LEND

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS

• The Netherlands
• Portugal
• China 
• (Turkey)

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES

LEND has the majority of its current collection manufactured in Portugal, where the garments are sewn and finished. Additional production steps take place in the Netherlands: Screen printing is carried out locally, as is the production of certain knitwear such as jacquard pieces. Repairs and finishing are also carried out there. Earlier collections were still partly produced in Turkey; these pieces are no longer part of active production today. Caps, on the other hand, are still produced in China.

In Portugal and the Netherlands, workers benefit from EU labour rights, minimum wages and better safety standards. The proximity also allows for greater control by the company. 
In Turkey, there are certain risks in terms of wages and working conditions.
The production of caps in China harbours transparency risks, particularly with regard to labour conditions and wages.

LEND works with a small number of selected partners and maintains close contact. 
The brand does not have its own production facilities, but regularly visits its partners in the Netherlands. LEND emphasises fairer production and social impact.

Some of the finishing and repair work is carried out in the Netherlands by a company that stands for social integration and also employs people from disadvantaged groups. This indicates a certain social commitment on the part of the brand.

Some of the finishing (e.g. screen printing) is done locally and by hand. 

MATERIALS

• Cotton
• Organic cotton (for newer pieces)
• Polyester (in older pieces, e.g. hoodies/​sweatshirts)
• 100% cotton labels (to promote mono-materiality)

LEND mainly uses cotton and is increasingly focussing on organic cotton for newer products. This is skin-friendly, breathable and more comfortable to wear. Compared to the conventional variety, organically grown cotton offers ecological advantages, for example through the reduced use of pesticides and a lower level of fertiliser. 

Polyester is used in older collections – for example in hoodies or sweatshirts. Although this material is durable and easy to care for, it has ecological disadvantages, particularly due to the release of microplastics during washing and the poor recyclability of blended fabrics.

Want to find out more about organic cotton? Then read our article.

PACKAGING

• In e‑commerce, LEND uses recycled paper in which the garments are rolled up – a minimalist approach that saves material and avoids unnecessary packaging.
• It is emphasised that all components such as yarns and accessories are sourced locally in the Barcelos textile centre, reducing the need for costly packaging and transport solutions within the supply chain.

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS

The production facility in Portugal has full control of all production steps and is GOTS and OCS certified. It also fulfils the requirements of the SANE and ECOLUB standards, which promote ecological and social criteria in textile production. These certifications indicate reduced water consumption and the avoidance of particularly harmful chemicals. GOTS in particular stipulates strict requirements for wastewater treatment, the use of non-toxic dyes and the avoidance of hazardous substances along the entire supply chain. 

For textile printing, LEND works with a factory in the Netherlands. Screen printing is used, but no information is available on the colours used or possible harmful chemicals. 

Some older products contain polyester, which can lead to the release of microplastics during washing. However, newer items are increasingly made of (organic) cotton, which reduces this risk.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

LEND is increasingly focussing on mono-materials, particularly through the use of 100% cotton and cotton labels, in order to improve recyclability. 

However, some older products still consist of mixed fabrics such as cotton/​polyester, which makes recycling more difficult. 

A clear advantage lies in the cooperation with a Dutch repair and reconditioning specialist. LEND products can be reworked, repaired, re-labelled or refurbished there – a step towards extending the product life cycle. 

The products appear to be repair-friendly in principle, but there is no information on special circular design principles such as modularity or easy disassembly.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL

LEND does not offer an official take-back service for used or worn clothing. However, the brand does work with a Dutch repair and reconditioning company. This company carries out repairs and offers professional services such as refreshing, repairing and relabelling. 

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

• Netherlands (screen printing, knitwear, repairs)
• Portugal (main production country for current collections)
• Turkey (older collections)
• China (accessories such as caps)
• The LEND headquarters are located in Utrecht, Netherlands.

LEND has a rather straightforward supply chain, as the main production takes place in the Netherlands and Portugal and only individual products come from Turkey or China.

TRANSPORTATION 

• LEND mainly produces in Portugal and the Netherlands, which keeps transport routes within Europe comparatively short. All series productions from Portugal are delivered by lorry. However, some accessories such as caps from China travel longer distances, which increases the ecological footprint.
• LEND currently uses PostNL for the dispatch of e‑commerce orders. 

LEND does not use any animal materials in its collections. 

PRODUCT DESIGN

LEND offers a lifestyle collection for adults that is aimed at both men and women. The garments are predominantly unisex in design and combine golf aesthetics with modern streetwear.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES

LEND relies on a decelerated model system: instead of constantly launching new collections, the brand gradually adds new designs to its line.

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT

The LEND product pages provide a compact overview of the most important features of the individual items. In addition to information on the material and fit, the respective country of production is also shown transparently. In addition, care instructions and brief descriptions of comfort and style are provided in some cases.

Although the country of production is stated, the site does not allow detailed traceability back to the factory or supply chain. Overall, LEND offers basic but not complete transparency at product level.

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESS

LEND only provides limited information about its own processes and supply chains on its website. Product-related traceability is not offered. This means that customers cannot trace exactly where a particular item of clothing was manufactured.

However, the production countries are clearly indicated on the product pages and some local partner companies in the Netherlands are mentioned by name. The brand also emphasises its close cooperation with a small number of carefully selected producers, which indicates a manageable supply chain and direct, personal contact with the production facilities.