Olow

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS 

• Portugal 
• France 
• Italy 
• Spain

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES 

OLOW states that they are committed to European manufacturing. They work with 5 family-run factories in Portugal, located within a 50km radius in the Braga region, which they visit twice a year, and where each of their partners on site ensure the well-being of their employees, both in terms of salary and working conditions. They also state that some of their items are crafted in France by local artisans. Their spinning and weaving mills are located in France (Vosges and Haut-Rhin), Italy (Lombardy and Veneto), Portugal (Leiria region), and Spain.

OLOW is a partner of the Parages x P(art)ages event organised by Secours Populaire, for which the brand creates a limited-edition T‑shirt in collaboration with artists. All profits from sales are donated to Secours Populaire to fight against precariousness.

MATERIALS 

• Organic cotton 
• Cotton 
• Recycled cotton 
• Linen 
• Hemp 
• Nettle 
• Recycled polyester 
• Tencel 
• Elastane 
• Wool 
• Recycled wool 
• Cashmere 
• Polyamide 
• Recycled polyamide

OLOW uses recycled polyester, which is a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional polyester. Read here more about how sustainable recycled polyester actually is. The brand states that they often replace recycled polyester with Seaqual, a fibre made by the Spanish company of the same name from plastic waste collected from the Mediterranean Sea and the seabed. 

The majority of other products currently available on OLOW’s website are made from cotton, which is partly certified organic. Organic cotton avoids harmful chemicals and pesticides, and requires less water to produce.

Some of their products feature corozo nut buttons instead of conventional plastic buttons.

PACKAGING 

OLOW has not disclosed what packaging materials they use on their website.

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS 

OLOW states that the dyes used in their Portuguese factories are Oeko-Tex certified, a label which guarantees the absence of products that are toxic for the body and the environment. Some of their products contain synthetic materials, which release microplastics when washed.

OLOW is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of their turnover to approved environmental protection associations. The brand also partners with Wings of the Ocean, a French non-profit association specialising in oceanic and coastal depollution, and has participated in a waste collection initiative in the city of Nantes since 2023.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

Monomaterials are easier to recycle than material blends, and are therefore preferable. The majority of OLOW’s products are 100% cotton, although their knitted products are commonly material blends of wool and polyamide.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS 

Olow has partnered with the French company Nopli to set up a second-hand platform on their website. Through here, you can either sell or shop for used Olow products, helping to minimise waste and give unwanted garments a new life. When you sell an item, you receive an Olow gift card.

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN 

Production locations: 

• Portugal 
• France 
• Italy 
• Spain

OLOW works with a small number of suppliers, all located in Europe. In Portugal, their supply chain is kept short, with all partners located within a 50km radius, including their clothing factories, a dedicated knitting factory, dyeing, screen printing, embroidery, and a portion of their spinning and weaving mills. As their headquarters are located in France, this reduces the complexity of their supply chain. 

TRANSPORTATION 

OLOW does not disclose what transportation methods are used in their supply chain. 

• Wool 
• Cashmere

OLOW states that the wool used in their winter collections comes exclusively from sheep raised on farms that respect animal welfare, certified by recognised international labels such as Woolmark, the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), and the Global Recycle Standard (GRS). According to the brand, these certifications ensure traceability from wool harvesting to the finished product. OLOW has, however, not published a formal animal welfare policy on their website, or disclosed where they source their other animal-derived materials, such as cashmere, from.

PRODUCT DESIGN 

OLOW states that they aim to design high-quality, unisex products. They offer a wide selection of clothing, including shirts, trousers, jumpers, and jackets, often characterised by artistic designs. OLOW’s aim to create unique garments means that they have collaborated with over 200 painters, tattoo artists, graphic designers, illustrators, and photographers.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES 

OLOW releases two collections per year, and has a sales section on their website.

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT 

On each product page, OLOW states the materials used. Whilst the production country isn’t stated, OLOW provides some information about their suppliers elsewhere on their website.

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES 

OLOW does not publish an annual report on the social or environmental aspects of their brand. They do however share the locations of their suppliers, and list all the artists that they have collaborated with.