Free Prisoner

Every Free Prisoner piece is handcrafted in the studio at Vechtclub XL in Utrecht, Netherlands, where Amber creates each unique order with care, sometimes with help from interns. The organic cotton is sourced from Turkey’s Aegean Sea districts, and the hemp is grown and woven in Romania, sourced from a French platform. Producing within the EU allows Free Prisoner to adhere to strict ethical regulations and maintain close ties with suppliers, ensuring fair and safe working conditions. 

Free Prisoner primarily uses sustainable natural materials like hemp, linen, organic cotton, and recycled cotton. Hemp is the favourite due to its minimal environmental impact. All sewing yarns are also organic cotton, these materials are GOTS certified and verified by COSH!. This certification ensures ethical production and sourcing of the cotton, without harm to the biodiversity and the production worker. 

The brand employs zero-waste cutting techniques, achieving over 99% resource efficiency by minimizing textile scraps. Even the packaging and business cards are made with recycled materials. The brand uses dyes that meet GOTS requirements, ensuring non-toxicity. The garments are all biodegradable in nature, reducing post-consumer waste.

Free Prisoner promotes a circular economy by focusing on compostable clothing made primarily from hemp and organic cotton, with no polyester or microplastics. Most pieces are monomaterial, ensuring they are fully recyclable and biodegradable. Recycled cotton is also used, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to sustainable, circular fashion.

The brand’s headquarters and production studio are located in the Netherlands. Hemp is sourced through a French platform, with origins in Romania. We’re still gathering information on transportation methods to better understand the brand’s emissions. However, the streamlined supply chain limited to the EU has the potential to reduce transport emissions significantly.

The brand does not use any animal derived products, essentially making it a Vegan brand. 

Free Prisoner embodies slow fashion by offering made-to-order garments crafted within five days and made-to-measure pieces that take longer to ensure a perfect fit. Each design features an impeccable fit, achieved through complex nesting of pattern curves. Amber’s personal approach to fashion draws from autobiographical elements and childhood memories, creating timeless designs that contrast oversized, comfortable silhouettes with skin-baring details.

Amber teaches sustainable fashion lessons and conducts workshops as well, sharing her passion with others. Free Prisoner offers care tips to extend the life of each garment and invites customers to visit for a personal fitting. Each piece is customised to fit your body and preferences, ensuring high-quality, lasting clothing that aligns with your unique style. As part of the warranty service, the customers could also get their garments repaired during the first year if necessary.

Free Prisoner is committed to transparency, particularly regarding its materials and production processes. They have diligently traced the origins of their primary materials, including hemp and organic cotton, though linen remains less detailed. The brand is very open about its zero-waste efforts, even sharing their pattern designs compared to conventional ones to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.

Free Prisoner prides themselves on a transparent production line and encourages questions about their practices. They offer detailed information about their materials and processes on their website, making it easy for customers to understand how their clothes are made. They have provided COSH! with extra details as well, including certification proofs.