Responsibility
Materials
Organic Cotton
Cotton is the most common fiber used in the textile industry. It is a natural and renewable fiber. It is soft, breathable, and easily absorbs moisture, making it very comfortable to wear. Nevertheless, it is known, that the cultivation of conventional cotton has a high impact on the environment due to the use of chemicals, pesticides, and water.
Organic cotton is grown using alternative methods that have less impact on the environment. It is also not genetically modified.
We try to use organic cotton as far as possible — now the whole range of jerseys is made in organic cotton.
Silk
Silk is one of the most exclusive materials available — it has a fantastic sheen and a soft hand feel. It breathes and gives you a comfortable feel in both hot and cold climates. It is a renewable natural resource and biodegradable. Silk doesn’t attract moisture and dirt in the same way as a cotton garment and doesn’t need to be washed as often. Many times, it is enough to spot clean, air, or steam your garment. When you need to wash it, hand-wash in cold water and always use a detergent for delicate fibers/silk wash. Common detergents often contain enzymes that destroy the silk fiber. Silk garments may feel a bit "harsh" after washing but become shiny and soft after you steamed/ironed them. Our beautiful silk blouses are produced in India.
Ceramica®
Our suits are made from a material called Ceramica®, produced in Oporto by the Portuguese supplier Riopele. It is a mix of polyester, viscose, and elastane and is known to be of high quality. It is breathable, soft, fluid, and very comfortable to wear. It is durable, wrinkle-resistant, and easy to care for. All our suits are produced in Portugal.
Wool
Wool is a material that is fantastic from many perspectives. It is natural and renewable, long-lasting, comfortable, and beautiful. It is naturally soil and odor repellent and doesn’t need to be washed often. Our coats are made in a high-quality wool fabric mixed with a small part of polyester to strengthen the fabric and make it more durable. Our wool fabric is made in Portugal and also the manufacturing of our wool coats.
Fur & leather
Fur and leather are an important part of our assortment. They are natural materials that last — when you invest in a leather jacket or fur coat, it is likely to believe that you will cherish that garment in your wardrobe for a long time. As members of Fur Free Alliance, we only work with leather and skins from animals bred for the food industry, such as sheep and goats.
We work with trustworthy suppliers who have proven to have a high-quality standard. The tannery for leather is located in Turkey and is a member of the "Leather Working Group" - an organization promoting environmental compliance within the leather industry. The tanning process is always chrome-free. All our leather garments are made in Turkey and the furs in China.
We follow Fur Free Retailers' definition. Fur in the Fur Free Retailer Program refers to any kind of animal skin that comes from animals raised or hunted and killed with the main purpose of their fur. For example, mink, foxes, rabbits, chinchillas, coyotes, sable, and racoons.
Fur does not include:
• Leather, with or without hair, where the animal was raised and killed primarily for the meat. Example: leather from cattle, elk, horse, deer, sheep, goat, and reindeer.
• Material cut, shaved or combed from live animals. For example wool, angora, and cashmere.
• Synthetic material that imitates fur.
The following are always considered as fur for animal ethical and/or animal welfare reasons:
• Fur from karakul lamb (Persian fur)
• Fur from rabbit
• Fur from dog and cat
• Fur from seal
• Fur from marten
In some cases, it is difficult to determine what counts as fur and not. The rule that fur means animals that are bred solely for their fur is superior. But there are borderline cases. For example, some kinds of rabbits are born both for the meat and for the coat. Several wild animals, such as coyotes, beavers, and raccoons, are sometimes hunted for other reasons than for their fur, but also the coat is economically valuable and used. For some animal species, such as marten, the breeding and hunting methods are unclear or vary between different countries. Therefore, the animal's skin and hair are considered fur for safety.
Cashmere
Cashmere, the fiber from the underdown of a goat, is known as the finest and most luxurious of all wool-fibers. It is super soft, silky, and warm. Each goat produces only a few ounces of wool per year and it takes a minimum of two goats to make one sweater, hence the higher price!
Since the cashmere fiber is so soft and delicate, you need to treat your cashmere garments with care! It will have some pilling in the beginning, but it’s easy to remove with a wool-comb and will decrease with time. Make sure to always use wool-detergent when washing. After wash, re-shape with iron with steam at a low temperature. The cashmere we use originates from Mongolia and the production is in China.
Alpaca
Alpaca is one of the most exclusive kinds of wool. The fiber is very soft, light-weight, durable, luxurious, and silky. It's about 30% warmer than other wool types.
The price is high since one animal only produces approximately three kilo wool per year. Alpaca is seen as more sustainable wool than fibers coming from goats and sheep since their soft, padded feet are gentle on the terrain and they graze without destroying root systems of the grass.
Garments made in alpaca will always lose some fiber in the beginning — this will stop after wearing the garment for a while. We mix alpaca with other fibers such as wool, polyamide, and polyacrylic to get a yarn durable, less compact, and with its special characteristic structure.
Mohair
Mohair is a fiber from the Angora goat. It has a high luster and sheen and great insulating properties. We use it in a blend with cotton, nylon, and wool to make the yarn lighter, fluffier and stronger.
Garments made in mohair will always lose some fibers in the beginning — this will stop after wearing the garment for a while.
The mohair we use originates from South Africa and comes from growers that subscribe to the South African Mohair Industry’s Sustainable Guidelines, assuring fair treatment of animals and the practice of holistic and sustainable farming. The goats are not subject to mulesing since this is illegal in South Africa.
Read more at Mohair South Africa.
Merino/Yak
Merinos are considered to have the finest and softest wool of any sheep. In our yarn, it is blended with yak fiber that has a softness comparable to cashmere. The merino wool yarns we use are guaranteed to be mulesing-free.
Lyocell/TENCEL™
Lyocell fibers produced by LENZING are produced via an advanced ”closed-loop" solvent spinning process, with minimal impact on the environment and economical use of energy and water.
Lyocell is made from cellulose found in the wood pulp, which has been harvested from tree farms.
TENCEL™ is a registered trademark of fabrics from the fiber called Lyocell. It is a natural fiber with a flattering drape and is soft, luxurious, breathable, and naturally wrinkle-resistant.
TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG.
Linen
Linen is one of the oldest fabrics to be used for garments. It is a beautiful, luxurious material with high breathability, making it perfect to wear in the summer!
Linen fabric is derived from the Flax-plant and offers a more sustainable alternative to cotton or polyester. Flax is a crop that grows quickly even in poor soil and it requires less volume of pesticides and fertilizers compared to conventional cotton. It is generally rainfed and does not require irrigation.
As an extra benefit, linen has a natural resistance to moth!
Denim
Our denim is developed by our team of designers and pattern makers to have the ultimate fit, using a high-quality fabric with a small percentage of elastane for the perfect comfort. The denim is produced in a small factory in Urbania, Italy, proven to have high-quality standards.
We do not accept any production processes harmful to the environment or the workers therefore, methods like sandblasting are banned.