Sustainable Fashion

Slovak Brands

Selfless Purchasing

SELFLESS STANDARDS

We have our own principles. Selflessness and responsibility can be seen in our production process, our choice of materials and our approach to current social topics. That is why we carefully select our partners – our brands. Every product that we provide to #slowflowers must meet at least 3 of our self-less principles.

LOCAL PRODUCTION

The product is made using local resources, close to the brand headquarters or in a specific region. Local production supports home economy and employment rates, and it helps us maintain better control of the production process and the quality of the products.

MADE IN EU

The product is made in the European Union. It is produced in one of the countries of the EU depending on the EU legislation.

MADE IN SLOVAKIA

The product is made in Slovakia. It is produced with a love of tradition in the clothing industry. By buying this product, you are supporting Slovak brands and the employment rate in Slovakia. Besides, you are helping to spread the slow fashion message right from the heart of Europe.

CERTIFIED MATERIALS

This product was made using certified material or the product itself is certified. Our textile and other materials must meet high standards. Some of our certifications of quality are OEKO-TEX®, GOTS, OCS 100, OCS BLENDED, RWS, PETA, Fair Wear, Better Cotton initiative. These focus on maintaining organic farming and material processing, ensuring good work conditions and other important factors in creating clothing and accessories.

These certificates are not easy to obtain. However, this does not mean that the products which do not have the certificates are of low quality or are not sustainably made.

More on this topic can be found in the section Quality Certificates.

NATURAL MATERIAL

This product is made of at least 80% of natural materials.

Some of the natural plant materials we use include cotton, cotton satin, bamboo, micromodal, linen, hemp, cork and tencel. These materials are made from different plants and their parts; for example, tencel is a type of fiber made from eucalyptus cellulose. Some are made from wood (bamboo, oak) or tree bark (cork).

Some of the natural animal materials we use are wool, merino, alpaca wool, angora, mohair, cashmere, silk, fur and leather. The future of textiles lies in fabric made from algae or processed biowaste (seeds, fruits) as a leather substitute.

More about our materials can be found in the section Materials Guide.

UPCYCLED MATERIALS

The brand creates its products using upcycled waste from other production or obtained from the customers in line with zero-waste principles. Textile or other materials meant for disposal can therefore be used again. By using pre-processed materials, we save energy, water and other resources.

The products that are made from at least 80% of upcycled materials meet this principle.

As an example, we used automotive industry waste to turn used car seats into strong backpack straps.

RECYCLED MATERIALS

The brand creates its products using recycled materials. Used textile, plastic or other materials is recycled for further use. Processing pre-existing materials saves energy, water and other natural resources.

The products that are made from at least 80% of recycled materials meet this principle.

As an example, we recycle old textile and plastic bottles to create a durable fiber that can be used to make notebooks sleeve or bags.

HAND-MADE

The product is hand-made. Parts of the product or materials are made by hand, either by our tailors, designers or other professionals. This includes, for example, hand-sewed clothing, colouring of textiles, processing leather or hand-made accessories.

ETHICAL PRODUCTION

The brand behaves responsibly and ethically to its employees. It creates a good work environment, it cares about the health and safety of its employees and it rewards them fairly. It offers jobs to disadvantaged people, produces in safe manufactories and in regions with a high unemployment rate. It rejects forced or child labour, or any form of breach of human rights and discriminaction.

 

In terms of social responsibility, it can support non-profit organisations and projects for social wellbeing.

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION

The brand produces items not only for economic gains, but focuses on the social and environmental impact of its production. It carefully selects its suppliers and knows where its materials come from. It produces high-quality items that last and does not support overproduction. Employees are rewarded fairly for their labour. The brand transparently communicates not only with its partners, but also its customers. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that the brand publishes a detailed description of the product and its composition. The brand does not waste our resources and when possible, chooses more eco-friendly alternatives; it restricts its usage of plastic and recycles.

REPAIR SERVICE

The brand offers the option or repair service. The conditions of this service are decided by the manufacturer.

LIMITED COLLECTION

The brand only produced a limited amount of products of the same design, quality, colour or size. Limited edition composes of at most 100 original fashion pieces.

MADE TO ORDER

The product is exclusively made-to-order. In this way, the brand does not support overproduction and conserves resources. The customer can choose from a number of predefined options. Made-to-order products can be returned or refunded in a standard way defined by the Terms and Conditions.

 

After consulting our designer, the final product can be adjusted according to the customer’s specifications. However, a designer-customised product cannot be returned or exchanged unless agreed with the manufacturer.

UNIQUE

The product is unique, the only one of its kind. An item designed in the exact same way will not be reproduced.

FAIRTRADE

The Fairtrade mission is focused on helping small-scale farmers and workers in third-world countries to better their living conditions by adhering to fair market principles. To receive a Fairtrade mark, the manufacturer must meet strict conditions, which include gender equality, commitment to bettering work conditions, fair wages, ecologically-friendly production or farming. In the fashion industry, the most common Fairtrade item is cotton.

By buying a Fairtrade product we, as customers, can directly affect the lives of people and farmers in Africa, Asia and South America, who have helped with the creation of this product with their labour.

Read more about Fairtrade.

RAW MATERIALS FROM ORGANIC FARMING

Organic farming creates good conditions for healthier soil and efficient use (and not overuse) of natural resources. Healthy soil, protection of water, non-use of pesticides and sustaining biodiversity are connected. In this way, it helps us fight climate change.

The products that are made from at least 80% of raw materials from environmentally friendly agriculture meet this principle.

VEGAN

The product does not contain any animal byproducts, it is not made from leather, wool or any other animal material. The product is made from plant-based materials such as cotton, linen, cork leather or others. The product can be made using synthetic materials.

ORGANIC

If the product is label organic, it must be made and processed using methods that are not damaging to people, animals, plants or the environment. This often includes organic farming, which refuses the use of pesticides and herbicides, supports biodiversity, and conserves soil and water.

Typical organic materials are cotton, silk, linen and hemp. As an example, a GOTS certification on cotton clothing ensures that at least 95% of the fibers used in its production were organic cotton fibers. Animal byproducts such as leather, fur or wool can also be considered organic, as long as the animals lived freely or at farms that created good living conditions for them. Materials from animals that were killed in driving accidents or during the process of regulation of their population represent their own category.

PLASTIC FREE

The product does not contain any plastic in its composition or its cover. It is not made from any synthetic polymers such as acryl, elastane, polyester, polyamide, silicone or glue. The expectation to this rule are synthetic sewing threads that ensure durable and tight sewing. The product does not contain any plastic accessories, zippers, covers or tags.

CRUELTY FREE

No animal was harmed during the production of this product and it was not tested on animals. In terms of materials, some animal byproducts, such as beeswax or wool, can be used, as long as they were collected with respect to the animals.

SUPPORT OF NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS

The brand supports the activities of non-profit organisations, charity organisations or educational institutions, whether financially, materially, marketing-wise, through volunteering or in another way. The supported non-profit organisations and projects are focused on social, ethical or ecological goals.

As an example, our brands donate a portion of their sales profit to organisations helping abused women or to support the activities of the Fashion revolution initiative.

COLLABORATION

The product was designed and produced through a collaboration between two or more brands.

As an example, the collaboration of sobi.eco and ReTie brands lead to the production of a unique eco bowtie range for men made from recycled and upcycled materials.