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About Ellen
Ellen Kegels’ passion for knitting, baby alpaca yarn and Peru, led to the launch of a heartwarming knitwear brand in 2011, now known as LN Knits.
From the age of 16, Ellen started building her fair fashion knitwear brand by knitting beanies for family, friends and relatives. Before she knew it, she was knitting over 300 beanies herself and to complete the orders she created a warm platform of knitting grannies to help her out.
A few years later, she travelled to Peru to help launch a knitting atelier for a good cause, which led to the production other first real collection of handmade luxury baby alpaca knitwear.
Almost 10 years later, LN Knits gives honest work to over 350 women in Peru. Not only by offering them an honest income, but also by providing them with extra services such as daycare, medical check-ups and care.
Good Cause
You can read more about our core values in our sustainability report. Taking care of our planet is crucial and therefore LN Knits designs, creates and works as sustainably as possible. We only work with natural materials and have a zero-waste policy. Left over yarns becomes a beautiful collection of DIY & Home products. To date, LN Knits is sold in over 35 boutiques in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and the United States.
Ellen not only has her wonderful Peruvian woman to think about, she also has the very important job of bringing up two lovely young girls. As a dedicated entrepreneur and equally dedicated mother, she has worked hard on finding a healthy balance between the two.
She shares her own personal experience in the hope that other mothers see that it is possible to balance the two and really have quality time with loved ones.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Ellen has often step away from the trodden path.
Building a sustainable alpaca imperium, and showing the world that if you stick to your core values, you really can build a sustainable enterprise. As a pioneer of sustainable knitwear in Belgium, Ellen will forever be grateful to her warm and loyal customers who have shared this journey with her.
For you, dear customers, she will continue to design timeless collections, and keep you all warm in LNKnits’ soft, anti- allergic, handmade and sustainable designs.
Oude Baan 43 Brasschaat 2930 Belgium
FIBR
FIBRMore Info
OUR MISSION
MEET FIBR. THE FAIRCHAIN ALPACA SWEATER. SOFT ON YOUR SKIN AS EASY ON YOUR CONSCIENCE. FIBR BRINGS RADICALLY COMFORTABLE BASICS, YOU ARE PROUD TO WEAR.
The fashion industry has some of the most complex and unfair supply chains in the world. FIBR believes that creating transparency is a first step towards fairness. Today, only 7% of fashion brands know where their materials come from.
Some room for change, if you ask us.
THE FIBR SUPPLY CHAIN
FIBR IS FAIRCHAIN KNITWEAR: FAIRNESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE VALUE CHAIN.
Fairchain knitwear takes it a step further, rethinking the entire value chain from the source of the raw materials right to your closet.
FIBR connects three strong local players in PERU, all doing their part to make the Peruvian alpaca sector more fair. By connecting these dots, we managed to set up our own value chain and bring you a product of which we know exactly who made it, where it has been and of which we can be sure that everyone is treated well.
OUR PRINCIPLES
QUALITY IS WHERE IT STARTS
We bring you a timeless sweater made from 100% alpaca fibre, a natural fibre which is praised for its robustness and warmness. This sweater is made to last! And if not, a repair kit will teach you all the tricks.
TRANSPARENCY TO THE BONE
Discover where your money goes to, and all the steps your FIBR sweater has been through. No need to hide our imperfections. We rather would like to share them with you and show where improvement is still needed.
EVERY SWEATER COUNTS
We know that we won’t change the world (although we would love to). But we do know that big changes are made by many small steps.
Leading by example, we tell the clothing industry to dive into their supply chains and show more ambition. We are convinced the fashion sector needs small disruptive ideas to evolve and innovate. Every sweater sold means that another person is inspired by our story. Which is something huge!
PRE-ORDER
AT FIBR WE WORK WITH A PRE-ORDER SYSTEM. THIS MEANS THAT WE ONLY START PRODUCTION AFTER A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF PIECES IS ORDERED. TO CONTRIBUTE TO YEARROUND WORK STABILITY FOR THE KNITTERS, PRODUCTION IS IN LOW SEASON, FROM FEBRUARY UNTIL EARLY APRIL.
