Howlin’

Howlin’ has been working with a centuries-old Irish family business for years. Here the knitwear is made with local Irish yarns. In addition, the brand also works with Scottish knitwear manufacturers. These artisan producers make all the knitwear in the Howlin’ collection. 

Another part of the collection is produced in Belgium. These are mainly products made of lighter knits, jersey, towel fabric and rib velvet.

Each time, the materials used by Howlin’ are produced in the country where the producer is located. This way, the brand can honestly say that the garments are 100% made in the country of origin.

Thanks to these local producers, Howlin’ can guarantee that your purchase is made in good and safe working conditions. In this way, the brand also helps to keep craft knitting techniques alive in Scotland and Ireland.

Most of the Howlin’ collection is made from sheep’s wool. This is a sustainable and natural material. The wool is sourced locally and processed into knitwear. Howlin’ also uses cashmere and merino wool in some garments. These types of wool are much finer and therefore much softer than regular sheep’s wool so you don’t get an itchy feeling.

The garments with a ​“Made in Belgium” label are not made entirely of wool. Synthetic materials such as acrylic and polyamide are also used in these designs. For the pants, T‑shirts and jackets, (organic) cotton and polyester are used.

These are not all equally durable materials. Polyester, acrylic and polyamide are synthetic materials. There is a risk of microplastics being released when washing synthetic clothing. Therefore, COSH! recommends washing your synthetic clothing in a GuppyFriend laundry bag to catch the microplastics.

Cotton is also not a sustainable material. Growing cotton requires large amounts of irrigation water and chemicals. A better alternative to this is organic cotton. No chemicals may be used in the production of organic cotton.

The collections produced in Ireland and Scotland are circular. These garments are made entirely of wool. By using only one material, Howlin’ ensures that the clothes can be easily recycled after use. And because sheep’s wool is a natural material, it is even biodegradable.

Clothing produced in Belgium is less circular. These clothes often consist of different materials. Such material blends are much more difficult to recycle. And by combining natural materials with synthetic materials, the product is not biodegradable. So always pay attention to the label of your purchase to know what it is made of.

Howlin’ certainly has a short supply chain. The wool comes from the same region where the garment is made. The Made In Belgium collection is also made with fabrics from Belgian manufacturers. The jersey is even knitted by Howlin’ itself.

And because everything is made in Western Europe, the clothes don’t have to travel long distances to get to you!

Howlin’ uses a variety of animal materials in their clothing. Sheep’s wool in particular makes up a large part of the collection. The brand mentions that the wool comes from Ireland and Scotland, but gives no further information. Because of this, COSH! cannot make an assessment of the animal welfare and conditions in which the sheep live. 

Some garments also incorporate soft cashmere. This is a type of wool that comes from the cashmere goat. The largest producing countries of cashmere are China and New Zealand. But cashmere is also produced in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Due to the lack of information, we cannot determine the origin of the material.

Howlin’ uses quality materials and production techniques. In this way, the brand wants to ensure that their products have a longer lifespan. The designs also contribute to this. The clothes are made with care and with great attention to detail. Howlin’ designs with the goal of creating durable, functional and original products that do not follow seasonal trends. The collection consists of a timeless mix of colorful, modern and vintage designs. The style is inspired by the 1980s and the ​“New Beat” music genre, among others.

Thanks to the self-cleaning properties of wool, there is no need to wash your sweater often. So you can easily air your wool purchase as well. If you do prefer to wash it, it is better to do so by hand and at low temperatures. In this way, you will ensure that your garment stays beautiful longer.

Yet despite the information they provide about their production, Howlin’ is not really transparent. Little is known about the exact production locations, or where the materials come from.