Resort 25 ~ Made in Aotearoa 09.12.25

As a proud Aotearoa brand, supporting our local industry is integral to who we are. It sits firmly within our Toolbox for Change ~ the principles that guide us to make positive, lasting impact through our decisions + actions.

One way we do this is by producing a portion of our clothing in New Zealand. Currently, around 30% of our CMT (cut, make, trim) takes place here in Auckland. With the rollout of RUBY Resort Drop 2, we visited a selection of our makers in Ōtara + Henderson to see the process firsthand. Here’s a closer look at Made in Aotearoa…

Each one of our Abi styles are made by New Zealand makers with the beading trim being hand-strung by our offshore makers, which include delicate glass details throughout. Our Riley + Rico wine styles are also made locally in New Zealand, using 100% recycled material, with zero waste sent to landfill from the cut and sew process.

Choosing what to make locally versus overseas often comes down to time, capacity, cost and equipment. Not only does choosing to produce locally mean that we are supporting our industry, but producing locally also gives us flexibility. Made in NZ often offers a quicker turnaround, and when development takes a little longer, being close to our makers means we can refine, adjust, and perfect pieces before they are produced and sent across the country to our 8 RUBY stores.

Over the past 40 years, the manufacturing sector in New Zealand has seen a significant decline. Many long standing makers are nearing retirement, and there are no formal apprenticeship pathways for school leavers or new entrants to learn the highly technical skills the industry needs. Investment in new technology and machinery is also limited in New Zealand, creating additional challenges for local production. This leaves our local industry having to compete with offshore manufacturers, where production is often cheaper, faster and they can produce a wide range of complex products due to the equipment they have in the factories.

Certain items such as denim, fully fashioned knitwear, suiting, and shirred pieces, are more technically complex, which is why these are often made by our overseas manufacturing partners who have purpose-built equipment and specialised capabilities to be able to achieve this.

You can read more on the manufacturing process here.

Whilst ensuring we can support local makers through providing work and ensuring fair practices, another key way we can support the local industry is through our work with Mindful Fashion NZ. Co-founded by RUBY General Manager Emily Miller Sharma, MFNZ continues to work in setting up sustainable and suitable infrastructures to support our local industry.

See more of what MFNZ is doing to support the local industry here.

Supporting local makers is one of the ways we choose to contribute wisely as a business. Keeping Made in Aotearoa as one of our key toolbox for change pillars and working with Mindful Fashion NZ ensures we can continue to support our industry far into the future.

Shop our Made in Aotearoa pieces here x