Tarbotstraat 10 Ghent 9000 Belgium
I Love Mr. Mittens
I Love Mr. MittensMore Info
When Belgian born Stéphanie Caulier visited a small knitting cafe in New York back in 2007, she was reminded of her childhood passion of knitting. Growing up in a family surrounded by knitting and sewing, it was only natural that Stéphanie developed an interest in knitwear. It has been a labour of love over the years and from small beginnings of knitting for family and friends, the brand has evolved into `I love Mr Mittens`. Stéphanie’s passion for knitwear and design is clearly illustrated through her multiple social media avenues and her masses of followers built in the last few years.
Whilst not following traditional academic design study, Stephanie has honed her skills through years of experience in her chosen craft. She combines this knowledge with her keen fashion eye to create a line of unique chunky wool garments.
I Love Mr Mittens is not only a fashion label, it is a label based upon community and sustainability whilst maintaining timeless aesthetics. This ideal also flows through to the I Love Mr Mittens stockists. The I Love Mr Mittens range is available through a carefully selected array of stockists. Quality over quantity is Stephanie’s vision for her brand and this is seen through her select group of stockists across the globe. It is also important to recognise I love Mr Mittens “Heartworking” philosophy. Each garment is hand knitted with love by Stephanie and her team. This collaboration of small, independent businesses (rather than large conglomerates) completes the vision of I love Mr Mittens to create a brand that provides a genuine contribution back to the local community. University students and retired pensioners alike, work with a common objective of executing Stephanie’s vision of how knitwear should be, simple, elegant, timeless and fashionable.
HEAD OFFICE 101 Napier street Cottesloe WA 6011 Australia
Ariane Lespire
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HISTORY
After graduating in architecture, Ariane Lespire decided to explore new paths. Her enthusiasm and never-ending creativity led her to her parallel career. She first created ceremony hats before switching to ready-to-wear and accessories. Her scarves, stoles, hats and beanies in boiled wool contributed to her first commercial successes. Her collections are currently sold in Belgium, France, United States… After a few seasons, she decided to add wool, cotton and other materials (such as leather) to her collections, as well as jewels. Ariane and two collaborators conceived and hand-make unique pieces and special orders in a cute Liège-based boutique. Two local ateliers produce the limited editions pieces or the small series. One of them is specialised in the vocational rehabilitation of women in needs. This ethic and social involvement is in line with Ariane’s strong desire to offer a high-qualitative product, which is contemporary, but also sustainable.
253 Rue Saint Gilles Liège B-4000 Belgium
Rue Saint Gilles 253 Liège B-4000 Belgium
Vest
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Vest, by Veerle
VEST: on the cusp between creativity and traditional craftsmanship
Slow fashion is gradually gaining more ground and is now firmly embedded in the concept of sustainable thinking. VEST, the Belgian knitwear label by Veerle Stubbe, is a prime example of what happens when sustainability and creativity converge. Her hand-knitted sweaters, cardigans and accessories are statement pieces to enjoy for many seasons on end. VEST brings the concept of luxury back to the essentials.
The clicking of knitting needles is one of the earliest memories that Veerle cherishes of her mother and grandmother. A sound that always filled her with a sense of tranquillity, it still makes her feel very ‘zen’ despite the immense list of orders. VEST has fans all over the globe, from Belgium to Japan. The Belgian knitwear label owes its success to a combination of authentic hand-crafted products, executed in the right colours with deluxe yarns and featuring easy-going models that tie in perfectly with today’s Zeitgeist.
For VESTimentary seekers of added value
Veerle Stubbe, mother of two young men, discovered her calling in fashion only at a later age. Or not entirely: drawn to creative professions early on in life, she decided to bring her own artisanal knitwear collection to the market three years ago: VEST.
She sought and found the most beautiful yarns in Italy, including a soft blend of mohair and silk, and set to work independently. Her sweaters, cardigans, shawls and beanies quickly gained in popularity and she soon needed several additional pairs of hands. A sweater or cardigan requires eight hours of manual labour, after all! Thanks to a team of knitters she is now able to keep up with the demand.
HOF TER EKEN 1 LAARNE 9270 Belgium
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Aymara is the result of the love story between a Belgian engineer, Sven Van Gucht, who met Yannina Esquivias, a young Peruvian travel agent, during a sabbatical year and fell in love. Yannina and Sven quit their jobs and started a knitting factory in Peru together with Yannina’s family. In 2007, the knitwear label Aymara was born. The name Aymara refers to a native ethnic group in the Andes of South America.
