By-bar

by-bar keeps in close contact with the manufacturers they work with. They visit them regularly and are continuously working on maintaining these personal relationships. The manufacturers are spread across four different countries: Portugal, Italy, Turkey and India.

by-bar visits its Indian manufacturers up to four times a year to monitor working conditions. They also urge these manufacturers to be Sedex- or BSCI-certified in order to guarantee good working conditions.

The manufacturers within Europe are 100% controlled, as European Union labour rules and laws apply. As a result, we can assume that the products are made in ethical working conditions.

by-bar regularly uses organic cotton in its collections. It also uses other sustainable materials such as linen and Ecovero viscose. These materials have the advantage of requiring fewer chemicals and water during production. These natural fibres are also fully biodegradable.

Unfortunately, synthetic materials such as polyester, polyamide and acrylic also feature in their collections, as well as less sustainable materials such as plain viscose or non-organic cotton. Synthetic materials can release microplastics when being worn and washed. Ordinary viscose needs many harmful chemicals to be produced, which are retrieved in Ecovero viscose. 

by-bar’s collections include several mono material items, meaning they are made from only one type of fibre. Mono material clothes are the easiest to recycle. Those made entirely of natural fibres, such as 100% (organic) cotton, are biodegradable.

Unfortunately, by-bar also sometimes uses textile blends which mix natural and synthetic materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester. Combining these, however, prevents the clothes from being recyclable and biodegradable – not great for the circular economy. 

Clothes that are made only out of recycled polyester are more circular, however, as it gives old PET bottles a second life. The few items made from upcycled saris also contribute to a circular economy!

Many of the factories that by-bar collaborates with are located in Europe so the clothes only have to travel a short distance to you. by-bar is in direct contact with all manufacturers, which also reduces the number of stages in its chain.

Animal materials are also used in some of by-bar’s clothes. Among others, silk, wool, alpaca wool, mohair, leather and merino wool feature. Unfortunately, no information is provided regarding the origin of the animal products they use. Due to this lack of information, we are unable to assess animal welfare. 

Timeless designs are central to by-bar’s clothes. The brand does not follow rapidly changing trends so its clothes can be worn for a long time. By-bar’s clothes are quite colourful but also feature many pieces in more earthy tones, where basics can be effortlessly combined with fun floral prints. The women and girls’ collections are perfectly matched, so mother and daughter can coordinate outfits. 

When it comes to quality, too, by-bar is committed to making the clothes last. The website contains tips & tricks to help you care for each kind of material and enjoy your beautiful purchase for longer!

by-bar is committed to transparency throughout their operations and supply chain. The product page of each item of clothing and accessory shows where it was made. In this way, by-bar shares information about the place of origin of each product. The date when by-bar last visited the manufacturer is also listed here, along with the certificates obtained by the manufacturer, regarding working conditions and organic cotton (e.g. Sedex and GOTS certification). 

When it comes to materials, by-bar is unfortunately less transparent as it does not communicate the origin of the materials and information about the fabric suppliers. There is also very little transparency about the materials of animal origin (such as wool or silk).