Arber Studio

PRODUC­TI­ON LOCATIONS 

• Viet­nam 
• Por­tu­gal
• Tur­key

WOR­KING CON­DI­TI­ONS & LIVING WAGES 

Arber Stu­dio pro­vi­des an over­vi­ew of the­ir pro­duc­ti­on loca­ti­ons on the­ir web­si­te. The­ir blo­uses are pro­du­ced at the­ir own ate­li­er in Viet­nam, whe­re the brand sta­tes that they ensu­re fair wor­king con­di­ti­ons, and a salary that is 20 per­cent hig­her than the local stan­dard. They also men­ti­on that the fac­tory is cer­ti­fi­ed by the BSCI (Busi­ness Soci­al Com­pli­an­ce Ini­ti­ati­ve), which audits the wor­king con­di­ti­ons at the factory. 

Arber Studio’s knitwe­ar is also pro­du­ced at a BSCI-cer­ti­fi­ed fac­tory in Por­tu­gal. The­ir t‑shirts are pro­du­ced in fac­to­ri­es in Tur­key, which is a mem­ber of Sedex. 

MATE­RI­ALS

• Vis­co­se
• Linen
• Cot­ton
• Orga­nic cotton 
• Meri­no wool 
• Stret­ch
• Elas­ta­ne 

Arber Stu­dio pre­do­mi­nan­tly uses plant-based mate­ri­als, alt­ho­ugh the­se are not always cer­ti­fi­ed. All the­ir gar­ments are pri­ma­rily vis­co­se, linen, cot­ton, or wool, and the­ir vis­co­se is cer­ti­fi­ed LEN­ZING wood pulp. Orga­nic cot­ton is some­ti­mes used, alt­ho­ugh Arber Stu­dio does not sta­te cer­ti­fi­ca­ti­ons on the­ir web­si­te. Arber Stu­dio also uses fabric resi­du­es for some gar­ments, which pre­vents excess was­te from being generated. 

PAC­KA­GING 

Arber Stu­dio does not dis­clo­se what pac­ka­ging mate­ri­als are used in the­ir sup­ply chain. 

WATER USA­GE & CHEMICALS 

Arber Stu­dio pro­vi­des washing ins­truc­ti­ons for the­ir gar­ments, and recom­men­ds the use of a laun­dry bag so that they will last lon­ger. The­ir web­si­te sta­tes that they aim to redu­ce the­ir envi­ron­men­tal foot­print, but does not pro­vi­de infor­ma­ti­on on water or che­mi­cal usage.

CIR­CU­LAR PRO­DUCT DESIGN

All of Arber Studio’s t‑shirts are 100% vis­co­se, whilst the­ir jum­pers are 100% meri­no wool, and some of the­ir blo­uses are 100% linen. The­se gar­ments are easi­er to recy­cle, and the­re­fo­re less likely to gene­ra­te was­te at the end of the­ir lifespan. 

Howe­ver, the majo­rity of Arber Studio’s blo­uses are pro­du­ced from mate­ri­al blen­ds. For exam­ple, the­ir Laurel and Cedar blo­uses are pro­du­ced with pri­ma­rily plant-based mate­ri­als, with a small per­cen­ta­ge of elas­ta­ne or stret­ch mate­ri­al. Other blo­uses are 55% linen, and 45% cotton. 

CIR­CU­LAR BUSI­NESS MODELS

Arber Stu­dio does not cur­ren­tly have any cir­cu­lar busi­ness model stra­te­gi­es in pla­ce. The­ir web­si­te does howe­ver sta­te that they aim to work in very small num­bers, mini­mi­sing was­te in the sup­ply chain. 

DIS­TAN­CE & COM­PLEXITY OF THE SUP­PLY CHAIN 

Pro­duc­ti­on locations:

• Viet­nam
• Por­tu­gal
• Tur­key 

Given the small sca­le of Arber Stu­dio, they have a rela­ti­vely sim­ple sup­ply cha­in. The­ir blo­uses are pro­du­ced at the­ir own ate­li­er in Viet­nam, the­ir knitwe­ar in Por­tu­gal, and the­ir t‑shirts in Tur­key. Arber Studio’s web­si­te sta­tes that in the­ir faci­li­ti­es in Tur­key, all pro­duc­ti­on takes pla­ce in-house, from sam­pling and cut­ting to finishing. 

Arber Stu­dio headqu­ar­ters are loca­ted in the Net­her­lan­ds. Wor­l­dwi­de ship­ping is available. 

TRAN­S­POR­TA­TI­ON 

Arber Studio’s web­si­te does not pro­vi­de infor­ma­ti­on on tran­s­por­ta­ti­on wit­hin the­ir sup­ply cha­in or for e‑commerce. 

• Meri­no Wool 

The sour­cing of meri­no wool is often asso­ci­ated with the con­tro­ver­si­al prac­ti­ce of mule­sing, in which a por­ti­on of the sheep’s skin is remo­ved to deter har­m­ful lar­vae infes­ta­ti­ons. Arber Studio’s web­si­te sta­tes that the­ir wool is guaran­te­ed to be cer­ti­fi­ed mule­sing-free. 

PRO­DUCT DESIGN

Arber Stu­dio focu­ses on pro­du­cing time­less, con­tem­po­rary wear, that goes beyond tren­ds or seasons. They offer a small selec­ti­on of women’s blo­uses, t‑shirts, and jum­pers; all monoc­hro­me and mini­ma­list in design. 

SLOW FASHI­ON PROCESSES 

Arber Stu­dio pro­du­ces on a small sca­le to mini­mi­se levels of was­te. As the­ir blo­uses are made in the­ir own ate­li­er, if an item is out of stock, con­su­mers may requ­est that it be made to order. Addi­ti­onal­ly, if con­su­mers would pre­fer a blo­use made from one of the­ir alter­na­ti­ve fabrics, this can also be requested! 

TRAN­S­PA­REN­CY ON PRODUCT 

Mate­ri­al com­po­si­ti­on infor­ma­ti­on is ava­ila­ble on every pro­duct page. Con­su­mers can also easily access Arber Studio’s pro­duc­ti­on page, for infor­ma­ti­on on all the­ir facilities. 

TRAN­S­PA­REN­CY ON PROCESSES 

Alt­ho­ugh Arber Stu­dio does not publish an annu­al report on the soci­al or envi­ron­men­tal aspec­ts of the­ir brand, they pro­vi­de infor­ma­ti­on on the­ir pro­ce­sses and sup­pli­ers thro­ugh the­ir web­si­te. Due to the small sca­le of the brand, tra­ce­abi­lity for each pro­duct is acce­ssi­ble to consumers.