SKFK

Their organic cotton is GOTS-certified, meaning the cotton farmers work under good working conditions and earn a fair wage. The brand is also fully Fairtrade certified, and via their own information, at least five partnering factories also carry the GOTS label. In their ongoing fair trade cotton collaboration with the Chetna Coalition in India, SKFK pledges to buy organic cotton, one year in advance, from a cooperative of small farmers. The brand has created its own code of conduct that all partnering facilities must sign and adhere to. 

SKFK collections are produced with 100% sustainable fibres.

SKFK works primarily with GOTS-certified and recycled cotton and has almost completely phased out its use of conventional cotton. In addition, the brand uses ecological fabrics such as Lyocell Tencel Lenzing, organic linen and organic hemp. SKFK is also very much committed to incorporating textile waste. Its leather products are all made of recycled leather, and discarded fishing nets are turned into handbags and accessories. 

Regarding transport and packaging, SKFK has managed to run its stores and offices on fully renewable energy. The brand avoids air freight and transports its products from the production sites by sea. For their packaging, they have adopted the reusable packaging RePack system. Their polybags are 100% biodegradable, and the labels are cotton paper. 

In 2019 the brand kicked off its own Berrizan Foundation to preserve and replant the native local forests.

The brand offers a rental system for its colourful garments, starting from €39 a month. This reduces unnecessary consumption among consumers and prevents mounting textile waste. A negative aspect is the transport involved. Although, COSH! Finds that the journey a piece of clothing must travel from the SKFK dry cleaner in Roubaix to the customer is still too far.

SKFK has begun an in-store garment collection system in collaboration with the Basque cooperative Koopera to achieve its zero-waste strategy. Also, two upcycling collaborations ensure deadstock fabrics and fabric scraps are given a new lease on life.

The partnering factories are located worldwide, from China to India, Portugal and Spain, meaning that textiles travel far before the finished pieces are sold in the brand’s numerous stores. On a positive note, the brand opts for sea freight shipping over air freight to reduce its climate impacts, and shipping volumes are combined.

SKFK seems to lack a specific animal welfare policy. The brand reportedly uses wool and exotic animal hair in some products. However, they are committed to using recycled leather exclusively in their leather items. It also appears that they avoid using materials like down, fur, angora, or exotic animal skin in their products.

SKFK produces slowly, passionately and lovingly. Their creative process is a cocktail of passion, skill and cultural knowledge. 

Their trips to the countries of production and the connection they feel with the oriental culture is something that the brand have been embodying in their collections for years and has become the SKFK signature. The minimalist lines, the tradition of sewing and dyeing fabrics, it’s all present in one way or another in their garments. 

The brand provides detailed washing instructions to ensure the longevity and proper care of their garments. They encourage repair over replacement, and reselling over disposal.

SKFK is relatively transparent across its supply chain, showcasing a commitment to ecological and ethical practices. The brand uses sustainable fibres, appears to provide fair labour conditions, and innovative circular strategies are evident. Their transparency extends to allowing customers to track the journey of their garments, emphasizing the positive impact of sustainable choices. Their avoidance of air freight and use of biodegradable packaging further illustrate their commitment to minimizing environmental impact.

Although the brand has not published the full names and addresses of collaborators, the countries of origin and the respective heads of production facilities are named with a matching photo.

We applaud the transparency regarding the brand’s ecological footprint. As a customer, you can simply follow your garment’s journey via their website. For each garment, the positive impact that an SKFK garment has compared to a brand that does not work sustainably is measured and visualised.