both mindful of environmental issues and truly people-oriented.
Olow is committed all year round, throughout its collections. A garment is never “just a garment.” Before arriving in your closet, it has passed through fields, spinning mills, factories, and hands, and has been the subject of numerous decisions. Some are invisible, others decisive. When you buy a garment, you see a cut, a color, a style. But rarely what it took to produce it.
For 20 years, we have sought to positively impact our sector. This is why we want to be transparent with you about each stage of manufacturing and our material choices. We are not perfect. The decisions are not always obvious, but we make them conscientiously.
"When we design our collections, we quickly visualize the overall look and feel of the garments.
However, when it comes to selecting fabrics, beyond aesthetic considerations, our choices are very limited given our requirements: organic or recycled fabrics, European weaving companies, refusal of the petrochemical industry, affordable prices, durability, etc."
Valentin Porcher
Co-founder
01.
It is in the lush green setting of the Braga region in Portugal, just a stone's throw from the ocean, that we go twice a year to finalize our collections.
The atmosphere is rural and soothing, amidst vineyards, hills, eucalyptus, lemon trees, churches, faience, and old men at the local cafe. The distance between each factory is minimal, but it is common to find ourselves stuck on these cobblestone roads behind a tractor, which always adds a little slowness, poetry, and authenticity to our stays.
The 5 factories with which we work are family-owned, and each of our local partners ensures the well-being of their employees, both in terms of salary and working conditions.
It is always a pleasure to meet Miguel and Marco, our loyal advisors, as well as Vitor, Eugenia, Pedro... In a good mood, they guide us, share their expertise, and respond to our issues. In the evening, we sometimes even share good times to the sound of the accordion, surrounded by their growing children.
Without them, Olow certainly wouldn't be where it is today.
Local manufacturing in Portugal, with a short supply chain (within a 50km radius)
• All our clothing factories, all types of garments combined.
• A dedicated knitting factory.
• Oeko-Tex certified dyes (a quality label comprising several technical standards, aimed at certifying the sanitary and ecological qualities of textiles, by guaranteeing the absence of toxic products for the body and for the environment).
• Screen printing and embroidery also carried out on site.
• A portion of our spinning and weaving mills.
Carefully selected European spinning mills
• France (Vosges and Haut-Rhin)
• Italy (Lombardy and Veneto)
• Portugal (Leiria Region)
02.
All our fabrics are selected, beyond their aesthetic appeal, according to various criteria ranging from their durability and origin to their degree of eco-responsibility.
We obviously prioritize organic cotton and linen, but also more innovative and water-efficient materials such as hemp, nettle, and others.
The same goes for recycled polyester, which we often replace with Seaqual, a fiber obtained through the collection of plastic in the Mediterranean Sea.
It is always interesting and rewarding to talk about the manufacturing process, but spinning mills should not be forgotten. For these, we work exclusively with French partners or those in close proximity (Portugal, Spain, Italy). All of them are often companies with a strong history, mastering their entire production chain in-house.
Most of our t-shirts are made of GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton. This label guarantees the organic nature of the raw material, the absence of pesticides, and a much lower water consumption than non-certified cotton. From a social and ethical perspective, decent working conditions and wages, as well as the prohibition of child labor, are also required by the label.
Cotton is one of the most widely used materials, and its cultivation is one of the most polluting in the world. By using recycled cotton, we avoid wasting natural resources while significantly reducing its ecological footprint.
Flax is, historically speaking, the oldest fiber in the world; it was discovered in Dzudzuana Cave, Georgia (36,000 years ago). It only grows in temperate regions near the sea (like Flanders and northern France). It is a plant that does not require much water and whose production process consumes very little energy.
Tencel is a fiber derived from wood cellulose. Obtained from the bark of deciduous trees with a high regeneration capacity, its production requires very little water. Often used as an alternative to silk for its soft feel and elasticity, it is a durable material that absorbs a lot of water. Garments made from Tencel dry quickly and help regulate perspiration, making it an ideal choice for clothing worn next to the skin.
