Urban Nature Culture

Production Locations

• Design studio: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Portugal (near Lisbon): ceramics, made from local white clay
• India (Rajasthan and other regions): ecomix and cotton mâché items, and pottery
• Poland: hand-blown glass

The brand states that 20% of its items are produced in Europe. 

Working Conditions & Living Wages

The brand states that it requires every supplier to hold a BSCI or SEDEX certification, which it describes as a due diligence report confirming that the working environment meets its standards. It claims that 100% of its suppliers hold this certification. BSCI and SEDEX are social auditing and due diligence frameworks, not proof of living wages, so there is no evidence on the website that workers are paid a living wage. 

The brand states that it values fair payment to all of its craftsmen, but it publishes no wage data, so there is no evidence on the website that workers are paid a living wage.

The brand describes its products as handcrafted by skilled workers and artisans.

Materials

• Ceramic
• Recycled ceramic (stated to be 50% recycled ceramic and 50% virgin material)
• Glass
• Recycled glass (the brand states it processes around two tonnes of recycled glass per day)
• Borosilicate glass
• Wood
• Reclaimed wood (upcycled from old barns, warehouses and similar sources)
• Mango wood (from plantations in South Asia)
• Veneer
• Metal (including aluminium and iron)
• Cotton
• Viscose
• Acrylic
• Wool
• Silk
• Cotton mâché (made from cotton offcuts from the fashion and home-textile industry)
• Ecomix (a mix of recycled paper pulp, natural gum and chalk)
• Seagrass
• Jute
• Banana leaf
• Mycelium
• Marble and stone

Packaging

• The brand states that it is reducing plastic and increasing recycled and FSC-certified carton in its packaging. 
• Urban Nature Club says it aims to deliver all goods plastic-free and styrofoam-free by 2030. 

Water Usage & Chemicals

There is no information about water usage or chemical management.

Circular Product Design

Many products are made from a single material, such as ceramic or glass, which are in principle easier to recycle than mixed-material items. Their textiles, on the other hand, are often made from blended fibres, which cannot be recycled well. Read more about mixed fibres and monomaterials. 

The brand names specific products with recycled or reclaimed content: recycled-glass vases, cotton mâché pots, recycled-ceramic tableware and reclaimed-wood pieces. 

It also describes reusing transparent glass vases from older collections by repainting them into new products, a form of internal upcycling. 

It does not state whether these products are designed to be recycled again at the end of their life.

Circular Business Models

The brand does not offer a repair service, a take-back scheme or resale.

The company states that it develops only a limited number of products to avoid overproduction. 

Distance & Complexity of the Supply Chain

• Production locations: Portugal, India and Poland 
• The brand states that 20% of its items are produced in Europe.
• HQ: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Transportation

The brand states that it is reducing the number of UPS parcels and the number of shipments sent by air. No figures are provided, so this reduction cannot be verified.

The company uses wool and silk and is therefore not vegan. No information is provided on mulesing-free wool or on animal-welfare certifications such as RWS.

Product Design

Urban Nature Culture designs homeware and lifestyle products, such as tableware, ceramics, glassware, home textiles, lighting and furniture. Products are created in-house in Amsterdam with an emphasis on timeless yet trend-led shapes. 

Slow Fashion Processes

The brand works with seasonal collections and adds new designs regularly, balancing timeless style with current trends. It states that it develops only a limited number of products to avoid overproduction. 

Urban Nature Culture publishes material-specific care and maintenance guidance, which can help customers keep products in good condition for longer. 

The company takes part in sales periods.

Transparency on Product

Product pages do not consistently show material composition, nor do they show production countries. There is no product-level traceability, so costumers cannot see where a specific item was made.

Transparency on Processes

The brand does not publish supplier lists, factory locations, audit results or a measurable annual sustainability report. It does disclose production countries, a supplier-certification rate and material sourcing on its website.