UP-CYCLED & ORGANIC MATERIALS

Photo by Leila Emine & Zachasephoto

Upcycling

Protecting nature and our planet’s valuable resources is one of our biggest concerns. For this reason we believe in the power of reusing materials and decided on working with as many upcycled materials as possible. By doing so, we are creating exclusive garments that are not harmful to our planet. Working with upcycled materials means that we use fabrics for our garments that already exist - for instance worn-out clothes. Sounds gross? We guarantee, it’s not! 

As our UNRAVELAU atelier is situated in the Upcycle Center of Almere, where people can drop off their disposed items, we have direct access to a lot of used fabrics. When our founder and designer, Laura Meijering, started cooperating with the Upcycle Center, she expected to find a lot of torn and dirty clothes. But instead, what she found were mostly new clothes in perfect condition - some of them even with the tags still on them!

After sorting and washing the clothes that are handed in, we make sure that each item will be completely reused and turned into a new beautiful one-of-a-kind product!

If you want to find out more about our atelier and location at the Upcycle Center, have a look at our Atelier page or Visit us!

Photo by Klaudia Molenda

Organic Materials

Besides upcycled fabrics, there are a few other carefully selected natural materials that we use for our UNRAVELAU collection. In line with our core values, each of them is of certified organic origin, biodegradable and produced under fair working conditions.

To ensure the highest quality and standards, we dedicate a lot of our time to research before deciding which materials to work with. Those materials are then ordered through our agent from Truecolour Textiles, who focuses on sustainable and fairly produced textiles. That way, we can guarantee the best fabrics for our customers and the environment.

To find out more about the characteristics, benefits and origins of our materials, have a look at the detailed information below.

Photo by Loet Koreman

Cruelty-Free Ahimsa Silk

Did you know that silk is made out of the threads of the silkworm’s cocoon? For the production of regular silk those cocoons are boiled and the silkworms die during this process. Ahimsa silk, also called peace silk, is the cruelty-free alternative: the threads of the cocoon are only used after the silk moth emerges from its cocoon. The trees silkworms feed on get covered with mosquito nets in order to protect them from harmful insects or birds; no toxic chemicals are being used.

At UNRAVELAU we love to use silk not only for its luxurious feeling on the skin, but also its strong fibers that make our garments very long lasting - so you can wear and enjoy them over and over again.

We buy our silk from the Germany-based social entrepreneurship COCCCON: Their silk is produced by highly skilled artisans in India and is REACH and GOTS certified.

Did you know that our Milen Jacket and Mirka Blouse are made of Ahimsa Silk?

Photo by Jaco Terpstra

Hemp

Fabrics made from cannabis? Of course! Hemp is a wonderful material that becomes softer and softer over time. Hemp is made from the cannabis plant, which is fast growing and doesn’t need any pesticide treatment. The production of hemp requires relatively little water, making it even more eco-friendly than organic cotton. No chemicals or animals are involved in the making.

At UNRAVELAU we use hemp fabric that is cultivated and produced in Romania by the company Fiberee, using only GOTS certified eco-friendly dyes. The company guarantees that every step of their production process is environmentally, economically and socially responsible.

Discover our favourite hemp pieces in our SHOP!

Photo by Loet Koreman

Linen

This beautiful fabric is made from the raw material flax: A very resilient plant that doesn’t need any pesticide treatment and grows in conditions where nothing else can be cultivated. Therefore, fields that cannot be used to grow food can still be utilized, making Linen an eco-friendly alternative to conventionally used fabrics.

Our GOTS certified linen has been produced in Germany by the company Mattes & Ammann, that supports the enforcement of employment rights, working conditions and human rights throughout the entire supply chain.

With its strong fibers Linen is a very durable fabric, creating garments that you can enjoy for a very long time.

Take a look at our latest collections by clicking HERE!

Photo by Rosella Fennis

Organic Cotton

The cultivation of conventional cotton requires lots of water, pesticides and leaves a large ecological footprint. At UNRAVELAU, we exclusively use organically produced cotton. What distinguishes organic cotton from regular cotton is the lower water consumption and the replacement of harmful pesticides with predatory insects that protect the plantations.

We receive our organic cotton from the India-based company True Tone Ink. Their whole production process is GOTS certified and they work with 100% natural herbal dyes that aren’t petroleum-based or contain any heavy metals like conventional dyes. Sustainability and fair working conditions are core values of the True Tone Ink philosophy.

Explore all our organic cotton garments in our SHOP!

Tencel™

Tencel™ Lyocell is not only one of the softest, but also one of the most sustainable fabrics out there. Made from cellulose, it has a very low production footprint and is way more eco-friendly than viscose or even organic cotton! The production process only takes about 3 hours (compared to 40 hours it takes to produce viscose) and requires less water during cleaning due to fewer impurities.

The cellulose is derived from wood pulp from sustainable and certified wood sources. Protecting our natural resources, only organic chemicals are used to dissolve the wood pulp, so the water used for this process can be filtered and reused.

For our garments, we only use Tencel that is GOTS certified, produced in Italy by the company Albini. Sustainability and ethical working conditions are integral parts of how they run their business.

Discover Unravelau collections HERE!