Sure, we could tell you we’ve got it all figured out, but that wouldn’t be honest. We wish though😉... Doing things differently sometimes means taking the long road.

Sustainability is an ongoing conversation, not a destination. It’s a series of researching, balancing trade-offs and tough decision making. What’s happening on an (inter)national- and industry level and why? What are the norms? And evenly important: how do we position ourselves against all of it. Who or what do we want to be? How can we stand out? This means in practice that one of our promises is a transparent supply chain. Because let’s be honest, your favorite piece just feels better when you know it carries no trace of tragedy.

We don't pretend to have all the answers, we will never claim perfection, we are going to make mistakes. Sustainability is a commitment, a constant process of learning, evaluating, and improving. But what we can promise is this: we want to lead by example in this field, and that means we will always do our best, always remain transparent, always be open to feedback and take you along with us.

Does this make us a ‘sustainable brand’? You tell us. The extra mile is what we’re going for. towards the ‘Make It Look Easy’-state. If you can picture it, it’s within reach. And mama didn’t raise a quitter. The future of fashion deserves nothing less.

The fabric of this item is GOTS certified. GOTS is the leading worldwide certification for organic textiles and is considered the most comprehensive certification

It covers the entire supply chain, from harvesting of raw fibres to processing, manufacturing, packaging and labelling.

What GOTS does cover

1. Organic fibre content

• Requires a minimum of 70% (label grade 1) or 95% (label grade 2) certified organic fibres.
• Organic fibres must be grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers or GMOs.

2. Environmental criteria during processing

GOTS sets strict limits for:

• Chemical inputs (no toxic heavy metals, azo dyes, formaldehyde, chlorine bleaching, etc.)
• Wastewater treatment
• Energy and water use monitoring
• Restrictions on auxiliaries and solvents
• Safe handling, storage and disposal of chemicals

3. Social criteria

• Based on ILO standards. Includes:
• No child labour
• Safe and hygienic working conditions
• Fair wages and reasonable working hours
• No discrimination or forced labour
• Defined worker rights and grievance procedures

4. Supply-chain traceability

• Every stage: spinning, dyeing, knitting, weaving and sewing must be certified.
• Full traceability from field to final product.

5. Independent auditing

• All facilities are inspected and certified by independent, accredited bodies.
• Annual audits plus unannounced inspections.

What GOTS does not cover

• It does not test the final product for harmful substances (unless paired with OEKO-TEX®).
• It is not a carbon-neutrality or climate impact certificate.
• It does not certify the business as a whole (only the supply chain for the specific product).
• It does not guarantee a specific level of product durability or performance.
• It does not evaluate retail-level working conditions (only textile processing facilities).

In short:
GOTS certifies that a product is organically sourced and produced under environmentally and socially responsible conditions, but does not certify final-product chemical safety or overall company behaviour.

1. OEKO-TEX® Standard 100

Focus:

• Final-product chemical safety
• Tests textiles and components for harmful substances
  

How it differs from GOTS:

• Looks only at the end product, not the production chain
• Does not require organic materials or social standards
  

2. OCS – Organic Content Standard

Focus:

• Verifies the percentage of organic material in a product
• Chain-of-custody certification (similar to GOTS but lighter)
  

How it differs from GOTS:

• OCS verifies content only, not environmental or social criteria
• Does not regulate chemicals used in production
• Does not require wastewater treatment or labour standards
• OCS is often considered a “lighter” organic claim vs. GOTS
  

How it complements GOTS:

• Useful for verifying organic content in products that cannot meet full GOTS criteria
  

3. Fair Wear / Fairtrade

Focus:

• Labour conditions, fair pay, safe workplaces
• Fairtrade also covers community and economic fairness
  

How it differs from GOTS:

• Fair Wear/Fairtrade focus only on the social side
• No environmental, organic or chemical requirements
• Can complement GOTS in brands that prioritise social fairness across the business
  

4. Bluesign®

Focus:

• Sustainable chemical and resource management in production
• Minimising water, energy, chemical usage and emissions
  

How it differs from GOTS:

• Does not require organic materials
• Focuses on the production process, not fibre origin
• Social criteria are less extensive than GOTS
  

Overlap:

• Both restrict hazardous chemicals
• Both promote cleaner production
  

5. B Corp Certification

Focus:

• Ethical and environmental performance of the entire company
• Governance, workers, community, environment, transparency
  

How it differs from GOTS:

• B Corp certifies the business, not the product
• Does not verify organic content or textile-specific chemical rules
• Much broader in scope, but less textile-specific

1. Cotton Farming - Turkey

• Location: Southeastern region of Turkey
• Process: Cotton cultivation and harvesting
• Party: Not disclosed
• Website: Not available

Note:
The specific cotton farms and companies involved are not shared by Nooteboom Textiles. We are disappointed about this lack of transparency, but with the relatively small production volumes we currently operate at, we have limited leverage to enforce deeper disclosure.