Concept
The magic of Aymara lies in the combination of Belgian design and Peru’s extraordinary fibers and textile craftmenship. Aymara’s knitwear is produced in our own knitting factory in Arequipa, in the south of Peru, managed by Yannina’s family. Thank’s to our strong relationship with them and their unconditional commitment, this incredible intercontinental project could be achieved. We believe that in today’s world of fast fashion and mass consumption, people are looking for authentic products with a soul. When buying Aymara, you are sure to get longlasting, sustainable products with an extraordinary story.
Design
Excellent natural fibers play a key role and are the starting point of each Aymara design. This is why Aymara chooses to offer pure styles available in a wide colour palette of bright and soft colours. Our designers take into account the fashion trends but at the same time, we make sure that each Aymara product is timeless and longlasting. A lot of attention has been paid for the perfect fitting form and discrete refined details. The kids collection, designed by Yannina has a playful character whereas the women’s collection, designed by Saskia Van Herzeele is very feminine.
Fiber
Peru manufactures some of the world’s finest quality fibers. For our summer collections, Aymara uses Peruvian pima cotton which is considered to be one of the softest and finest cottons in existence. In winter, garments made of precious alpaca blends are always an important part of our collection. Alpaca is a cousin of the llama and is prized for it’s thermal properties, silkiness and durability. Alpaca is a fiber which does not come at the expense of the environment. In today’s world, dominated by artificial materials, alpaca is the natural option. Alpacas graze at elevations of 3500 to 5000 meters in the Peruvian Andes. This precious fibre is used by top designers world wide. Aymara only uses the finest alpaca fibers, called baby alpaca. In our winter collections we also offer garments made of fine merino wool from Argentina.
Production
Aymara’s knitting plant is fully integrated and employs about 60 persons on the pay roll. This assures us to be in complete control of the production process and the quality of the garments. Although the knitting process itself has been industrialized, the production process is labour intensive and still requires a lot of manual operations. A lot of attention is been paid to the linking and finishing processes. Aymara garments are fully fashioned ; this means that the cutting and overlocking process is avoided as much as possible. By doing so, Aymara’s customers are getting a high quality product with one of the finest linking and finishing standards on the market. Turn your Aymara garment inside out and you will see what we mean !
Although most of the collection is produced on industrial knitting machines, each winter season Aymara offers a small theme of hand knit accessories. This enables women to generate an income by hand knitting at their home while taking care of their children. For a lot of these women it would be impossible to work inside a company because of their family situation and the lack of childcare. You can recognize these products by the “Aymara hand knit” hang tag. We are currently investigating how this could be integrated into a wider social project.
Head office & International Sales Aymara bvba Bornem 2880 Belgium
Showroom Aymara Antwerp Kielsevest 70 Antwerpen 2018 Belgium
Christian Wijnants
Christian WijnantsMore Info
Christian Wijnants is an Antwerp-based fashion designer.
Born in Brussels, Christian moved to Antwerp in 1996 to study fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. His graduate collection won the Dries Van Noten Award for best collection in 2000. After graduation, Christian presented his collection at the prestigious Festival d’Hyères, where it was awarded the Grand Prix and picked up by stores including Colette (Paris), Pineal Eye (London), and Via Bus Stop (Tokyo). After working with Van Noten in Antwerp and Angelo Tarlazzi in Paris, Christian launched his eponymous label in 2003.
Christian Wijnants presents his collections in Paris during Paris Fashion Week and is sold at boutiques and department stores worldwide including Barneys, Tomorrowland and Opening Ceremony.
Rich, layered graphics and fresh colors translated into eloquent knitwear offer a play of authenticity and luxury that has won him the 2013 International Woolmark Prize, the 2006 ANDAM Award, and the 2005 Swiss Textiles Award. Christian Wijnants is in collaboration with Swarovski for Spring-Summer 2016 and Autumn- Winter 2016 and has been nominated for Swarovski Collective Prize for Innovation.
Wijnants opened his first flagship store in Antwerp in September 2015.
