Susan Bijl

Production Locations

• China (since 2019, previously Vietnam):
  • Recycling and weaving factory in Zhejiang Province
  • Dye house in Quanzhou, Fujian Province
  • Coating house in Suzhou
  • Sewing factory in Quanzhou, Fujian Province
  • A printing house for screen prints

Working Conditions & Living Wages

According to SUSAN BIJL the sewing factory is BSCI certified (Business Social Compliance Initiative), with the certificate re-issued every year after an audit that includes improvement points. BSCI covers topics such as the right to form a trade union, safe working conditions and the prohibition of forced and child labour. 

SUSAN BIJL states that the team visits the factories in China two to three times a year to check production and working conditions on the spot, from the sharpness of cutting knives to whether workers wear prescription safety glasses. The brand describes normal working hours, a communal canteen and an informal atmosphere between workers and managers.

The brand claims its production partner, Eastern Outdoor, is a family business with experience producing for other brands focused on sustainability from France, Germany, the US and Japan.

SUSAN BIJL also supports social causes: the brand is a member of 1% for the Planet (since 2025), committing to donate at least 1% of annual sales to environmental organisations, and donates €1 per Wena & Rotte bag sold to Fonds Bijzondere Noden Rotterdam, a local emergency fund. Earlier campaigns supported the Plastic Soup Foundation and humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Materials

• Recycled ripstop nylon (40D and 70D), made from pre-consumer waste such as undyed fabric offcuts and thread remnants
• Recycled polyester (300D), made from post-consumer waste, mainly plastic bottles
• Imported zippers and buttons, which the brand says are set to a recycled and high-quality standard
• 100% recycled yarn (not specified) 

Find out more about recycled polyester. 

Packaging

• The products are packed in paper packaging with hangtags attached with a cotton string. 
• SUSAN BIJL does not disclose what packaging materials are used for supply chain shipments.

Water Usage & Chemicals

The brand states that its dye house is Bluesign® certified. Bluesign approves chemicals, processes and materials that are safer for the environment, workers and customers. According to the brand, all water used in the dyeing process is fully cleaned before it leaves the factory. 

The current shopping bags are described as PFAS-free and coated with a fluorine-free, 10,000 mm waterproof coating. In a 2022 update, the brand explained that it had to switch from a water-based Bluesign coating back to a PU oil-based coating for quality reasons, and that it was working on Bluesign approval for its PU coating and developing a recycled TPU coating for its polyester fabric. It is not confirmed on the website whether all current coatings are Bluesign approved.

The brand advises washing bags only when necessary and recommends using a Guppyfriend washing bag to catch loose fibres. The brand claims it is actively researching non-plastic alternatives that match the strength and lifespan of nylon, but no such material is in use yet.

For screen prints, the brand says it uses an oil-based ink with a PVOH base that is heavy-metal-free and PVC-free.

Circular Product Design

The bags are largely made of a single synthetic material family (recycled nylon or polyester), which is a plus for recyclability, although coatings, zippers and buttons make full recycling harder. 

The brand designs for longevity: reinforced ripstop weaving, sturdy construction and patterns designed so the bag, in the brand’s words, won’t fall apart after a few years of use.

The brand states that patterns are cut with moulds placed close together to create very little fabric waste, and that small leftovers are used for loops. Since 2017, the Leftover collection turns remaining warehouse fabrics into new colour combinations.

There is no take-back or recycling scheme for worn-out bags.

Circular Business Models

From 2017, SUSAN BIJL offered a free Care & Repair service. According to a recent update, this repair-by-mail service is currently on pause for cost reasons. The brand still offers in-store minor repairs for The New Shopping Bag, The New Pouch and other 70D products, and sells a Care & Repair Kit with five nylon sticker sheets for repairs at home. The brand says it is working on bringing the full service back.

The brand also takes an anti-overconsumption stance: on Green Friday (Black Friday), it has closed its stores and webshop and calls on people to consume less. 

There is no rental, resale or take-back programme.

Distance & Complexity of the Supply Chain

• Production takes place in China, across four manufacturers and a printing house: recycling and weaving (Zhejiang), dyeing (Quanzhou), coating (Suzhou) and sewing (Quanzhou)
• SUSAN BIJL HQ is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with two own stores in the city

The supply chain is relatively short and well-mapped for a bag brand, with a small number of known partners. The brand states its ultimate goal is to produce locally, but that this depends on finding new materials. 
Zippers and buttons are imported, and their origin is not disclosed.

Transportation

SUSAN BIJL states that finished collections are shipped to the Netherlands from China. The brand does not disclose whether goods travel by sea or by air, nor how e‑commerce parcels are shipped. 

No animal fibers are used. 

Product Design

SUSAN BIJL makes unisex, functional products: shopping bags in three sizes, pouches, bum bags, backpacks, tote bags, straps, keychains and rainwear (coats, jackets and trousers). The designs are timeless and iconic rather than trend-driven, built around bold colour blocking. 

Slow Fashion Processes

The brand states that collections are produced in small amounts, calculated on expected sales, to avoid overproduction. 

The same designs are reproduced every collection in new colours, and the brand says these designs never go out of season or on sale. 

SUSAN BIJL actively avoids discount campaigns and has closed entirely on Black Friday. 

Transparency on Product

Product pages list specifications such as material composition, denier, waterproof rating, PFAS-free status and Bluesign-certified dyeing, alongside care and repair instructions. 
Customers cannot trace an individual bag back to a specific production batch or facility, but the production route is described openly on the website.

Transparency on Processes

The brand publishes blog posts describing each production step, names its factory locations and even its production partner, shares photos of factory visits, and openly discusses trade-offs and setbacks, such as its coating problems and the microplastics issue. 

There is no annual social or environmental report.