BESPOKE & ON DEMAND MANUFACTURING
Bespoke as a sustainable approach is a daring proposition within a company’s network. It requires reliant partners and open-minded artisans for finding individual solutions. On a global scale, the impact of a small company is minor. However, it allows to show how concepts could differ from existing ones. Bespoke and on-demand production is our way to go against overproduction and respect our resources and environment as much as we can. Bespoke only produces what is needed. While this is not for everyone we’re incorporating on demand manufacturing in our supply chain. That way we avoid unneeded stock and respect our resources and environment as much as we can.
ARTISANS
Our team of two fashion designers strives to develop our techniques and approaches further into a continuous practice. This continuous practice can mean the development of a young idea into a more finite and thought-through process of handling and shaping a material. The experience of mentors, artisans and craftsmen will create fruitful conversations that push our approach further into the refined direction we would love to see it in.
On another level, a continuous practice means the inclusion of other workshops outside of our in-house-production of artisanal fashion pieces. We believe that our textile solutions
deriving from mending, repair, application and recycling can be scaled onto a greater series of garments and can find a place in the fashion industry at large. The inclusion of other local craft-based ateliers, that work independently as executers, but join the same production network, is a vision we believe in for a viable future.
MATERIALS
As designers we find inspirations in honest food-culture, that lives by a farm-to-table-mentality. While choosing materials for upcoming garments and series, we seek orientation in our surroundings to find deadstock, scrap material or overlooked material sources to fit our manufacturing process. Find some of our values and process below. The materials you will find in our garments will be preferable of organic origin. We greatly value the properties of natural materials over those of synthetic sources. The product’s longevity, the wearers comfort and health as well as the earth’s long-term well-being.
To contradict this statement immediately: The only synthetic material you will find in our garments, is the woven label in the back. Our aim was to find the softest weave to rub against your neck or lower back. We made sure to find a company that used recycled polyester that has a STeP by OEKO-TEX® . More info on what that means you can find here.
DEADSTOCK
The majority of our fabrics come from so-called deadstock, which are the remnants of larger companies that find no usage in their process, but are perfect for smaller series of garments. There a pros and cons to working with deadstock. On one hand it allows for a reduction of the industry’s overstock while ensuring a beautiful quality in smaller production. The main downside is its limitation — once used up, the product is not reproducible anymore. However we like to work within this flow and see great beauty in designing within actual resources.
RECYCLED LEATHER
Milk of Lime’s practice circles around natural materials mostly, one of them being leather. We are committed to an arguably controversial material, but at the same time tackle an undeniable problem. While some promising alternatives to animal hides have entered the market, they rely on many chemicals and have limited longevity. At this point in time, fashion manufacturers still use real leather and produce large amounts of leftovers, too small to be used elsewhere. Due to its beautiful properties, we strive to rescue leather scraps from several manufacturers and reduce the industry’s heavy environmental footprint.
We see our chance as designers in taking on the scraps of this precious resource, and research for aesthetically pleasing solutions, that incorporate such waste in order to reduce it to a minimum without the use of plastic fusing and glueing. The combination of local craft and technology will change the industry’s outlook on leather waste.
SCRAPS
With our approach in using scrap material of any sort, we explore our possibilities on including the smallest of pieces into our production line. Larger scraps are re-cut, assembled and are used as bias-tape, patches, embellishments. Smaller pieces and expressive scraps find their way into patchwork-surfaces, where their unique beauty gets highlighted, rather than disguised. As a company, we are connected to our supplier’s production chain in order to receive remnants of their general garment production, which are worked back into the cycle through our patchwork line and accessories.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about how we work please feel free to contact us through this form. This counts also for if you would like to work together or if you would like to have a bespoke piece. We’re always open for new ideas, input and meeting new people.
