Signed by You

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS

• Portugal
• The Netherlands (exclusively for belts)

WORKING CONDITIONS & WAGES

Signed by You’s production takes place in Portugal and the Netherlands. As both countries are within the EU, they generally operate under EU and national labour and safety standards.

The shoes are produced in a family-run manufactory in small batches and have a handcrafted character. 

The production facility holds a certification that is reviewed annually and primarily relates to working conditions and employee wellbeing. In addition, the brand relies on regular on-site visits to gain insight into daily practice and to maintain direct exchange with the factory.

The majority of employees at the production site are women.

MATERIALS

• Leather offcuts
• Recycled denim
• Insole (EVA TWN‑S, developed from production waste)
• Apple leather
• Organic cotton
• Modacrylic
• Polyester

What do you know about the environmental impact of leather?

Have you ever considered whether vegan leather is better for the environment?

PACKAGING

• For e‑commerce, Signed by You uses a recycled cardboard box as well as an additional cardboard shipping box. If a pair is returned, the box is reused for the next delivery.
• In the first production run, surplus boxes from a Belgian company were used, which were no longer needed there.

WATER CONSUMPTION & CHEMICALS

Signed by You states that it works with leather offcuts in order, according to its own information, not to create additional demand for newly produced leather. The leather either comes from surplus quantities or is sourced via a leather offcut trader. 
The brand emphasises that leather processing can be associated with environmental impacts and therefore focuses on using already existing materials.

By using existing leather, no additional steps such as tanning or new leather production are generally initiated. As a result, additional water consumption as well as the use of further tanning and finishing chemicals, which typically occur in newly produced leather, are usually avoided.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN

The shoes feature a detachable collar as part of the design, allowing the look to be changed without purchasing an entirely new pair. This can extend the usage period and facilitate repairs or the replacement of individual parts.

As these are shoes with multiple components, later recycling becomes more difficult unless the individual parts can be professionally separated from one another.

The label does not offer a take-back service.

Signed by You works with leather offcuts from large productions and therefore relies on materials that are already available. Because leather can remain attractive for a long time with proper care, the brand supports a slow fashion approach that focuses on durability.

The website highlights regular care and avoiding excessive sun and water exposure in order to extend the lifespan of the shoes.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL

Signed by You does not offer an official repair service. For individual repair cases, Signed by You collaborates with a repair workshop in Amsterdam.

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

• Portugal
• The Netherlands
• The headquarters are located in the Netherlands.

TRANSPORT

• Within the Netherlands, Signed by You ships with PostNL.
  Internationally the brand ships with UPS.

Returns are at the customer’s own expense. To reduce returns, size guidance is provided on the website.

• Leather offcuts

The label works with leather offcuts. These either originate from surplus quantities of the production or are sourced via a leather offcut trader.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Signed by You offers shoes and accessories such as belts, card holders and interchangeable modular parts for redesigning the products.

The focus lies on striking, colourful, modular designs that can be adapted to mood or look through interchangeable elements.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES

Signed by You does not work with classic seasonal collections. Instead, the company builds on a year-round, continuous assortment in which designs are continued and the look can be adapted to preference through interchangeable elements (e.g. the detachable flap).

PRODUCT TRANSPARENCY

On Signed by You’s product pages, primarily product-related and practical information is provided. This includes details on heel height, fit, available sizes as well as styling and usage notes. The materials used are described in detail, and it is clearly communicated that the shoes are handmade in Portugal.

PROCESS TRANSPARENCY

On the website, Signed by You names the country of production and explains its choice of materials. Regarding suppliers, however, information remains general. Neither the specific name of the factory nor tanneries or further stages of the supply chain are disclosed. Traceability essentially remains at the level of production country and description of the material type. Upon request from COSH!, the label has shared the relevant addresses directly.

An annual report on social or environmental aspects is not mentioned in the shared information.