MADE Out Of

Production Locations

• The Netherlands (own workshops in Breda and Nieuw-Beijerland, plus local production partners)
• Italy (production of the apple leather material)

Working Conditions & Living Wages

MADE Out Of makes part of its collection in its own workshops in Breda and Nieuw-Beijerland. Bags and accessories are handmade there.

The brand also works with local production partners:

• Social enterprise Makers Lokaal makes the recycled leather products.
• Printing company De Bij processes the paper.
• Labworxx makes the wooden items.

MADE Out Of also works with the social cooperative ONS label. There, people with a distance to the labour market get guidance and work experience. This helps them move on to paid work.

According to the brand, its parent company Eco Concept Group is a member of B Corp. The brand says this helps the group improve its brands and production partners on social and environmental matters.

Missing information: The brand describes its production as ​“ethical”, but doesn’t explain what that means. There is no information on living wages, supplier visits, concrete measures for working conditions or inclusivity.

Materials

• Recycled leather (GRS certified)
• Apple leather (41% apple remnants, combined with polyurethane)
• Polyurethane (as a coating and binding material)
• Recycled wool felt (GRS certified)
• Recycled PET felt (GRS certified)
• Upcycled workwear, including zips and buttons
• Upcycled bouncy castle tarpaulin and awnings
• Local waste wood
• FSC-certified and recycled paper

The brand states that all wooden interior objects are made from local waste wood. It also claims full traceability and says the wood comes from what it calls sustainable forestry in the Netherlands. 

The recycled leather comes from scraps from the shoe and bag industry. These scraps are ground up and processed into a new material, which then gets a coloured top layer of polyurethane.

The apple leather is produced in Italy and consists of 41% apple remnants. These are combined with polyurethane to make the material sturdier and longer-lasting. 

The upcycled bags are all unique, because each one depends on the workwear that’s being reused.

Packaging

The brand states that all packaging is made from FSC-certified and recycled paper.

Water Usage & Chemicals

Because the brand mainly works with recycled and upcycled materials, such as leather scraps, old workwear and waste wood, its products aren’t directly linked to growing or extracting new raw materials. The water and chemicals involved were mostly used when these materials were first made, so the impact is indirect. 
The GRS certification of the recycled leather and felt also sets rules for chemical use in processing. On the other hand, the polyurethane coating on the recycled leather and apple leather is a synthetic material, and the PET felt could release microplastics. 

Circular Product Design

By using leftover and waste materials, MADE Out Of keeps them out of landfill. Even the zips and buttons of old workwear get reused.

Many products combine different materials. The recycled leather and apple leather both have a polyurethane coating. This keeps the product looking nice for longer, but makes it harder to recycle after use.

The LOOP notebook is made from FSC-certified and recycled paper. Costumers can buy separate refill paper bundles, so they can keep using the same cover and customise it to their liking.

Circular Business Models

MADE Out Of offers a share, repair & recycle service:

• Free repairs on all purchases.
• Take-back: Hand in your old MADE Out Of product and get a discount on a new purchase.

The brand says it refurbishes returned products to donate to charity or recycles them ​“appropriately”.

Distance & Complexity of the Supply Chain

• Production locations: the Netherlands (own workshops and local partners), Italy (apple leather material). 
• Materials: all materials come from Europe.
• HQ: Netherlands

Transportation

• Transportation in the supply chain: transport within the Netherlands happens by road and no air freight is used.
• Transportation in e‑commerce: the brand states that it ships orders CO2 neutral within the Netherlands. 

• Recycled leather, sourced from scraps from the shoe and bag industry
• Recycled wool, in the wool felt (origin not disclosed)

Because these materials are recycled, the brand says no animals are needed directly for its collections.

Part of the collection is vegan, such as the apple leather laptop sleeves. According to the brand, these items are certified by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

Product Design

MADE Out Of makes bags, backpacks, laptop bags and sleeves, pencil cases, notebooks, coasters, candles and interior objects. 

The brand describes its style as modern and no-nonsense. It says its products are designed as basics for long and practical use.

Slow Fashion Processes

The brand says it uses quality materials and production techniques to make its products last. 

The refill bundles for the LOOP notebook and the free repair service also help you use your purchase for longer.

Transparency on Product

According to the brand, every product has a transparency label with a QR code. It links to the product’s story and the impact of its materials. The brand says you can see where your purchase was made, by whom and from which materials.

Transparency on Processes

MADE Out Of names several of its production partners (Makers Lokaal, De Bij, Labworxx, ONS label).

As a small, local label, MADE Out Of keeps things close and personal. Customers can ask the brand their questions directly, and the short lines make personal contact easy.