In the world of mass retail, product pollution, fast and unsustainable fashion, we dreamt of a sustainable, slow fashion, boutique brand built on responsibility and respect for the resources and people involved in the lifecycle of our knitwear. In turn, our customers are people who love natural yarns, color and share the same values.
We believe that most of us would think twice about buying cheap clothes if we knew what made that price possible. AmiAmalia is a business built on transparency with regards to its ethical use of resources.
Working in partnership with our customers in an industry dominated by large corporations, AmiAmalia sends a message: ethical consumers exist, and in partnership with ethical businesses, the process of producing and consuming textile can be improved.”
Yarns
The story of the knitwear we produce starts with the yarns; the most essential component of knitwear to get right. We have to fall in love with a yarn to decide to buy it; we need to fall in love with its story, its look, feel and colors before we decide to invest in working with it.
Individuality
When the desired colours are not available, we get the yarns custom dyed. We might be a small business in an ocean of textile manufacturers, but the yarns we use set us apart and allow us to confidently say that we produce luxury knitwear; luxury that is not being dictated by the retail price of our clothes, but by the individuality and quality of the resources we use.
What is essential for us in choosing the yarn manufacturers we collaborate with is that they have responsible business models and show resource stewardship, produce zero environmentally toxic discharges, follow and join traceability and sustainability programs.
In essence, our partners must walk the talk.
Thoughtful design
So this is what we ask ourselves when we are conceiving a design – could this be comfortably worn in different settings, and for many years? Can we make this a slow fashion item?
We also actively choose colours not based on their seasonal popularity, but covering colours that will suit customers from various personal colour analysis seasons. It’s knitwear to look good, and last, year after year.
Micro lines
As soon as it is produced, we make our knitwear available for sale and ship it worldwide from our office in the vicinity of the factory. In this way, we reduce the need for additional shipping of the clothes from the manufacturer to us. We personally ensure that the clothes leave for their new home freshly washed and ironed, that they do not spend weeks or months in transport containers or in warehouses, and that they arrive to you as soon as possible in impeccable ready-to-wear condition.
In an industry where mass production is the recipe for profits, we dare to have very limited production per model, offering you an item that is exclusive; not only through the yarns and the way it is produced, but also its limited availability.
Care to last
Each item comes with a cotton dust bag for extra protection, and the cashmere jumpers are accompanied by a piece of cedar wood for protection against moths.
We want to do justice to the beautiful yarns we use by creating garments that will be used for a long time, in many different settings, and will allow our customers to collect years of memories wearing them.
Ethical pricing
Our customers recognise the value of a quality and ethically produced garment. They appreciate that our prices are not designed for instant profits, but for creating a long-term relationship with customers that share our views on sustainable and slow fashion.
To prove that we walk the talk, we have more than big words to show for ourselves: our first collection, produced to these standards and values, is ready to be released and we are looking forward to meeting you, our first followers and customers.
Speaking personally
I want to respect the fact that a woman´s body is in constant change, just like her lifestyle. When I look back at my wardrobe evolution through the last decade, most of the clothes can be categorized in the following stages:
– “before-kids”
– clothes that got packed away when I got pregnant the first time for what I thought is few months “before I get my body back”
– the “heavily-pregnant” stage
– the “few-more months-before-I-start-a-diet” stage
– the nursing and maternity leave stage
– the “back-to-office-but-can´t-fit-in-my-before-kids-clothes” stage
– and so on, and so on
Constant change
What has surprised me is how very, very, few items of clothing moved with me from one stage to another. Some had the right design, but the fabric did not last, some had a design that did not accommodate the new lifestyle. Modern life is demanding; I don’t have the luxury to come home and change for every different activity I do throughout the day, combining child care, work, socializing, etc. Who does?
Of course, there are clothes for different stages in our life, but surely we can have more quality items that are more versatile and durable.
Versatile & durable
With love,
Ami Amalia
