eco-friendly clothing: Wolbe's 4 commitments

Eco-responsible clothing: what are Wolbe's commitments?

As sports enthusiasts, we take infinite pleasure in surpassing ourselves on the playgrounds the planet has to offer. In the mountains, forests, oceans or whitewater. But like you, we can see that these ecosystems are rapidly deteriorating. So we created Wolbe to imagine a new standard A brand that offers greater freedom without compromising the planet. It's our way of making an active commitment to protecting the environment.

How do we achieve this in the world of fashion? What are our biases? On a complex subject, where there is no clear-cut path, we explain the choices we have made to ensure that our eco-friendly clothes respect the planet.

What is eco responsible clothing?

It means committing to preserving the planet's NON-renewable resources, and limiting the pollution that accelerates global warming and the degradation of soil and oceans.

Just two things... but two real challenges for the fashion industry as we described it in our episode on eco responsible fashion!

Fortunately, experts from Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation (a world-famous British yachtswoman) have drawn up a roadmap that clearly sets out the options to be followed in the clothing industry:

• choose materials that do not generate micro-plastics (no petroleum derivatives)
• extend the life of garments and facilitate their environmentally responsible use
• consider recycling or biodegradability of the garment from the outset
• use renewable energies as much as possible

we recommend a very entertaining 4-minute film on the ideal circular economy model for the future (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

Our No. 1 commitment: less but better

Firstly, the cuts are minimalists and timeless to match any style.
Simplicity is timeless.
Fewer parts. But more versatile.
That means fewer fabrics used and fewer resources damaged.

Secondly, our clothes are something to LIVE IN!

Be elegant on a date AND walk in the rain without getting wet AND ride a bike easily without sweat AND going out to afterwork without changing... How many ‘lives’ do you have in a day? How many clothes should you use?

Our clothes are not just perfectly cut. We play with materials, cuts and technologies to enhance their functionality.

The Biella shirtthe Gianni blazer, the poloshirt Balthazar, the polo Arguin or the Amsterdam jumper They wick away perspiration and don't trap odours. You can wear them several times

The jacket Finisher is a blazer when you wear it without the bib, and a highly protective waterproof jacket when you activate it. It even has reflective strips under the cuffs and collar and zips under the armpits. So you can be seen at night on your bike. At least three pieces in one ! ditto for the car coat.

Without betraying the style, of course!

What's more, designing clothes that follow you around encourages an active lifestyle and is good for your health!

LESS BUT BETTER. That's our polar star for eco-friendly clothing!

This philosophy of versatilityThe brand's origins go back to the very origins of the brand itself, which obviously means that we are also very demanding when it comes to the manufacture of the clothes themselves. Choice of materials, partners and production sites. We'll explain our choices to you!

Our commitment no. 2: natural or recycled materials

We work 100% of the first and second layers of our wardrobe with natural materials. And not just any kind. The merino wool and the Tencel® because they have to combine AND technical performance AND a limited footprint on natural resources

The superfine merino wool, is therefore our favourite material. It is the basis of our shirts, trousers, polos and even a car coat. Breathable, anti-odour, low-crease, renewable (sheep are shorn once a year), its properties are incredible. Highly insulating, it can be used in winter to keep out the cold and in summer to keep out the heat.

We select the wool ZQ merino ‘mulesing free’. And we chose a Italian weaver which breeds its own sheep, combs its wool in Italy (whereas 80% of wool is currently combed in China) and therefore guarantees perfect traceability!

To facilitate end-of-life recycling, we make 95% of our garments from single material. Our shirts  and our trousers are 100% wool.

But we're changing our thinking on the subject. Certain artificial materials could increase the life of a pair of trousers by a factor of 3. When we know that the first ecological gesture is to buy less clothing, we are conducting a test to assess the initiative. Other brands (like Icebreaker) have done it before us... Stay tuned!

The Tencel® (or Lyocell) is our second favourite material. We use it in our shirts and our jumper..

Made from wood pulp from responsible forests, its production is very clean (gentle solvents and completely reused production water). Its breathability, softness and anti-bacterial properties won us over.

Cotton is avoided. It requires a lot of water and pesticides and does not dry quickly enough.

For our third layers, which effectively protect you from the wind, rain and cold, there is still no offer without petrochemical fabrics. And yet we've been to all the trade fairs... !

So we're putting our trust in Sympatex®a German partner with a strong commitment to research. They have developed the equivalent of Goretex®, only more responsible. Made in recycled polyesterIt performs extremely well. The impermeability of our blazer jacket is equivalent to that of a high mountain hiking jacket (so you can keep it on for a very long time): it will withstand a downpour with a water pressure of 20 metres/cm2! And because it washes much less than a sports T-shirt, there's little release of micro-plastics.

What's more, to make it easier to recycle, our jacket is made from a single material: 100% (recycled) polyester.

For our car-coat, we have chosen an exceptional Italian complex with 88% natural materials (wool and viscose), but with a waterproof polyamide membrane.

Our fabrics are Italian, French or German. And our weavers are close to where the fabrics are made.

They all have the label Oekotex 100, which guarantees compliance with regulatory thresholds for pollutants, carcinogens and allergens. The wool is guaranteed to be of the highest quality and to respect animal welfare, thanks to the following labels ZQ merino and Sustainawool. Our French shirt weaver complies with the code of conduct Altertex, which guarantees very high environmental standards throughout the production process.

To make our clothes eco responsible, we refuse all so-called ‘finishing’ treatments : These include odour and stain repellents and ironing aids. Although this may be relevant. Firstly, because they are chemical and can cause allergies. Secondly, they disappear after just a few washes. The same goes for water-repellent treatments based on fluorinated polymers: our waterproof fabrics are PTFE- and PFC-free.

Our No. 3 commitment: to make clothes that last

Our outdoor pieces are 100% heat-bonded, so seamless. This is the the ideal combination of robustness, durability and lightness. This innovation in a city wardrobe also guarantees that our third layers are completely waterproof. Our small Italian workshop in the Venice region is renowned for its cutting-edge expertise.

We always try to make our clothes easy to wear. They are tested, washed and tried on several times. Because we know how you'll use them. Our Finisher jacket or Gianni blazer, for example, can be rolled up in the bottom of a bag with no problem. It will always come out looking impeccable!

In terms of care, we aim for practicality. Merino wool is odourless, so you can wash it twice as often. A shirt can be worn for three days without a problem! Our trousers and polo shirts are machine washable at 30°C.

New avenues are being explored to accelerate progress in this area. New materials and new technical processes will enable us to rapidly increase our promises in this area. Stay tuned!

Our commitment no. 4: made in Europe

To limit our carbon footprint linked to transport, we produce exclusively on the European continent, with fabrics spun in France, Italy or Germany. Our Italian weaver is 20 km from our jacket and car coat manufacturer, for example...

But we know we can do even better when it comes to making eco-friendly clothing. And we are committed to reducing distances even further in this area.

We are proud of the commitments we are making today. What's more, they contribute to our daily motivation! But committing to a sustainable approach also means being clear about the improvements that can still be made.

Even better alignment of our weaving and manufacturing sites to optimise upstream and downstream transport. Work on materials that would greatly extend the product's lifespan, etc.
Don't hesitate to ask us questions or to send us your ideas if you have any !