common era

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS

• Spain
• Portugal

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES 

common era takes its ethical responsibility seriously by making all their products within the European Union, where strict European labour standards apply. 

They carefully select their supply chain partners, including GRS-certified factories and smaller factories aiming for certification. Their website clearly states they only partner with those who provide legal job contracts, reasonable work hours, fair pay, safe work environments, the right to form unions, non-discrimination, no voluntary work, and strict compliance of the ban on child labour.

MATERIALS 

• Recycled cotton
• Organic cotton
• Polyester 
• Recycled polyester
• Elastane 

common era incorporates a high percentage of recycled materials in their fabrics. Their collection features items crafted from a blend of cotton and recycled polyester, which comes from a combination of pre- and post-consumer waste. Recycled polyester is primarily made from PET bottles, though plastics from oceans, used polyester garments, and manufacturing remnants also serve as valuable raw materials. Learn more about recycled polyester here.

The brand states that from time to time, the availability of recycled polyester is less than its demand, so they supplement it with conventional polyester in some of their designs. Where elastane is used, it is always in very small percentages. 

The cotton used is either certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the Organic Cotton Standard (OCS), or is recycled from excess materials left from other textile productions.

The cotton in the yarns remains undyed, while the PET polyester is colour-dyed using a water-efficient process. This blend of fibres creates the unique colours in the collection.

PACKAGING 

After a rigorous quality check, the garments are sent to logistics partner, DHL, and packaged in more sustainable and reusable materials.

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS 

common era states that no harmful chemicals are used in the production of their fabrics. As their products contain synthetic materials, the brand explicitly recommends washing them in a laundry bag to better protect the clothing and avoid releasing microplastics. 

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

Each piece in their collection is crafted from a blend of cotton and recycled polyester. This approach helps reduce the need for new raw materials, minimizes waste, and supports the circular economy in textile production. However, the production of recycled polyester is not without its drawbacks; it requires high energy consumption. Learn more about this issue here.

COSH! points out that recycling garments made from mixed materials is complex. When these items reach the end of their lifecycle, they are typically not recycled back into new garments but are instead processed as raw materials for other uses, particularly within the textile industry.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS 

Repair and reuse are important to common era, as this can significantly extend the lifespan of a garment. To achieve this, they work with external parties specialised in this area. 

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN 

Production locations:

• Spain 
• Portugal

common era’s production chain extends across several European countries, fostering transparent and sustainable production. It begins at RB Fibres in Spain, where textile production waste is transformed into usable fibers. These fibers are then combined with other types, such as recycled PET polyester, at Belda Llorens, the brand’s Spanish yarn supplier. Avelana Knitting in Portugal knits the yarns into fabrics for T‑shirts, jumpers, and hoodies, while Vilarinho in Portugal weaves the yarns into fabrics for blouses and shirts.

Camorsil and Bravebehavior are partners manufacturing T‑shirts, jumpers, hoodies, and shirts, blouses respectively.

common era’s European production chain offers substantial advantages for transport and CO2 emissions. By centralizing the various production stages within Europe, the distance between suppliers and manufacturers is minimized, reducing transport distances. This leads to lower CO2 emissions due to decreased transport needs. Furthermore, the EU region leads in adopting environmentally friendly transport methods and enforces stricter emissions control regulations, significantly lowering the ecological footprint of the production chain.

TRANSPORTATION 

common era has selected DHL as their delivery partner because of their leading fleet of electric vans and their commitment to offsetting remaining CO2 emissions through large-scale reforestation and other climate compensation initiatives. 

common era does not use any animal materials, so they are theoretically a vegan brand unless they use animal derived products in their dyes.

PRODUCT DESIGN

common era strives to create timeless garments that are ethically produced and of high quality. With an emphasis on minimalist design and eco-friendly materials, the brand offers a unisex collection of comfortable jumpers, stylish t‑shirts, and cheerful blouses. 

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES 

It is not clear how many collections common era releases per year, however some items are currently on sale on their website, which suggests that their business model does not necessarily align with slow-fashion principles. 

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT 

On each product page, the fabric composition is carefully broken down to help consumers understand exactly what their garments are made from, and the percentages of recycled materials they contain. This is truly important for helping consumers to make more considered purchases. Additionally, common era has collaborated with tex-tracer. This platform allows consumers to trace the production journey of their purchase, from design and development, to material sourcing and processing, and finally transport and warehousing. This enables a complete understanding of exactly how individual purchases were made. 

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES 

common era strives for utmost transparency in their supply chain. They believe that customers have the right to know where their clothes come from and under what conditions they were produced.

This is why common era has a dedicated page on their website dedicated to sharing extensive details about their supply chain. From the source of their materials to the production facilities they use, they strive to openly communicate every step of the process.