Armedangels
Encyclopedia
armedangels is a fashion label based in Cologne
, Germany
. Founded in 2007, the company designs a variety of apparel products made from textiles such as organic cotton
and sells them via their online shop as well as in boutiques and major retails stores in six countries. The label creates and produces sustainable fashion
that is both ethical and fashionable, while attempting to appeal to the LOHAS
demographic. The company is attempting to change the perception of eco-friendly clothing being "hippy like" and not fashionable to it being perceived as 'hip', 'chic' streetwear. Furthermore, the company aims to make a social statement about fashion
and works exclusively with socially responsible companies that are certified as being fair trade
. Because armedangels believes in being socially minded, they invite community members to share their opinions on improving the production process, to give feedback on new designs, and in some cases, even create and submit their own, new t-shirt
designs. The main goal of their community is to raise awareness about the fashion industry and—what in their minds are—the injustices that arise as a result. The German press has referred to armedangels as being "eco warriors in the process of saving the world", who contribute alongside like-minded people including celebrities such as Natalie Portman
, Leonardo DiCaprio
and Al Gore
.
: Gründerwettbewerb der Wirtschaftswoche) for their business model.
For this reason, they use organic cotton in their clothing, attempt to avoid large shipping distances (to reduce CO2 emissions), try to pay more than minimum wage
to their farmers in India
, and donate a euro of their profits from every article of clothing sold. armedangels has shown an interest in giving back to the community and therefore, closely collaborates with three charity organizations: Pratham
, Trinkwasserwald, and Viva con Agua.
, Terra Plana, Stewart & Brown, and KnowledgeCotton Apparel. At the end of 2009, the label began collaborations with German actress Cosma Shiva Hagen
and German TV star and VIVA veejay Collien Fernandes
.. In June 2010 the fashion label teamed up with German Topmodel Eva Padberg
and her husband Niklas Worgt. They designed their own t-shirt
"Two Hearts - One Rhythm" which is sold online.
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Founded in 2007, the company designs a variety of apparel products made from textiles such as organic cotton
Organic cotton
Organic cotton is generally understood as cotton and is grown in subtropical countries such as America and India, from non genetically modified plants, that is to be grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides. Its production also promotes and...
and sells them via their online shop as well as in boutiques and major retails stores in six countries. The label creates and produces sustainable fashion
Sustainable fashion
Sustainable fashion, also called eco fashion, is a part of the growing design philosophy and trend of sustainability, the goal of which is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of environmentalism and social responsibility...
that is both ethical and fashionable, while attempting to appeal to the LOHAS
LOHAS
Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability is a demographic defining a particular market segment related to sustainable living, "green" ecological initiatives, and generally composed of a relatively upscale and well-educated population segment. The author Paul H...
demographic. The company is attempting to change the perception of eco-friendly clothing being "hippy like" and not fashionable to it being perceived as 'hip', 'chic' streetwear. Furthermore, the company aims to make a social statement about fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
and works exclusively with socially responsible companies that are certified as being fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
. Because armedangels believes in being socially minded, they invite community members to share their opinions on improving the production process, to give feedback on new designs, and in some cases, even create and submit their own, new t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
designs. The main goal of their community is to raise awareness about the fashion industry and—what in their minds are—the injustices that arise as a result. The German press has referred to armedangels as being "eco warriors in the process of saving the world", who contribute alongside like-minded people including celebrities such as Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
, Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
and Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
.
History
The company was founded in January 2007 as The Social Fashion Company GmbH by two friends, Anton Jurina and Martin Höfeler.In 2009, the founders won the first ever Wirtschaftswoche Entrepreneur Competition (German languageGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Gründerwettbewerb der Wirtschaftswoche) for their business model.
Philosophy
armedangels' philosophy is built on three main pillars:- being good to the environmentNatural environmentThe natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, - supporting fair tradeFair tradeFair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
, - donating to charityCharitable organizationA charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
For this reason, they use organic cotton in their clothing, attempt to avoid large shipping distances (to reduce CO2 emissions), try to pay more than minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
to their farmers in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and donate a euro of their profits from every article of clothing sold. armedangels has shown an interest in giving back to the community and therefore, closely collaborates with three charity organizations: Pratham
Pratham
Pratham is a non-governmental organisation that works towards the provision of quality education to the underprivileged children in India. Established in Mumbai in 1994 to provide pre-school education to children in slums, it now has activities in 21 states of India and has supporting chapters in...
, Trinkwasserwald, and Viva con Agua.
Collaborations
armedangels currently partners with several other ethical and sustainable fashion labels such as: KuyichiKuyichi
Kuyichi is a Netherlands based company involved in jeans and other fashion wear. Founded and 33% owned by Dutch development organisation Solidaridad, Kuyichi focuses on using a more ethical supply chain consisting of regulated and largely SA8000 compliant factories and partly organic, totally fair...
, Terra Plana, Stewart & Brown, and KnowledgeCotton Apparel. At the end of 2009, the label began collaborations with German actress Cosma Shiva Hagen
Cosma Shiva Hagen
Cosma Shiva Hagen is a German actress and the daughter of New Wave/punk singer Nina Hagen and the late musician Ferdinand Karmelk. Her grandmother is actress Eva-Maria Hagen, and her step-grandfather is the East German dissident writer Wolf Biermann. Eva-Maria Hagen was allowed to emigrate to West...
and German TV star and VIVA veejay Collien Fernandes
Collien Fernandes
Collien Fernandes is a German TV presenter, VJ, actress and model.- Early life :Fernandes was born in Hamburg, Germany to a father of Goan Indian origin and a Hungarian mother. She has one younger sister, Elaine....
.. In June 2010 the fashion label teamed up with German Topmodel Eva Padberg
Eva Padberg
Eva Padberg is a German fashion model, singer, and actress.Padberg was born in Bad Frankenhausen and grew up in Rottleben, Germany. In 1995, she applied for Bravos Boy & Girl contest; she made it among the best ten models and gained the opportunity to do a test shooting for Louisa Models in Munich...
and her husband Niklas Worgt. They designed their own t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
"Two Hearts - One Rhythm" which is sold online.