OUR STORY

We started Toad + Monster in 2012 as bored teenagers ripping up op-shop jeans and embedding them with studs and fabric paint.

It’s now 2023 and we are resurrecting Toad + Monster. Although our tastes, skills, and knowledge have all changed the mission of Toad + Monster remains the same — to hand make beautiful and unique garments as sustainably as possible.

Each piece has a story that starts with the origin of the materials. We use a medley of secondhand, natural, and locally sourced fibres/textiles. This means that all our pieces are either one of a kind or limited edition. If your piece gets damaged, don’t worry — the story’s not over yet. We offer a free repair service so your Toad + Monster garments can keep serving you for years to come. You can read more on our repair service in the “garment care” and “terms and conditions” sections.

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MEET TOAD + MONSTER

  • I was a bratty child and earned the title of ‘Toad,’ courtesy of my Pop. Since then I have redirected my brat-ish, contrary energy towards combating the Climate Crisis.

    Universities became my battle ground and I strode the path of a wayward academic, studying synthetic biology, then music, then materials science as I tried to find a place where I could make a difference. It was in the midst of my materials science PhD that I reached for my long neglected box of knitting needles and yarn, seeking stress relief and a distraction from my uphill battle defending the planet.

    Knitting quickly became my all consuming obsession. I slowly realised it was possible to continue fighting the Climate Crisis whilst doing something that I love, and finally left my work in academia to pursue the thing that made my heart sing.

    From knitting to hand spinning yarn, to blending fibres and weaving, I am now fully immersed in the world of fibre arts and am as happy as a pig in mud. Each garment I make brings me so much joy, and I hope these pieces will bring you joy in return as together we combat the Climate Crisis — one handmade garment at a time.

  • As a toddler with a demonic growl the nickname ‘Milly monster’ was born. An obsession with opshopping as a teen, my room became an store of its own. This hoarding of clothes quickly transformed into a hobby of reselling beautiful thrifted clothes online, now known as ‘Milly’s Locker’. Alongside reselling clothes I studied a Bachelor of Fashion Design and a Bachelor of Business majoring in Sustainable Enterprise. This love for secondhand goods, design and sustainability has brought me here today; selling handmade creations using an array of thrifted materials, trying to make a positive impact within an industry known for its unsustainable nature.

Some of our garments can be suitable for a broad range of sizes and are thus labeled with letter sizing (e.g. S, M, L), whilst others are made to fit specific measurements and are thus labeled with NZ (which is the same as AUS and UK) numeric sizing (e.g. 10, 12, 16). We also provide model measurements on each product. Below is our size guide:

size 6 = 81cm chest, 63cm waist, 89cm hips = XS

size 8 = 86cm chest, 68cm waist, 94cm hips = S

size 10 = 91cm chest, 73cm waist, 99cm hips = S

size 12 = 96cm chest, 78cm waist, 104cm hips = M

size 14 = 101cm chest, 83cm waist, 109cm hips = L

size 16 = 106cm chest, 88cm waist, 114cm hips = L

size 18 = 111cm chest, 93cm waist, 119cm hips = XL

size 20/18+ = 116cm chest, 98cm waist, 124cm hips = XXL

size 20+ = 121cm chest, 105cm waist, 130cm hips = XXL

size 22 = 126cm chest, 110cm waist, 135cm hips = 3XL

size 24 = 131cm chest, 115cm waist, 140cm hips = 4XL

size 26 = 136cm chest, 120cm waist, 145cm hips = 4XL

size 28 = 141cm chest, 125cm waist, 150cm hips = 5XL

size 30 = 146cm chest, 130cm waist, 155cm hips = 6XL

If you have any queries regarding sizing, please feel free to get in touch.

Garment Sizing