Certified Materials
The production of clothing has a significant impact on the environment. Think of the use of chemicals, energy, agricultural land, and water. We use certified fabrics as much as possible to reduce our ecological footprint.
Preferred Material List
To be transparent about how we classify our materials, we use a Fiber Matrix. This Fiber Matrix has four categories: Best, Better, Preferred, and Conventional. We use this tool to make better material choices.
Our List of Preferred Materials is based on Modint’s* preferred material list. A key aspect of this list is the evaluation of materials based on a circular model.
* Modint is the Dutch trade association for fashion, textiles, and interior design. It supports companies with advice, advocacy, and services in the fields of sustainability, trade, innovation, and responsible business.
Circular Production
In a time when the impact of the fashion industry on the environment is undeniable, we actively seek ways to make our collections more sustainable and circular. King Louie is taking the next step by investing in innovative, circular materials. The focus is on minimising environmental impact. That’s why we work with existing materials and make use of the abundance of resources already in circulation.
So far, we’ve created three circular knitwear collections. For these collections, no new raw materials were extracted; instead, we used recycled clothing. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, the production process used significantly less water and dye. We were able to reuse the material and colors of discarded garments.
These collections are proof to us that fashion and circularity can go hand in hand – without compromising on style or quality. That’s why we continue to look for new ways to take the next step in circular production.
Animal Welfare
At King Louie, we highly value animal welfare. That’s why we have an Animal Welfare Policy that sets strict guidelines for the use of animal-derived materials.
Leather
The leather used by King Louie comes from Leather Working Group (LWG)–certified manufacturers. This organization focuses on reducing the environmental impact of leather production.
Wool
The wool we use comes from independently certified sources, in accordance with our Animal Welfare Policy. This means the wool is obtained in a responsible manner.
Obtaining wool certification requires compliance with strict standards. Although not all our wool products are officially certified yet, we are actively working to achieve this and to expand our certifications further.
Ambitions
Every year, we aim to increase the percentage of sustainable materials in our collection by 5%. We are on the right track with 69% in 2024, but we still use a fair amount of conventional materials in products like jackets and suits. To make improvements in these product categories, we are exploring deadstock materials and the use of recycled yarns as an alternative to conventional ones.
Certificates & Partnerships
We believe it’s important to minimize the environmental impact of our clothing production. The labels of the organic, recycled, or Better Cotton materials we use can be found on our product pages.
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The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is an international standard for organic textile. We are GOTS certified, CU851623. Only products which carry the GOTS label and claim are certified.
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Products certified to the Organic Content Standard (OCS 100) contain between 95-100% organically grown cotton that has been independently verified at each stage of the supply chain, from source to final product.
King Louie is OCS certified, CU851623. Only products which carry the OCS label and claim are certified.
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Products certified to the Organic Content Standard (OCS Blended) contain between 5-94% organically grown cotton that has been independently verified at each stage of the supply chain, from source to final product.
King Louie is OCS certified, CU851623. Only the products which carry the OCS label and claim are certified.
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We are proud members of Better Cotton Initiative. Better Cotton Initiative trains farmers to use water efficiently, care for the health of the soil and natural habitats, reduce use of the most harmful chemicals and implement the principles of decent work.
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Leather Working Group (LWG) is an organization focused on the environmental impact of leather production. In order to become LWG certified, manufacturers must implement special programs for energy use and wastewater.
The leather used by King Louie is Gold Rated (the highest classification).
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Global Recycled Standard (GRS) guarantees the fabric consists of at least 20% recycled content. The GRS certification verifies the recycled content and the socially responsible and environmentally friendly production practices.
King Louie is GRS certified, CU851623. Only products which carry the GRS label and claim are certified.
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LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose is a sustainable alternative to viscose. It is made from local trees, which reduces CO2 emissions. The wood is FSC certified, which means that sufficient trees are replanted. The chemicals used in the production process are reused and 50% less water and energy is required than in the production of traditional viscose*.
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TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG. We use both TENCEL™ and Modal fibers. The responsible production of TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers uses at least 50% less water and emits at least 50% less CO2 compared to generic lyocell and modal fibers, according to Higg MSI*, thereby saving precious resources for future generations.
* Better Cotton Initiative is sourced via a chain of custody model called mass balance. This means that Better Cotton Initiative is not physically traceable to end products, however Better Cotton Initiative farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton Initiative in equivalent volumes to those that we 'source'.
* Results basic on LCS standards (ISO14040/44) and available via Higg MSI (Version 3.7)
* LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose are trademarks of Lenzing AG.