Sustainable kids clothing: what sustainability means at Pamboo

In February 2021 Pitti Bimbo, one of the most important international fairs for kidswear, selected Pamboo as one of eight "ecoethic" fashion labels for which sustainability and respect for the environment are a central part of their identity. To be recognised as a brand with an "ecoethic green collection" offering sustainable kids clothing is a source of pride for us. Producing children's clothing sustainably was already a central goal when Pamboo was founded, which we also express in our motto "We love to care".

Sustainable children's clothing as a vision

In 2015, Pamboo started working on the first designs of the baby collection. Our vision was always at the centre of everything we did: Pamboo did not want to be one just one of many labels for baby fashion, but we wanted to offer our little ones sustainable baby clothes. Our plans extended far beyond the mere production of organic baby clothes. Not only the raw materials and their cultivation should be free of harmful substances - the entire production chain should be as sustainable as possible.
What does sustainability mean?

Sustainability is the principle that no more of something should be consumed than can grow back so that it is available again in the future. Sustainability is based on three cornerstones: ecological, economic and social sustainability. Ecological sustainability stands for the preservation of nature and the environment for future generations. Economic sustainability describes a way of doing business that conserves natural resources so that it remains the basis for the prosperity of all people in the long term. Social sustainability is justice between rich and poor countries. The basic needs of all people should be ensured and global resources distributed fairly.

Little sustainability in the global fashion industry

Most of the fashion industry is not driven by sustainable principles, but by so-called "fast fashion". Fashion trends are constantly changing and so are the collections available in shops. A constantly new assortment wants to encourage customers to keep coming back to the store to buy the latest fashion trend. Mass consumption goes hand in hand with low quality and an associated short shelf life of the mostly cheaply produced garments. The consequences of "fast fashion" are high resource consumption, poor working conditions and increased environmental pollution.

Sustainable kids clothing at Pamboo

The corporate philosophy of Pamboo is based on the concept of "slow fashion". More respect for people and the environment as well as offering sustainable and ethical kids clothing. This starts with the design. We do not support current fashion trends such as retro looks or animal prints. These trends disappear in the next season and the garments quickly end up in the trash. The designs of our collections are neutral and timeless. They don't go out of fashion and can still be worn by siblings.

Sustainable materials: organic cotton, mulesing-free merino and recycled paper

The material of our baby clothes and funny shirts is organic cotton. Using organic cotton pays off on all three aspects of sustainability: Environmental protection, social justice and the conservation of resources (read 6 facts about organic cotton). Our organic cotton is also untreated. This means that we do not use any chemical bleaching or dyeing agents during the processing. In this way, we contribute to the protection of water sources and the health of people and animals in the vicinity of the processing plants. The wool used for our children's underwear and wool sweaters comes from a farm that is certified according to the Responsible Wool Standard and does not use the controversial mulesing practice on sheep. Ensuring animal welfare is important for us. The labels we attach to our clothes are made from 100% recycled seed paper. If you put the label in the ground, beautiful flowers will grow from it - with good care and a green thumb.

Fair cooperation with small factories and suppliers

We choose the suppliers and factories we work with very carefully. We choose smaller companies that offer their workers good working conditions and at the same time meet our high quality standards. We pay our suppliers fair prices.

At Pamboo we never stand still. Making sustainable baby clothes and kids clothing means that we are always looking to improve and make our collections even more sustainable. We are currently working on replacing the plastic packaging our clothes come in with a fully degradable starch-based material.
We consistently follow our motto “We love to care”. This benefits the environment, our partners and our little customers.