HEAD OFFICE 215 Italiëlei bus 21 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
36 Steenhouwersvest Antwerp 2000 Belgium
Isabelle Baines
Isabelle BainesMore Info
Isabelle Baines lives and works in Brussels. She graduated from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the costume design section under Mme. Mary Prijot, and worked for theatres in Brussels, Paris and Geneva. Prior to presenting her first knitwear collection in 1985, she worked for Ann Salens in Antwerp and M. Baron Industries in New York City. Isabelle Baines opened her first boutique in Brussels in 1986 and launched the knitting workshop in 2003.
Atelier
All Isabelle Baines designs are conceived and developed at her workshop in Brussels, where an artisanal, handcrafted approach reigns supreme.
For our limited-edition ‘Atelier Collection’, we use only the finest quality Italian merino wools, in a carefully chosen palette of colors. All our garments are knit, hand-sewn and finished by us at our workshop – right down to the buttonholes! Some sweaters, made of very fine threads, are produced under our personal supervision by a specialist family-run workshop in the Marche region of Italy. We’ve worked for them for years, and they understand our spirit and standards. Your Size, Your Color! Ask about having your sweater custom-made.
Conscious Antwerp
Conscious AntwerpMore Info
Hello! Meet CONSCIOUS ANTWERP, and what we stand for.
If you love beautiful and sustainable clothing design as much as we do, you’ve come to the right place. Conscious Antwerp is a new clothing concept created and designed with an eye for both style and sustainability from start to finish. By combining the principles of ‘ethical and sustainable business’ ( which is a very interesting course at UA by the way!) with a passion for quality and design Conscious Antwerp was transformed from dream to reality.
Our mission is to deliver beautiful, high-quality and timeless items with a luxurious yet casual appearance, which you can wear with proud and without guilt!
We deliver this promise by producing locally and with a sustainable use of materials. The reason we chose this more costly manner is because we consciously want to produce fair clothing with a minimal CO2 impact. Now you know that your clothing is not only unique in design but also in value. 😉
Our vision is to become big by staying small, so we don’t do any harm.
Our mission and vision tell our values, but they also determine the external features of our clothing such as shape, color, texture and dimension. The pieces are unique in appearance due to the combination of the leftover materials and the simplicity and longevity of the designs.
‘Only great minds can afford simple style’
Rijnkaai 20 bus1 Antwerp 2000 Belgium
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ABOUT CESAR
In addition to being a model, food lover, traveler and proud author of my two cookbooks Model Kitchen and Cesar’s Kitchen and the travel guide Trippin, I have launched the Cesar Casier Knitwear Collection. While growing up, I was always surrounded by fashion. My mom owns a high-end fashion boutique “OONA” in Ghent and my stepmom is a fashion designer. They were my biggest influencers and shaped my views on fashion while growing up, the logical next step was to start my own collection.
100% MADE IN BELGIUM.
KNITWEAR COLLECTION
The Cesar Casier Knitwear Collection is 100% made in Belgium, something that is very rare nowadays. Everything I design is produced in a small family owned factory located in Sint-Niklaas, a city between Antwerp and my hometown Ghent. Fact is that back in the days there were about 300 factories located in this area and now there are only two left, a sad reality. Therefore, it is important to support the revival of Belgian knitwear as much as possible!
GENDER NEUTRAL FASHION
Next to my roots, my brand represents Gender Equality. A human right I hold dear and it is something I stand for. I translate this into my designs, as they are mostly unisex. I want my brand to lead the way in gender-neutral fashion. In my opinion, gender no longer dictates the way people dress and it does not force anyone into a box. That is why I try to design as much gender neutral pieces as possible, this allows us to express ourselves exactly the way we all want to. My designs are timeless, comfortable and basic, yet fashionable and with an eye for detail and great quality
CHARITY
I’ve always loved nature and even more, the animals who live in it. That’s why, for every sold item on my website, I’ll donate 1 euro to a charity. For my previous collection I’ve donated money to help save the dolphins, The Great Barrier Reef and the Giraffes in the wild. By donating money to a good cause, I want to send awareness to the public about the beauty of nature and to support animal and nature welfare!
Hubert Frere Orbanlaan 629 Ghent 9000 Belgium