AMONG THE VERY FIRST SUSTAINABLE BRANDS IN THE MARKET WHEN ESTABLISHED IN PARIS IN 2015, AUGUSTA DOESN’T TAKE SUSTAINABILITY AS A MERE TREND, BUT AS ITS FOUNDATION. AND BECAUSE YOU CAN’T PUT A PRICE ON ETHICS, CREATION TIME OR INNOVATION, OUR MISSION IS TO RAISE THE BAR WHEN IT COMES TO LUXURY – EVERYDAY. FOR EACH PIECE TO BE DESIGNED SUSTAINABLY AND SMART, ALL PROCESSES ARE CAREFULLY STUDIED AND PERFECTED. THIS MEANS MOST OF OUR TIME IS SPENT TESTING AND IMPROVING. ALSO, WE FIERCELY BELIEVE THAT ANY KIND OF HUMAN OR ANIMAL ABUSE CAN NO LONGER BE CALLED “LUXURY” IN THE 21ST CENTURY REGARDLESS THEIR TRADITION OR KNOW-HOW.
BY INVESTING IN CONSCIOUSLY DESIGNED PRODUCTS, WE ALL VOTE FOR THE KIND OF SOLUTIONS WE WANT, MAKING OUR CONTRIBUTION TO A MORE JUST WORLD. DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO GREENWASHING, BE VOCAL AND ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS. WE ARE ALL EARS! HERE, WE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR MAIN PRACTICES:
Biodegradable Nylon
Although equally resistant to standardized nylon (polyamide), AUGUSTA uses biodegradable nylon produced with Brazilian high-tech invention AmniSoulEco® fiber which in case of soil contact degrades in a period of 3 years – against the common 50 years. along its process, all water is reused and the gases neutralized prior disposal.
Zero-Waste Mission
All textile residue in AUGUSTA is transformed into hair scrunchies either donated to cooperatives working with textile scraps. Also, to achieve the perfect cut and avoid unnecessary leftovers, our textiles are cut only after their patterns were digitally scanned and assembled by software.
Responsable Viscose, Tencel and Modal
Lyocell is known to be more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk and cooler than linen. The lyocell, modal and viscose used in our clothes are made from Australian-made celluloid thread where 99.7% of the production energy of the textile reused in a closed loop, making AUGUSTA’s celluloid fibers completely carbon-free printed. The technology involved for its production is based in the Alps where the beechwood celluloid is vast and self-sufficient, without any deforestation of other terrain being necessary.
Recycled Polyester
We avoid polyester and synthetic fibers in general as much as possible, but, whenever they are really necessary, we choose recycled versions that are certified according to the Global Recycle Standard (GRS) and comply with the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) protocol.
Carbon-neutral Shipping
AUGUSTA is trying to achieve climate neutrality in all its deliveries by only shipping within the committed programs of most European post services like the ProClima/ SwissPost (Switzerland), Colissimo/LaPoste (France) and DHL (Germany).
Organic & BCI Cotton
AUGUSTA does not buy conventional cotton for its production. Whenever recycled cotton isn’t available and we have to opt for virgin cotton, we choose organic cotton and preferably from farmer’s cooperatives (i.e., the naturally coloured organic cotton from northeastern Brazil). AUGUSTA avoids as much as possible the BCI-certified cotton (Better Cotton Initiative), a self-proclaimed “sustainable” cotton and today widespread in fashion, which we consider far from being really sustainable (for it still being industrialised, related to soy farming, deforestation, etc.)
Recycled Cotton
Conventional cotton farming demands enormous water and energy consumption, fertilizers, pesticides, consecutive, bleachers and dyes making its cultivation one of the most harmful to the environment. The substitution of the virgin material harsh methods for recycled enables the production of a far more sustainable material. AUGUSTA recycled cotton supplier is European EcoCert certified.
Our Buttons
Our buttons are produced in a pioneer factory in Portugal that is well-known for its international high-end clients and its sustainable buttons. AUGUSTA uses either their biodegradable buttons made of Taguá nut, cotton, recycled paper, semolina flour, vegetables, fruit, wood, etc. or their recycled polyester buttons.
Water-based Inks
Whenever possible, we choose to print our materials in water-based inks (boxes, tags, silkscreened shoe insoles, i.e.) substituting petroleum-based dyes.
Cupuaçu Butter
Some of our textiles have Cupuaçu butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), a native Amazonian nut, inside its fiber composition. Cupuaçu substitutes petroleum-based silicon finishings used to smoothens the fabric and is allergen-free.
Women's Rights Supporter
Established as an independent sole proprietorship of a woman, AUGUSTA is an openly female-rights supporter brand and chooses preferably women’s initiatives. Our pattern-maker, graphic designer, translator, and many collaborators, directly or indirectly, are women.
Vegan Luxury
AUGUSTA is a PETA (People fot the Ethical Treatment of Animals) certified brand since 2017 and have completely banned all kinds of animal-derived materials from this year, aligned with the founder’s personal wishes, who’s a longtime vegan. Apart from all sorts of leather and furs, this means silk, wool, shell and even other animal by-products, like, i.e., some types of shoe glue, aren’t used in the brand.
Local to Global
Each garment is conceived using locally sourced fabrics only. Unlike most brands, AUGUSTA does not make import or export of materials for manufacture purposes only, even if that means extra costs. In such a way, we choose to concentrate our processes in a single locality, empowering the local economy and community while eliminating unnecessary transportation emissions.
Social Responsibility
AUGUSTA works directly together with each artisan and small family-owned manufactories, in France and Brazil. The artisans we collaborate with are all masters of their craft we have enormous respect for and who are all paid fully for their work, above the market rate and according to a price they set themselves for their craft. As to avoid artisans receiving commissions and underpayments, AUGUSTA has a strict policy of not working with third-party factories or any sort of business intermediates.
Plastic-Free Atelier
We believe being fully single-plastic-free is paramount for any seriously committed company nowadays. With this in mind, all kinds of unnecessary plastic have been banned from our processes. Even for our tagging, boxing and shipping, both internally and externally, we use biodegradable materials like sugarcane-based envelopes, recycled cardboard, recycled paper or raffia/hemp/cotton threads, etc. only.
Leather Alternatives
Assuming all fake-leather is of poor quality is an outdated concept. Competing today with the best leather suppliers, synthetic technology has long achieved the luxury market with top-quality ethical alternatives – with some being quite sustainable. In AUGUSTA, we only manufacture with corn, pineapple and wild rubber-based fake-leathers that are equally used by the most exclusive and traditional brands in the market, caring additional properties of being solvent-free, anti-bacteria and anti-fungus.
Textiles Traditions
In accordance with its core value of promoting fairtrade handicrafts and traditional textile techniques, AUGUSTA aims at bringing forward the richnesses of the world of fashion and textiles, from harvesting, weaving or tailoring to natural plant dying and regional handmade techniques like crochet, tricot, macrame and embroidery.