“Since day one, back in 1986, as the head designer, founder and CEO of Andiata, I took the decision to do things well and strive for the right choices. To take focus on quality and craftsmanship in order to create designs that will last for years to come. Designing products that have a timeless appeal, and which will last beautifully over the years – both in terms of style and quality.

Finnish nature has always been a significant source of inspiration for me. Its fresh air, wilderness and changing seasons. It has to be protected for our children, so that they too will be able to see the beauty of it. Sustainability is a continuous journey, a step by step process. We are not and we will never be perfect at it. Nevertheless me, my daughter and the whole Andiata team are committed together to become better at it, year after year.

It is our responsibility together to support a better future, and do our part in securing the tomorrow of our planet.”

Tarja Rantanen, Head designer and CEO

Manufacturing

Today, two-thirds of our designs are produced in Europe. Furthermore, to minimize our carbon footprint, most of our production is based only two hours away from our manufacturing headquarters in Estonia. For the rest of our items we work with carefully chosen manufacturers, depending on the supplier expertise, the supply of materials, and in general when the option is appropriate for our designs and standards.

Design process

Our design ideology is to produce clothes, that one can wear from year to year, and pass on from mother to daughter. To create this highest quality craftsmanship, our design team works closely together with our own pattern makers and seamstresses at our design studio in Helsinki. We have also made the decision to release only two seasonal collections each year. In this way we can decrease our logistic needs and carbon footprint.

Materials

The soul of Andiata is high-quality fabrics. Over 90% of the materials used in our collections are of natural origin, and only 10% are synthetic. Each material has their pros and cons, but we aim to choose the ones that have the lowest impact on the environment, without compromising the beautiful, refined touch and look our designs are known for.

Recycling

Each year we aim to reduce the amount of packaging and plastic we need. For the upcoming year of 2020 we are changing all of our own packaging materials to recycled cardboard, recycled tape and to plastic bags, which are made of recycled plastic.

Repair service

We want to ensure, that each of our designs will have the longest possible lifetime. Therefore we offer to repair our customers’ old, used Andiata garments, free of charge.

Our sustainable materials

This is where we are now – our aim is to increase the amount of sustainable eco-fabrics within our collections each season. The usage of these materials vary depending on the time of the year.

Recycled polyester / Bamboo viscose

In SS2020 we’ll have our first products, which use recycled polyester by REPREVE® and bamboo viscose blend in their linings. Each year, some 8.8 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans – that is about the same as a garbage truck’s worth of plastic thrown into our waters every second. REPREVE® recycled polyester uses old plastic bottles, which have been recovered from ocean shores.

Sustainable down

All of the Andiata down products are made of RDS certified down. The down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to any unnecessary harm. Removal of down and feathers from live birds (live-plucking or molt-harvesting) is prohibited as well as force-feeding.Not only does this standard safeguard the welfare of geese and ducks in the process of gathering down and feathers, but it also provides traceability in supply chains and validates where the down came from.

Organic cotton and blends

Organic cotton is a more environmentally-friendly option for the environment, as it requires less water, and does not use genetically modified seeds, polluting chemicals or pesticides. Thus it is a safer choice for the soil, and for the eco-systems. Andiata uses GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard) organic cotton, which has the lowest possible impact on the environment. We use both 100% organic cotton and organic cotton blends, and our main suits line for example is made of a fabric containing over 50% of bio-organic cotton.

Lyocell

Tencel, lyocell and the modal fabrics all originate from renewable, fast growing trees, and the certified, biobased fibers are manufactured using an environmentally responsible production process. The fibers are certified as compostable and are fully biodegradable.

Triacetate

Triacetate is produced by combining acetate with cellulose pulp. Our triacetate fabric comes from our trusted Japanese manufacturer, who has a both the REACH and FSC certificates for their fabrics. The REACH regulation aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. FSC certificate stands for responsible forest management – working to take care of our forests and those who rely on them, by protecting plant and animal species, indigenous peoples’ rights, forest workers’ safety, and much more.

Mulesing free merino wool

The merino sheep live high in the mountains of New Zealand and Australia. Merino is renewable and biodegradable, and it is one of the finest wools in the world, the fibers being much softer than normal wool fibres. Therefore it can be worn against even the most sensitive of skins. Our merino wool is mulesing free, which means that the sheep do not need to go through the painful process of mulesing.

Sustainable wool

Our sustainable wool is made by a prestigious Italian wool factory Tollegno, situated in the foothills of the Italian Alps. They are pioneers of renewable manufacturing, producing their energy through a hydroelectric plant and solar panels. The wool fiber comes from the Beaufront property in Tasmania. There the Von Bibra family are fourth-generation sheep runners, who take exceptional care of both their animals and the earth, to produce ethically grown, exceptionally high quality merino wool that is soft, beautiful and has a particular finesse.

Linen

Flax is the ultimate eco-yarn and one of the most biodegradable fabrics. It is resilient and can grow in poor soil, using 60% less water than cotton. Growing flax requires no irrigation, no fertilisers, and no herbicides or pesticides, and therefore does not pollute rivers or groundwater. The flax plant is very versatile, and different parts of the plant can be used to make various other products, so that nothing goes to waste. Well-made linen garments last for years.

Sustainable cashmere

Andiata’s AA grade Oeko-tex certified cashmere is a fine and luxurious cashmere, which comes from Inner Mongolia, where all the best cashmere in the world is produced. Andiata’s cashmere feels soft, silky and smooth, and it is colored with environmentally friendly dyes.