Natural fibres & organic materials

Following the principles of circular economy, the raw materials are the ones that will determine the result, whether it concerns the final consumer or the environment, through the utilisation of all waste.

The constant need to improve our products has led us to adopt strict criteria over the selection of our raw materials, which will, inevitably, come in contact with human skin and, ultimately, with the environment. Raw materials from animals, such as leather, fur, anchor, etc. are rejected by us and are not used in any of our products as we have no way of knowing their origins and the conditions under which they have been collected.

So far, 5% of our production consists of conventional cotton, 15% of linen and 80% of organic cotton, which is Oeko-Tex® Standard 100* certified. Every accessory of our clothes, such as buttons and zippers, come from the processing of organic materials, instead of plastic or nylon, and are 100% recyclable, just like our clothes.

A key factor in the stage of raw material selection is the suppliers themselves; apart from confirming they are all are certified to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100* and G.O.T.S. (Global Organic Textile Standard)**, we also ensure that their actual practices are in full compliance with those certifications.

According to the firm Made-By, a consultant in the sustainable development field, threads are divided into classes A-E according to their toxicity in terms of human factors and the environment, greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, water consumption, energy consumption and land use. Class A represents the most sustainable fibers, while Class E the less sustainable. For the information of our consumers, we mention the classes of threads we use as well as their nature and behaviour.

Organic Cotton
It belongs to class B. It feels like conventional cotton, but it isn’t! Neither toxic pesticides nor synthetic fertilizers are used to grow this fiber and it comes from non-genetically modified seeds. The cultivation of organic cotton does not affect aquifers; thus, it constitutes a great alternative to conventional cotton, with the same qualities but a much lower impact on the environment.

Linen
It belongs to class C. This stylish fabric has high durability and is extremely absorbent, making it a great fiber for summer garments. Linen is a renewable natural fiber found in the flax plant.

100% Natural Dyes
Man seems to have mastered the art of painting from 4000 BC by the empirical observation that some insects or berries stained fingers. Through the combination of ancient concepts and modern techniques, fabrics can be coloured naturally, using plants, minerals, fruits, seeds and roots. The stabilisation of the dye can be achieved by suitable processes and always with natural materials. At HEEL we only use dyes that come natural products while we are in the process of preparing our exclusive Non-Dye collection in which no kind of fabric dye is used but only the natural colours of the raw materials.

*OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: It is an independent testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production against harmful substances for the skin and in general human. Human ecology deals with the impact of textile products and their chemical components in health and well-being of man.
**G.O.T.S. (Global Organic Textile Standard): This standard stipulates requirements throughout the supply chain for both ecology and labour conditions in textile and apparel manufacturing using organically produced raw materials. Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic, persistent pesticides and fertilizers.