measurements, and design features that allow for adjustability: whether that’s through shirring, lace-up panels, stretch-friendly fabrics, or flexible fit details that adapt to different body shapes. This thoughtful approach means our customers can shop confidently, knowing that each design was created to truly fit and flatter.
When returns do happen, we see them as an opportunity to connect and care, not a burden. We offer free exchanges because we want our customers to end up with something they feel beautiful in.
PACKAGING & SHIPPING
We use 100% recyclable satchels for packaging and have recently stopped shipping items in individual plastic bags. Our thank-you cards are printed on sustainable materials, and our shipping partner, Australia Post, shares our sustainability goals through their 2025 Sustainability Roadmap:
- 20% reduction in carbon emissions since FY19
- 100% renewable electricity across operational sites
- 39% reduction in waste to landfill
- Over $119 million directed toward social enterprises and Indigenous suppliers
- We also batch ship orders, which is significantly more sustainable than sending out individual packages as they’re ready.
SALE OF SECOND HAND AND VINTAGE ITEMS
At our in store boutique in Adelaide, we have recently begun offering curated secondhand and vintage pieces, hand-selected directly from the raghouse that our founder, Stit, visited in 2023. These garments were literally saved from landfill. During her visit, Stit witnessed firsthand the sheer scale of clothing waste created by fast fashion: piles upon piles of discarded garments, many of them still in perfect condition. That experience deeply shaped how we think about sustainability and the role we play as a brand.
This initiative helps us offset new production while offering our community a thoughtful, accessible way to shop sustainably. Each secondhand and vintage piece is carefully cleaned, restored, and curated to align with FM2U’s vampy, whimsical aesthetic.