Rozenbroek sells classic and quality wardrobe staples, designed for longevity and even with their end use in mind. The clothes are made to order so that waste can be minimised, and are crafted from organic, vegan and sustainable fabrics by a small team of fairly paid workers.
Rozenbroek are rated 'Great' for Labour, Environment and Animal on the Good On You app (highly recommended).
1. What inspired you to start Rozenbroek, and what lead you to become so passionate about sustainable fashion?
I had been working in the luxury sector as a menswear designer for a number of years and was aggrieved by the amount of waste that was being created and the lack of compassion towards animals. As a vegan I started to challenge alternatives yet seemed to be getting nowhere. On top of this I started to become more aware of how the garments I was designing were being made and realised that the washes and finishes were pretty terrible and the deeper I looked, the more harmful I found the whole supply chain.
When I left my last job I was determined to find solutions and that is how Rozenbroek was born! We started by looking first into the fabrics, then the production, then the energy behind the manufacturing and moved on to packaging, certifications and the humans behind the clothing which is also why we set up our own factory to produce low impact clothing by fair paid workers.
Denim Chore jacket 'old white'
2. Who makes the clothes for Rozenbroek?
We have set up our own solar powered factory in East Yorkshire and all of our clothing is made by me (Jade), and our wonderful Atelier ladies- Katerina and Inga. Every piece of clothing that we produce is traceable back to the mill that produced the fabric and we know who cut the cloth, who sewed the garment together and who packaged and shipped the item to the customer.
3. ‘Organic’ and ‘Vegan’ are often words associated more with food than fashion. How have you made Rozenbroek vegan and why is it so important?
I have been a vegan for nearly 7 years so it is just second nature to me! I don't wear leather, fur or wool and so do not utilise these materials within the Rozenbroek product range. Also, a lot of times buttons are made from either bone, milk or plastic so again it was just a case of using common sense and looking into other more eco and animal friendly alternatives.
4. Your designs are very classic and I can picture them forming a versatile capsule wardrobe. How can fashion adapt to become an industry which doesn’t encourage us to constantly update our wardrobes?
When Rozenbroek first formed, it actually offered high end seasonal clothing that showed at Paris fashion week. However, after two seasons I reflected that this was not necessarily promoting the most sustainable way to shop and that actually many people want to test the water by slowly changing to familiar ethical products which at the time were not readily available. Following this we created the 'wardrobe essentials' which we offer today. These pieces are every day items that are modern and fashion forward yet are also sustainable in material and manufacture. Because of this they promote longevity, are seasonless and built to last.
5. What is your favourite part about running a brand?
I love the people! I am so lucky to be able to introduce the brand myself and see the excitement about what we are doing resonate with people every day.
6. How would you describe Rozenbroek in three words?
Modern. Fair. Affordable.
7. What are your hopes and plans for the future of Rozenbroek?
To keep educating! We have grown quite rapidly over the past year and along with that we have been able to really help people understand why to choose ethical clothing. Through collaborations, events, sales information and brand awareness we have tried to gently spread the reason we have chosen to be sustainable and why others can too, from workers rights, using non-toxic fabrics and even to how to reduce carbon emissions by washing the garment once purchased.
It is very exciting to think what we can do with another year and more story telling!
Thank you Jade - I would love to see more factories and shops powered by solar energy!
You can shop Rozenbroek here or give their London shop a visit.
Beccy x
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