Bellerose

Bellerose has several production locations, around 40% of their collection is made in Europe, including Portugal, Romania, France and Italy. However, they also works with manufacturers in Tunisia, China, India and Hong Kong. In order to keep a good relationship with their manufacturers, Bellerose annually visits them.

In addition, the brand has laid down social conditions in its partnerships with these various manufacturers. This code of conduct is based, among other things, on the International Labour Organisation (ILO), an agency of the United Nations (UN) that is tasked with promoting social justice and guaranteeing decent work based on international standards. In this way, Bellerose always wants to guarantee fair prices for its products.

Bellerose likes to use natural materials in its collection, namely cotton, linen, wool, and viscose. Unfortunately, these materials are not all equally sustainable. The production of cotton requires a huge amount of water, on top of the pesticides and herbicides used. Viscose is not a sustainable material either; it requires wood, which does not always come from sustainable forestry. More sustainable alternatives are recycled or organic cotton and Tencel (this is a sustainable version of the company Lenzing).

Sometimes Bellerose does use synthetic materials like polyester, for example in the outdoor collection. These products require a sturdier material for easier maintenance and use. In these cases, the polyester extends the life of the product, which benefits its durability. Unfortunately, such blends of natural and synthetic materials are much more difficult to recycle after use.

Fortunately, Bellerose is committed to improvement. They launched the BRUT denim collection which is made of organic cotton and deadstock materials. For example, the buttons come from surpluses of other companies and collections. In addition, Bellerose wants to use more recycled cotton and organic cotton in their other collections.

Bellerose also has a strict code of conduct regarding the use of chemicals in the production process. The brand has banned all azo dyes and pigments from their collections. Azo dyes are synthetic dyes that can be used to dye clothes in bright colours. Unfortunately, these dyes are also harmful to people and the environment. (Read more about azo dyes here.) In addition, all manufacturers Bellerose works with follow the REACH regulations. This is a European regulation that limits the use of harmful chemical substances. This regulation applies to all manufacturers in the European Union, but Bellerose imposes this on all their production sites.

Bellerose uses many blends in their collection. When different materials are mixed in a garment it makes the garment more difficult to recycle after use. Bellerose must and wants to improve in the field of circularity. They do this by recycling their own textile waste, among other things. Currently, they have several bags and aprons in their collection that are made from their own production surplus.

All garments made entirely of natural materials are biodegradable. This also applies to the products from the BRUT collection, which are all made of 100% organic cotton. Even the buttons are made of biodegradable material, which makes this collection very circular.

Bellerose tries to shorten its supply chain, for example, by having clothes produced in the country where the fabrics come from as often as possible. About half of all Bellerose clothing is made in Europe and the nearby Mediterranean region. The denim fabrics for the BRUT collection are even produced in Belgium. Bellerose also has the ​‘I buy Belgian’ label because the entire creative design process takes place at the headquarters in Brussels.

Nevertheless, Bellerose has a long supply chain. The company also works with manufacturers in Tunisia, China, India and Hong Kong. We also notice that there are many middlemen in this chain, which also means that the distances are often greater.

Bellerose considers animal welfare important and makes efforts to improve it. Fur is replaced by imitation fur, skins from exotic or protected animals are banned from the collection and all down that is used is RDS certified. This is the Responsible Down Standard, a certificate that checks the entire down chain for animal welfare.

All merino wool that Bellerose uses in their collections is mulesing free. Mulesing is the unanaesthetised cutting away of skin from the hindquarters of sheep to prevent infection by carnivorous larvae. Want to know more about the impact of wool? (Read it here.)

Bellerose uses only shorn angora wool, whereby the rabbit must not be plucked alive.

Finally, the brand only uses leather that comes from animals used in the meat industry. In other words, that is a residual product. In addition, Bellerose wants to use as much vegetable-tanned leather as possible, because no harmful chemicals are needed.

Bellerose feels very strongly about quality. The longevity of a quality product ensures that the product is more durable. Therefore, Bellerose always uses quality materials, making their products with care and attention to detail. 

The style of the clothing also helps to ensure its longevity. The designs are timeless and classic. Bellerose does not participate in fast fashion trends but wants to ensure you can enjoy your purchase for a long time. Therefore, they also offer a free repair service. So you can get your garment repaired, anytime, at no cost!

Bellerose receives from COSH! the icon of 50% transparency. All production countries are mentioned, but not the specific manufacturers. We also miss information about the origin of most fabrics.