2. Spinning & Weaving - Turkey

• Location: Denizli, Turkey
• Process: Spinning the cotton into yarn and knitting/weaving the fabric
• Party: Not disclosed
• Website: Not available

Note:
The exact spinning and weaving mill is not disclosed by Nootenboom Textiles.

3. Fabric Import & Wholesale - Netherlands

• Location: Tilburg, The Netherlands
• Process:, Import of the fabric from Turkey, storage and basic quality control
• Party: Nootenboom Textiles
• Website: https://www.nooteboomtextiles.com

4. Dyeing & Vintage Wash - Netherlands

• Location: Uithoorn, The Netherlands
• Process: Dyeing the fabric, creating the darker hood color (more contrast between hood and body), applying the vintage wash to the body panels
• Party: Textielververij en -Blekerij E.J. Smit
• Website: https://ververij.nl/
  

Note:
The exact dyes and auxiliary chemicals used, as well as their origin, are still under investigation.

5. Garment Production (Cut & Sew) - Netherlands

• Location: Groningen, The Netherlands
• Process: Cutting the patterns, sewing and assembling the item, sewing on the custom buttons, inserting neck label and care label
• Party: Kleerlijk
• Website: https://www.kleerlijk.nl
  

Note:
The origin and composition of the sewing threads used for stitching the hoodie are under investigation.

6. Embroidery & Woven Patch - Netherlands

• Location: Groningen, The Netherlands
• Process: Embroidery on the item, applying the woven patch to the garment
• Party: De Borduurmeesters
• Website: https://www.borduurmeesters.nl
  

Note:
The type of embroidery thread and the supply chain behind the embroidery materials are under investigation.

7. Buttons - Italy

• Location: Italy (manufacturer), applied in Groningen (by Kleerlijk)
• Process: Manufacturing the outer part of the button from recycled plastic (recycled polyester), manufacturing the inner core from brass (machined cast)
• Party (manufacturer): FENILI SRL, Mozzo Bergamo, Italy.
  Website: https://eu-design.com/

Note:
The origin and previous life cycle of the recycled polyester, as well as the source of the brass, are under investigation.

8. Neck Label & Care Label

• Material: Recycled polyester
• Sewing location: Groningen, The Netherlands (by Kleerlijk)
• Label manufacturer: Under investigation
• Website: Under investigation
  

Note:
The exact supplier of the labels and the source of the recycled polyester used for these labels are under investigation.

Specifications

• Color: Vintage-washed black body, deep black hood
• Fabric: 470 GSM, 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton (Turkey)
• Production: Made in the Netherlands
• Details: Individually numbered, kangaroo pocket with subtle 5 cm Mes Vœux logo embroidery on left chest, double-layered hood in softer fabric, signature woven label on the back, custom metallic buttons

Care Instructions (Recommended)

Wash

• Machine wash at 30°C (86°F) on a gentle cycle.
• Wash inside out to protect the vintage wash effect and embroidery.
• Use a mild, eco-friendly detergent that meets GOTS guidelines (no bleach, no optical brighteners).
• Wash with similar dark colours to avoid dye transfer.
• Avoid prolonged soaking. Heavy organic cotton can absorb large amounts of water and may lose shape when oversaturated.
  

Drying

• Do not tumble dry. Air-dry flat or on a hanger.
• Keep away from direct sunlight to maintain the vintage-washed tone.
• Reshape the garment while damp if needed.
  

Ironing

• Iron on medium heat, inside out.
• Do not iron directly over embroidery or printed/woven labels.

Additional Notes

• The vintage wash is intentional and may naturally evolve over time.
• Organic cotton can show slight tonal variation between panels (body vs. hood); this is normal for natural fibres.
• Avoid fabric softeners — they can coat organic fibres and reduce breathability.
• Metal trims (custom metallic buttons) may heat up during ironing; keep iron away from them.
  

One of the most distinctive aspects of this hoodie is the way it was dyed.

To achieve the exact design we envisioned a deep-black hood contrasted against a vintage-washed body. We had to approach the production process differently from what is considered standard in the industry.

Normally, when two parts of the same garment require different colors, brands must purchase two separate fabrics, each with its own Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ). For a young label operating at our current scale, this is simply not financially feasible. Only 150 pieces of this hoodie were produced.

To preserve the design without doubling the fabric requirements, we made the decision to bring the dyeing process to the Netherlands. This allowed the hood to be dyed separately from the rest of the hoodie, something that would not have been possible within standard offshore workflows at our quantities.

This choice significantly increased the complexity of the product:

• The rib fabric (used for the cuffs and waistband) already existed in black, based on earlier cost considerations.
• The un-dyed body and hood fabrics first had to be color-matched to this rib fabric.
• The body fabric then received its vintage stone-wash treatment.
• The hood had to be dyed again to achieve the deep, rich black needed for the contrast.
• Only after all these steps could the embroidery and final assembly take place.
  

Bringing this process onshore, makes costs responsible while producing something that is genuinely uncommon in modern apparel manufacturing.

The result:
A piece that not only looks unique but is unique in how it was made. A true showcase of craftsmanship, thoughtful problem-solving, and dedication to quality within the constraints of small-batch production.