16 Finish brands leading the ethical transition
Anna Ruohonen
High quality sustainability luxury is Anna Ruohonen’s signum. The sustainability aspects relates to timeless design, high quality natural materials such as silk and production on demand. There should be no deadstock or waste during production and everything is ethically made in France and Finland by order.
Archetype
Timeless design, garment care and recycle materials is the leading components of “wear, care and repair”. The clothes are oeko-tex certified and produced in Estonia. The brand have visited the factory themselves and are only choosing suppliers in Europe they can have a direct contact with. Details are considered such as buttons of biodegradable resin and packages are either in recycled plastic or biodegradable materials. The brand aims to source materials even more carefully, looking into offsetting transportations and making collections out of deadstock. Launched in 2020, the future look promising for this brand.
ASK Scandinavia
Bags and accessories made of regenerated nylon and sustainability produce cactus fibres. All products are vegan and made from reused, recycled and up-cycled materials. All products are made in northern Portugal.
Cuitu
Androgynous designed based on a zero-sate philosophy. Androgynous means that the clothes are unisex and one size. The materials are meant to tolerate extreme weather and most of the material is sourced is surplus fabrics. The clothes are manufactured in Turkey, in a factory they have visited and that complies with the brands social and environmental standards.
Frenn
Manufactured in Baltic countries with eco-certified materials (such as Oeko-Tex 100 and GOTS). At each item of clothing you can read where the clothes are made and where the products comes from. You can download the full lists! The brands aim on keeping the production as transparent as possible. The company has also looked into transportation and their carbon footprint. The footprint was reduced with 26% between 2018 and 2019. Read more about their ambition to be the leading Nordic sustainability brand here.
Globe Hope
In 2019 95% of all the materials used where recycled or from surplus fabrics. Clothes are produced in Finland, Baltic countries and Bangladesh. The brand has activity participated to promote social sustainability such as boycotting Black Friday, joined Circular Monday and donating and collaborating with several NGOs. The next step is to calculate the carbon footprint and handprint!
HallaxHallo
Produced swim wear made of regenerated nylon which is made by recovering nylon waste from waste such as fishing nets. Behind the brand there are two women who wanted to help to reduce plastic from the ocean by creating sustainable swimwear. The clothes are produced in Bali in a factory which the owners themselves has visited several times and that lives up to their ethical standards.
Ivana Helsinki
Clothes design with zero waste perspectives in mind in a small scale family owned factory in Turkey that the owner herself has visited several times. The material used is organic cotton and viscose. The offices aims to reduce paper consumption and keeping electricity low.
Kaiko
Kaiko believes in giving back, 7% of the profit goes to women’s education in Nepal. The clothes are manufactured by a finish owned factory in Portugal which is Oeko-tex 100 certified and some collections are made in Estonia. The GOTS certified cotton is spun in Turkey and Italy (name of each factory is given). Transparency is a leading word of Kaiko sustainability profile.
Katriniskanen
The certificates include Oeko-TEX 100, Global recycled standard, GRS Global Recycled Standard, GOTS and BCI Better Cotton Initiative, and Polyamide Q-NOVA yarn and NATIVA fiber. Everything is designed with zero waste in mind and left overs are used for creating accessories. Most of the clothes are produced in Baltic countries.
Lovanna Lingerie
Materials are Oko-Tex Standard 100 certified to avoid chemicals and keep the clothes closets to our bodies harm-free. Most underwear is produced in Latvia. You can read more in the material guide here.
Pure Waste
This brand are only using recycled materials (cotton and polyester from PET bottles. The benefits of using buying Pure Waste compared to a product made of new materials are also summarised in their Impact Report. They are using 50% less CO2 and 99% less water. In the sustainability report you can read about the recycled materials used, the fabrics they collaborate with, the certificates they hold, the packaging of materials and so on.
Jatuli
Locally produced is the signum of this brand who uses wood to create jewelries in Helsinki. You will also find clothes produced and manufactured in Europe.
Terhi Pölkki
Shoes made in family-owned small scale factory in Portugal. The shoes are made of natural material (such as wood) and are European sourced. The canvas sneakers has organic cotton and no dangerous chemicals are used. You can also repair you choose and the company has set a a goal that by 2022 only to use renewable energy. Read more about the sustainability efforts here.
Vestarium
Since 2019 this company is carbon neutral. On each product you can read about where it has been produced (China, Finland, Italy and Austria among the countries), what the material is and what certificate the product or material holds (such as Oeko-tex and FSC council).