The wool used in our winter collections comes exclusively from sheep raised on farms that respect animal welfare and are certified by recognized international labels, such as Woolmark, Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), and Global Recycle Standard (GRS). These certifications ensure rigorous traceability and adherence to ethical best practices, from wool harvesting to its transformation into a finished product.
Polyester is a synthetic chemical fiber derived from petroleum. It is a highly polluting material that degrades very slowly and depletes natural resources. By recycling polyester products, we avoid the pollution associated with its production and limit the waste it generates. We primarily use it for the linings of some of our jackets.
For several of our garments, we are proud to use the eco-friendly fiber created by the Spanish company Seaqual. Indeed, since 2016, Seaqual 4U has been committed to a unique program to support the protection of aquatic environments by creating a new, unprecedented fiber from plastic waste collected from the seabed.
The use of water-based screen printing ink avoids the use of solvents, which are harmful to health, and reduces environmental pollution generated by the release of volatile organic compounds.
A Spanish term used to describe vegetable ivory, corozo, or tagua, is the inner core of the ivory palm fruit (called the endosperm) native to the Amazon rainforest. It can be carved, turned, and polished as easily as ivory. All the buttons in this collection are made of corozo.
03.
Offering products that are both high-quality and "responsible", all at a decent price, has always been one of our priorities.
On the one hand, this allows our factories to continue their activity and development, maintaining their responsible production methods and quality of life. On the other hand, it allows the brand to thrive and envision the future.
Finally, it allows a very wide audience to treat themselves without emptying their bank account.
All of this is possible as long as the brand chooses to be part of a global societal context, by practicing reasonable margins, and by not seeking unlimited profit at the expense of everything else.
Our commitments go beyond our production methods, and we regularly develop collaborations with social or environmental associations such as Secours Populaire France and Wings The Ocean. We are also members of the 1% for the Planet association.
01.
It all started with a discussion with Julien Wosnitza, the founder of the marine cleanup association Wings of The Ocean, with whom we used to collaborate on various commercial operations to raise funds. Beyond this commercial aspect focused on a product, how could we do more?
Let's be clear: money is truly the sinews of war. Without it, it's impossible to keep the boats running, feed the volunteer staff, and thus continue operations calmly and effectively.
The idea evolved and eventually met another: joining the well-known "1% for the planet" initiative. The figure may seem insignificant, but for us, it represents a lot. Because, like many ethical brands, our margins are low, even very low, and donating 1% of our turnover is far from trivial.
Since 2023, Olow has also been committed to participating in a waste collection initiative within the city of Nantes.
A non-profit organization that connects businesses or patrons with approved environmental protection associations, with the aim of facilitating and increasing donations for the benefit of the planet.
This French non-profit association is one of 5000 1% for the Planet approved associations worldwide. Specializing in oceanic and coastal depollution (at a European level), it also carries out numerous awareness-raising missions, and has recently taken on a lobbying role (with other associations) to pressure and bring about change among industrialists and politicians.
02.
Olow is a partner of the Parages x P(art)ages event organized by Secours Populaire. The brand supports the event by creating a limited-edition T-shirt designed by an artist or artists in collaboration. All profits from sales are donated to Secours Populaire to fight against precariousness.
Parages x P(art)ages is a cultural, festive, and solidarity project led by Secours Populaire Pays de la Loire, and has three editions to its credit: 2021, 2023, and 2025.
"Staying 100% independent is one of the aspects of the brand that we believe in and value the most. It was this need for freedom that drove us from the start to embark on the path of entrepreneurship, not to be bound hand and foot to any investor, in complete freedom regarding our choices, without sales pressure or growth targets.
Olow is a small company, artisanal in many respects. We choose to work only with friends or people we like, and we set no limits in terms of creativity for our collections. After all, growth is a subjective term; of course, we need to evolve, but adding zeros, opening Olow stores all over the world doesn't align with our idea of growth. We believe in a circular system, a responsible model where everyone benefits: the brand (us), the manufacturers, the sales outlets, and of course the customer (you).
The strategy is simple. How do we sell clothes made with responsible materials, manufactured in Europe, at a morally decent public selling price? There's only one solution: maintain low margins. The bare minimum to continue existing and consider new projects. We will never be financially rich...
So what?"
Valentin Porcher
Co-founder
