If you’re a regular reader of ours, I think it’s safe to assume that you dream in green. What I mean is: that you try to follow a relatively ecologically-minded lifestyle. Maybe you shop at the organic grocery store and regularly frequent our humble natural cosmetics company. But being friendly to the environment doesn’t just go skin deep, it also covers what you use to cover up. Shopping ethically doesn’t mean you have to end up wearing a brown potato sack. Sacrificing style for sustainability is a thing of the past, and in this series, we intend to show you just that. Each time we promise to bring you a green solution that will clear your conscience, all while giving you head-turning looks.

Founders of the Berlin-based fashion label HUND HUND, Rohan Michael Hoole and Isabel Kücke, are head over heels for dogs, the environment and stylish eco-fashion. Their sustainable brand aims for minimalist clothing that is imbued a modern and clean unisex vibe. The the visually appealing collection is produced using premium fabrics, such as cashmere, silk, linen or modal, which are processed into clear silhouettes that are designed with a twist. The style of their items easily lends itself to a comparison with COS.

At second glance, something becomes exceedingly clear: at HUND HUND, they abide by a policy of radical transparency. They make a complete price breakdown of production costs available to their customers. Additionally, their materials are fairtrade, and, in fact, 70% of them are sources from the surplus of other retailers. Thus, their garments remain affordable in spite of their ecologically-minded luxury quality. You can buy a T-Shirt from HUND HUND starting at 29 EUR. How can that be?

Radical price transparency

They reduce expenses by cutting costs for intermediaries, minimizing complex transport routes and renting economical store spaces. All of their garments are produced in Europe (Spain, Portugal, and Lithuania) and, so far, the two founders are invested in all areas of their business: design, PR, marketing, and in creating a stylish onlineshop. Everything happens autonomously and self-sufficiently. Considering the label was only founded in July 2016, one is really struck by their sophisticated professionalism.

Fashion designer Isabel Kücke is focused on creating the collections, while her co-founder Rohan Michael Hoole, former fashion filmmaker (with jobs from the likes of GQ and Vogue) focuses on shaping the image of the brand. Separate focal points aside, the two are both equally devoted to their aspiration towards sustainability.

Fashion for normal people

The two founders want to awaken consumers with their fashion. They want people to realize not only is the fashion industry (after the oil and gas industry) the second largest environmental pollutant, but at this point, after extraordinary industry growth, ever second working person is employed somehow through the fashion industry. This is either directly (e.g. sewer, designer, retailer) or indirectly (e.g. supplier or service provider). Since most of these manufacturing processes remain invisible, Hoole argues that this creates a harmful “disconnect”. People cannot see how and under what conditions their clothing makes it from the factory to the store. The founders both believe that it is exactly this invisibility that makes the fashion industry so dangerous.

HUND HUND wants to restore the relationship to the real costs, fair working conditions, and the value of the materials. All the prices of the materials, packaging, labor and taxes are shown in detail. They firmly believe that everyone should know exactly what they are spending their money on. Also, as I already mentioned, the prices are not exorbitantly high. Hoole makes it quite clear that he wants “sustainable fashion to be available to not only the privileged few, but also for the average person.”

Isabel and Rohan put a lot of thought into their packaging materials and shipping methods. Within their own neighborhood, their clothes are sometimes even delivered by hand, and HUND HUND never provides without a shipping return label. The customers themselves are responsible for the possibility of returning this in itself creates a more conscious consumer. The promise of free shipping and free returns has certainly made online shopping more convenient, but definitely not more sustainable.

There are absolutely plans in store for the opening of an offline shop. The exceptional quality of the materials and design combined with the affordable cost make HUND HUND something so special, people are bound to flock to it. “For instance, we preferably opt for Tencel (a regenerated fiber made from cellulose). The fabric is light, very soft on the skin and in terms of production, far less polluting than the water-eating cultivation of organic cotton, “says Isabel.

Their new collection includes about 100 new items. Some styles will be available in different colors and everything will be available from the end of March in the Onlineshop by HUND HUND.