Manufacturers
We have made the conscious decision to work with a limited number of production countries; Turkey (52%) and China (48%), and we believe in long-term collaborations. We visit our manufacturers frequently, and we have been working with one of our biggest suppliers for over 20 years. We want to offer full transparency about with whom and where we work. That’s why our complete list of manufacturers is available online.
Transparency about the supply chain
At King Louie, we want to be as transparent as possible about all the manufacturers and suppliers in our supply chain. The list with manufacturers that is available on this page is the so-called ‘Tier 1’ list; the final stop in the production process, usually the cutting and sewing ateliers where the clothes are finished. With consumer tool Retraced we want to provide insight into the entire supply chain: Tier 1 to 4.
Tier 1: Finishing clothes (sewing, cutting, finishing)
Tier 2: Using processed materials to create fabrics (printing, dyeing, washing and embroidering)
Tier 3: Spanning yarn and processing fibers (spinning, weaving and knitting)
Tier 4: Obtaining raw materials (for example harvesting cotton)
Retraced
In 2022 we started with Retraced, a platform that supports all fashion and textile companies in digitizing and tracing their supply chains, making them completely transparent for consumers.
We are very enthusiastic about Retraced. Providing insight into the supply chain is not only evidence for the consumer, but also helps us identify and reduce risks within the chain. This allows us to make faster and better choices with regard to sustainability.
The goal is to get all the suppliers we work with into the system. In 2022 we will have made Tier 1 and 2 completely transparent. How far we get with Tier 3 and 4 differs per manufacturer. The information of all products from our largest suppliers Suteks and Orimpex are complete. Every day we’re working on making the entire chain visible.
How does Retraced work for consumers?
Retraced is very user-friendly and simple. For each product on our website starting our Winter 2023 collection you can click on the ‘See Transparency Report’ button. A pop-up screen opens where all information about that specific product can be found. This starts with extracting the raw materials and ends with sewing the garments together. Starting July 2023 all our products will also be provided with a physical hang tag with a QR code that links to this information. This way you can always check where the product comes from in the store.
We visit our manufacturers frequently, and we have been working with Suteks (one of our biggest suppliers) for over 20 years.
We produce in Turkey and China
We produce all of our clothes in Turkey and China. We select our manufacturers with great care, because we always prefer long-term collaborations. We have been working for more than 10 years with nearly all of our suppliers. And with one of our biggest suppliers, it’s been more than 20 years. We expect our suppliers to make beautiful and high-quality products, with a good price-quality ratio, produced as sustainably as possible, under good working conditions. Turkey and China are very important production countries for us. Audits by Fair Wear Foundation certifications limit the risks of social and environmental malpractices, because the full chain (from cotton farmer to factory) is subjected to inspections.
These are our manufacturers
You can find the information of all the manufacturers that we work with in this document.
Suteks & Equal rights
Our supplier Suteks from Turkey is an inspiring company whose owner Nur Ger is strongly committed to equal rights for women. The company has a number of awards to its name, including Best Social Gender Equality in Work Life 2012. As of 2013, the company has been included in the Honorary List by United Nations Women Empowerment Principles (UN WEP).
Orimpex & Organic certification
Orimpex is a supplier of our sustainable jerseys. The Dutch-Turkish company specializes in the production of clothing made from organic cotton and bamboo. They produce in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way without using chemicals that pollute nature and groundwater, or harm the health of the cotton farmers.
Orimpex is certified by the Control Union for Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Exchange 100 Standard (OE100) and Organic Exchange Blended Standard. All of their suppliers for organic fabrics, prints and embroidery are carefully selected and also GOTS-certified.
Images from our ateliers
In 2023 we travelled to Turkey to visit our manufacturers. View 'Our Ateliers' for an exclusive look behind the scenes.