Maku the Label Design & Strategy

Maku the Label was experiencing growing pains. As wholesale and retail operations expanded, the manual admin load became unsustainable—wholesale orders were being entered manually, products had to be duplicated to manage fulfilment across suppliers, and there was no automated tagging or order routing in place.

On top of that, Maku was preparing to shift to new suppliers and launch a major website refresh with updated photography and branding, all while transitioning to a wholesale platform.

Laptop displaying a fashion website with models wearing colorful t-shirts featuring artistic designs and illustrations.

Project Overview

I stepped in to streamline Maku the Label’s back-end operations while also preparing for a sleek new visual direction. I removed the need for duplicated products by setting up a smart automation workflow that routes orders to the correct supplier based on customer tags. I also coordinated conversations between the printer, automation app support teams, and Maku to clarify tech capabilities and future-proof the setup.

While the brand transition, I paused advanced integrations that would soon be redundant, focusing instead on delivering a clean, scalable system that supports both the short-term workflow and long-term strategy. On the front end, I reimagined the design direction to move away from orange accents and deliver a cleaner, monochrome aesthetic in line with their elevated new photography and product styling.

Website displaying a collection of graphic T-shirts modeled by women, featuring designs like bread, cherry, ice cream, and various art styles, with prominent pink and white theme, and a main banner showcasing a woman in a white T-shirt with floral embroidery.

Maku the Label is an Australian slow fashion brand creating hand-painted, ethically produced T-shirts with a focus on self-expression, sustainability, and conscious consumerism. Every tee is made to order, designed to last, and crafted with the planet in mind—making them more than just a wardrobe staple, but a movement in wearable art.