Alexa Dagmar, the founder of the Almada Label brand, responds to the green noise that arose on social media.
A small-scale uproar arose on social media when people found out that some of the clothes of the domestic Almada Label brand, which is titled as responsible, are made in China. Some felt betrayed because Almada Label would have implied that the clothes are only made by hand in Europe.
Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juholan Almada Label’s products, which he founded, have already been produced mainly in Europe, and more specifically in Portugal.
In the fall of 2021, the clothing brand started a collaboration with a factory located in Inner Mongolia, China, alongside the productions in Portugal. Even though the products have been manufactured in China for almost a year already, it was only last week that the discussion platform Jodel started buzzing about it.
The choice of the company was greatly puzzled on social media, for example because China and responsibility do not usually go hand in hand. Tyyli.com reached out to Alexa Dagmar to comment on the matter.
Why did you also start a production line in China?
– The vast majority of the world’s cashmere production, i.e. about 60 percent, comes from China, and the finest cashmere fiber comes from the Inner Mongolia region. We want to produce the best possible quality that will withstand time and use, Alexa Dagmar says.
According to him, the factory in question meets Almada Label’s quality and responsibility requirements.
Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola founded Almada Label in 2020. Almada Label
“We didn’t start production in China for price reasons”
The fact that the change has not affected the price of the products also caused a stir on social media.
How do you answer this?
– We did not start production in China for price reasons, but for high quality and production reliability. The manufacturing cost of the product does not differ between China and Portugal, Alexa says.
Somekansa did not feel that Almada Label had told very precisely that some of the products are made in China. Many people said that they would not have wanted to buy the products of that brand if they had known that the brand, which calls itself responsible and ethical, also produces its products in China. How extensively have you told your followers about the factory in China?
– We have been open from the beginning of production. All information from the origin of the raw materials to the manufacturing cities of the products has been openly visible to everyone both on the product pages of our online store and on the separate factory website. We have also actively directed people to familiarize themselves with the information.
However, Alexa Dagmar admits that they could have communicated the matter even more clearly and transparently. Almada Label intends to increase responsibility communication on social media and on its website.
“We travel to the factory as soon as it is possible”
Almada Label has visited two other factories where its products are manufactured. However, they have not yet visited the factory located in Inner Mongolia, China.
– We opened the Inner Mongolia production line in the middle of the pandemic, when traveling to China Inner Mongolia was not possible and it is still unfortunately challenging due to China’s travel restrictions. The state of will is to travel to the factory as soon as it is possible, Alexa says.
According to Alexa Dagmar, Almada Label is aware that working conditions in China involve human rights and environmental risks.
– When choosing a factory, we have tried to avoid these risks and together with a responsibility consultant have ensured that the factory meets our requirements in terms of both working conditions and the environment.
Alexa says that the production in question has been granted a GOTS certificate. In addition to environmental requirements, the certificate requires compliance with the criteria set by the International Labor Organization (ILO).
These criteria include, among other things, that working hours and wages must be reasonable and working conditions safe. In addition, forced labor, child labor, discrimination and other inhumane treatment are prohibited.
Alexa says that even though Almada Label is still a company with a small team, quality and responsibility matters are of primary importance to them.
– We certainly still have a lot to learn about responsibility, but we work every day to develop and learn new things, Alexa sums up.