You're probably wondering how our pants are made? And that's normal.
In this article, we will present two of our fabric making workshops.
However, if you do not understand certain technical terms, do not hesitate to consult our small glossary which we update regularly.
Today, when you decide to create your own ready-to-wear label, you quickly realize that it is complicated to find suppliers and clothing workshops that are both respectful of the environment and the working conditions of their employees. So, we looked for, and we found rare gems, partners who share our values and our state of mind.
Our motto? Take the time. Time to design quality products, to work with the best, and to consider every detail, every color, so as to leave nothing to chance.
Let us introduce you to those who participate every day in the LePantalon adventure, starting with La Maison Candiani and Vital Barberis Canonico.
Who are our workshops? How do we select them? And why?
First of all, you should know that all our pants are made in Europe (mainly in Italy, Portugal, and Spain). Our workshops are selected based on their expertise. Indeed, each product requires specific know-how to guarantee impeccable quality. We therefore sought out the best to produce our pants.
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The Candiani House
Candiani is a family business located near Milan that has been in existence since 1938. With over 80 years of experience, this workshop has established itself as the best in the denim industry and guarantees “Made in Italy” quality.
The Candiani house is, above all, a family story! This Italian family-run spinning mill has been built over four generations. Expertise has been passed down over the years, both within management and among employees. In fact, more than 10% of employees come from families who have previously worked for Candiani.
Sustainability is a fundamental value in Candiani's production, which has allowed the company to become "The Greenest Textile Company in the World of Blue." Candiani is eco-responsible, manufacturing, weaving and dyeing its own yarn.
The factory is located in the Valle del Ticino Natural Park, which requires it to adhere to certain strict regulations. It therefore takes great care to monitor its environmental impact and recycles everything. To give you a concrete example, the company has installed automatic vacuum cleaners to suck up all the cotton threads or fibers that escape during the weaving process. This harvest is then transformed into insulating walls for construction.
Innovation at Candiani:
On the innovation side, Candiani is spearheading a new process: “Indigo Juice.” This solution to sandblasting aims to fix the indigo on the surface of the yarn, and only on the surface. This makes bleaching easier.
This part doesn't concern us. All our jeans are raw and therefore unwashed, but we thought it would be interesting to tell you about this technique. It shows us that this workshop is constantly researching new techniques. It aims to do its utmost to minimize environmental impact and respect certain ethics.
Candiani is renowned for its innovations. Indeed, it is constantly searching for new production methods. It also conducts extensive research on new materials to offer to its partner brands. It is moving towards biodegradable denim, always with the aim of being as eco-responsible as possible.
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Vitale Barberis Canonico
Vitale Barberis Canonico has been in existence since 1936, and it too has over 80 years of experience and is of Italian origin. Its roots are in an old spinning mill over 350 years old. This has allowed it to quickly acquire extensive expertise. Vitale Barberis Canonico has always had its own flocks of sheep to process the wool itself. As a result, it creates a vertical integration over which it has total control to guarantee the quality management of its wool, and thus promote ethical production.
Vitale Barberis Canonico has decided to adopt a code of ethics to govern its business. It guarantees employees fundamental rights and long-term employment. The company has committed to not relocating its factories, thus ensuring stable employment and bright prospects for future generations.
Vitale Barberis Canonico also pays close attention to water consumption. Indeed, a spinning mill uses very large quantities of water during the dyeing and color-fixing processes. The company has therefore decided to monitor this step as well as the quality of the purification treatment by reusing water as much as possible. Where necessary, when it is no longer possible to reintegrate the water into the manufacturing process, they have opted for a new solution by creating an artificial pond with fish to recycle the water in a clever and fun way. For the more curious, these include goldfish and koi carp.
The environment at Vitale Barberis Canonico:
And that's not all! Vitale Barberis is committed to reducing its environmental impact and always staying below legal thresholds. For example, it has considered the construction of its factories to respect the surrounding area and how to organize the workshop to have better working conditions for employees. If you would like to know more, the Vitale Barberis Canonico code of ethics is available on their website .
Why them?
These two workshops are very committed and do their best to be part of a sustainable approach. Whether it is for the environment, for the employees or for the quality of their products, these two companies are attentive and do everything to be as responsible as possible . Whether you wear jeans that have not undergone treatment with the sandblasting technique or a high-quality 100% wool flannel, you will surely be reassured to know in what conditions your pants were made.
If you still have some questions, we recommend you take a look at our articles on “An even more advanced manufacturing process” or “The history of trousers” .
Now you know where you're going!
Please feel free to comment on this article to give us your opinion or ideas for articles you would like to have.
