At Energetiks we pride ourselves on the quality of our garments, from the calibre of the material and makers we choose to work with, right through to the finished product. As an Australian company, we understand the importance of supporting local businesses and following practices that uphold environmental and ethical standards. Sustainability is a key focus at Energetiks and we are proud to work with a fabric mill that also supports these practices. To design and create garments in Australia that meet world class standards has been our mission for over thirty years. In this blog we take a behind the scenes look into our fabric mill and what it means to be involved in the Australian Made story.

When you choose an Energetiks leotard there are many processes involved behind the scenes to produce this garment. It all starts with a design, choosing the right fabric to compliment this design, followed by a creation process involving garment samples, fit testing and production. Let’s have a look at what goes into creating the beautifully chosen Energetiks fabrics, including how they are sourced and produced.

ABMT Textiles, an Australian owned and operated company, are the major supplier of Energetiks fabrics. Originally established in Australia, ABMT had a vision to lead the industry in innovative fabric development, quality and sustainability. This vision then grew into a global reputation for pushing the boundaries of sustainable fabric technology. Their progressive approach allows them to provide unsurpassed leading-edge fabrics to their clients to share with their customers. Their customer base proudly includes Adidas, Lululemon, Under Armour, Energetiks and several fashion houses including Kookaï.

The working relationship between ABMT and Energetiks has grown and evolved over the past twenty years. After many meetings with Energetiks to understand the requirements of dancers, ABMT developed a fabric that incorporated all the technology of leading activewear brands to produce a fabric specifically for dancers. This resulted in the launch of ProForm™, the market leading fabric used by Energetiks. Since the development of ProForm™, they have also created other lifestyle focused fabrics used by Energetiks including Australian Modal, Bamboo, Merino Wool and Organic Cotton. ABMT source the majority of their fibres from Australia, others from Taiwan - the global hub for performance/technical fibres. “Once the fibres are sourced, there’s a quick turn-around of only 21 days to create a fabric colour, from the original concept through to the finished fabric. Textured effects can take a little longer, but no greater than 2-3 months” explains General Manager and co-owner of ABMT Steve Tsonidis.

Like Energetiks, ABMT are also esteemed on their environmental practices, proudly holding global accreditations including: OekoTex 100, Australian Certified Organic; ISO9001 Quality Management System (Aus); ISO14001 Environmental Management System (Aus); Responsible Wool Standard – Fully Certified to the RWS; Fairtrade Certified  – Organic Cotton. Their dyeing machines also run on 50% less water than conventional dyeing machines, meaning less water is used and less energy is required to heat the water. “Once the water for dyeing fabric is used, it’s then recycled through our onsite water treatment plant. The recycled water is used for activities such as onsite cleaning and third party grey water applications including agriculture” explains Steve. To further support their environmental and sustainable practices, ABMT recently installed over 1,500 solar panels on their factory roof. This will provide a minimum of 35% of ABMT’s energy requirements all year round.

Not only are Energetiks fabrics made in Australia, 98% of all Energetiks garments are manufactured in Australia, qualifying our garments to carry the iconic green and gold ‘Product of Australia’ logo, symbolising our commitment to uphold the highest quality production standards in the world. The product of Australia logo means Energetiks garments are ‘Australian made using Australian materials’ adhering to a strict set of criteria outlined in the AMCL code of practice.

Creating products that align not only with our objectives and goals, but also those of our dance community is paramount to us at Energetiks. We are proud to work with and support like-minded companies and individuals who emphasise the importance of sustainability. When you shop at Energetiks you aren’t only receiving a high quality product tailored to your needs, you are also becoming part of the journey to support environmental practices that are creating a better tomorrow, today.

Article by Sheree Ronai-Horvath
Photography courtesy of ABMT Fabric Mill

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