AMY & ELLA FAQs

We get asked all sorts of things so here are the most common questions you might have, and the answer.

Do I have to pay any customs and/or duty?

You will be responsible for assuring that any products you order comply with state and federal government import regulations. Orders valued above your countries customs threshold may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are levied by your countries border control at the time the order arrives in your country. We advise you to check the most current threshold with the appropriate government agency. All applicable duties, fees and any additional charges for customs clearance are your responsibility.

What are the garments made of?

Traditionally Saris are often flamboyant and brightly coloured, frequently embroidered, and made from silk, cotton, or, in recent years, synthetic cloth such as viscose and polyester. We use retro Sari cloth in the majority of our skirts so silk is the most common component. It is not uncommon to find chiffon or georgette added into the mix which is why we refer to the skirts as a silk blend.

Since we cannot trace back the origin of each Sari we upcycle and each skirt is unique (preventing batch testing), it’s impossible to say for sure what the actual fabric content is.

Who makes the garments?

We support local manufacturers in India with fair trade and upcycling, providing beautiful products to you at great value.

Workers are trained to sew, often from home in remote areas and it gives them the ability to earn an income. Sometimes we get skirts that we have to write off and can’t sell. These we gift rather than add to landfill. Others we make a call on if we feel are still beautiful enough to be worn. There's an extra blog post with more here.

Are the garments unique?

There are a very small quantity of skirts that are not, and they are clearly marked on their listing. A length of sari fabric is around 6 metres in length and so it is possible to get two skirts out of it, depending on the skirt sizing. Generally, the reverse pattern of the skirt will be totally different. If the same two saris have been used for two skirts, the actual placing of the pattern could be different on each finished skirt. Therefore, two may be similar.