CharlieMary’s collections are both sustainable and ethical. The brand collaborates with a small number of manufacturers who offer safe and pleasant working conditions to their employees. This permanent collaboration gives CharlieMary more control over production.
For part of their production, CharlieMary collaborates with Makers Unite. This is a studio in Amsterdam that combines sustainable production with social employment. Through this organisation, people who have emigrated to the Netherlands can easily find work in the textile and fashion sector.
Another Dutch organisation CharlieMary works with is Loop A Life. This Dutch company processes post-consumer materials into new yarn and fabric. A Portuguese manufacturer then produces the clothes.
The European Union has strict labour rules and laws. This leads us to assume that CharlieMary’s production takes place in fair and safe working conditions.
CharlieMary also works with a manufacturer in Turkey, Kopenhag Studio. Kopenhag Studio works with five small, local workshops. Here, mainly deadstock materials are processed into new collections. This manufacturer also puts an emphasis on ethical production in their work. By working with small local workshops, Kopenhag Studio aims to provide more traditional craftsmanship employment opportunities.
CharlieMary’s collections are made entirely of recycled natural materials. This also ensures the clothes are completely plastic-free! Natural materials are made from plants, such as cotton or linen, for example. CharlieMary also uses Tencel, which is a semi-natural material due to the chemical processing it requires to be produced.
CharlieMary uses different materials in their collections. It always sources these materials in the vicinity of its production sites. For example, the clothes made in Turkey are made from leftover fabrics from fashion houses in the area. Dutch manufacturer Loop A Life processes waste materials that come from Europe. This cuts down on the distances travelled by the materials and reduces their carbon footprint.
CharlieMary also takes measures to create as little waste as possible during their own production. That’s why they work with digital systems in the design phase to reduce cutting waste.
Another manufacturer CharlieMary works with is Enschede Textile City. Here, fabrics are made from locally collected textile scraps.
As dyeing is one of the most polluting steps in production, both Enschede Textielstad and Loop A Life do not do this. The colour of the textiles comes from the recycled material in the yarn. This way, no chemicals are needed in production.
CharlieMary is circular through and through! The brand uses only materials that already exist. These include deadstock materials as well as post-consumer textile waste. They also make sure the clothes are easy to recycle after use. Due to their collections being made from natural materials, they are easy to recycle and even biodegradable, if the materials don’t contain any chemicals.
CharlieMary is also committed to using quality materials ensuring their clothes have longer lifespans. They encourage all customers to take care of their purchases and repair them when needed. The brand also plans to launch a second-hand platform in the future to give CharlieMary products a new life.
Finally, CharlieMary also has a take-back service. That means you can return your old CharlieMary products. This way, CharlieMary can recycle your old products in the best way possible.
Even their packaging is reusable. In collaboration with RePack, CharlieMary has reusable packaging that you can return for free. This way, your online orders don’t contribute to the shipping box waste.
Even though CharlieMary also works with a Turkish producer, most of the collection has a short supply chain. The materials come from Turkey and European countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal and France. The products are made near where the materials come from, especially in the Netherlands, Portugal and Turkey.
CharlieMary does not use materials of animal origin in their collections. They’ve even chosen vegan alternatives for their haberdashery.
CharlieMary is committed to using quality materials ensuring their clothes have longer lifespans. The designs are stylish and timeless, guaranteeing the clothes will still be in fashion after 10 years.
As mentioned earlier, CharlieMary encourages its customers to take care of their purchases and repair when needed. In the future, CharlieMary plans to offer patterns to turn your old purchases into something new. The brand also plans to launch a second-hand platform in the future to give CharlieMary products a new life.
CharlieMary scores well in terms of transparency. The brand provides a lot of information about the production partners they work with. The materials’ country of origin is also given.
Head to CharlieMary for timeless women’s fashion and fun basics, which are all circular! What’s more, the brand is vegan. Discover where to shop it on the map below.
