Papu

The Papu collection is designed in Finland and made in Europe. Most of the collection (97%) is made in Lithuania and Portugal. Other countries where the Papu collection is produced are Estonia, Czechia and Turkey. Papu’s jewellery collection is handmade in Finland itself.

As all production takes place in Europe, we can assume it is done under ethical conditions. Manufacturers must follow strict European labour regulations and laws.

More than 70% of the Papu collection is made of organic cotton. Other sustainable materials are also used, such as linen, recycled cotton and ecovero viscose. The jewellery collection is made from a bio-based material developed by Finnish company Sulapac. This material is made from a combination of wood pulp and plant-based binders, and is fully compostable and free of microplastics.

About half of the manufacturers Papu works with are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)-certified. This label guarantees that organic cotton is actually used and that the manufacturer complies with the strict labour and environmental conditions set out by GOTS. In addition, all of their products in the 2020 collection were also certified by OEKO-Tex. This means that no harmful substances are present in the finished product. For many products Papu was awarded the highest category of the OEKO-Tex Standard 100 certificate, these products are safe for babies and children.

As a member of the Finnish Textile and Fashion Federation, Papu is committed to making all their operations carbon-neutral by 2035. They are already making progress in this domain, having already cut their CO2 emissions by 67% by 2020 compared to 2019. Another step in the right direction!

Papu uses many natural materials in its products, such as organic cotton and linen. This makes the brand more circular, as clothes made entirely from a natural material, which does not contain harmful substances, are biodegradable.

The use of recycled cotton also adds to their circularity. Pre-consumer waste, such as production scraps, is reused in new designs. This way, nothing goes to waste!

Papu also has a project in Finland to resell second-hand products. You can return your old Papu products in exchange for a discount on your next purchase. For this project, they cooperate with Ninyes, one of the largest second-hand sales platforms in Northern Europe.

All Papu products are made in Europe. As a result, the brand has a short supply chain. You can therefore be sure your purchase won’t have travelled long distances to reach your wardrobe.

4.4% of the Papu collection is made from wool, including sheep’s wool, merino and cashmere. Most of the wool used is mulesing-free. Mulesing is a very ​“animal-unfriendly” practice where the skin around the sheep’s breech is cut away. This procedure is often done without the use of anaesthetic and is very painful for the sheep. Papu wants to avoid this as it is better for animal welfare. We support this here at COSH!.

Papu’s clothes are made to be worn for a long time. It is even possible for several people to enjoy one piece of clothing thanks to their second-hand sales project in Finland.

The collection consists of a unique combination of hand-drawn prints and wild, harmonious colour palettes. The collection includes several classic minimalist pieces which you can endlessly combine with your favourite eye-catchers.

To extend the life of your purchase, Papu recommends you repair any damaged items. The Papu shop in Helsinki even offers a repair service. In addition, you can find detailed care instructions on the website to ensure your product retains its glory for longer!

Papu scores very well when it comes to transparency. All of the manufacturers the brand works with are listed on the website. On each product page, you can find where the product was made and from which materials. In its sustainability brochure, the brand also provides more information on its supply chain and CO2 emissions, among other things.