People
MEET OUR SUPPLIERS
Better choices come from taking responsibility for the places and communities we touch, and the suppliers we work with. We’ve been collaborating with many of the same partners since 2007, from our cotton growers in India to our manufacturers in China, Türkiye, Portugal and Romania. Working with such a diverse range of partners, whether that’s small suppliers specialising in traditional techniques or larger-scale factories with a focus on new technologies, means we have a tremendous amount of shared expertise and passion to take on the future and its challenges together.
Currently, over 170,000 people are employed by our global suppliers to make our collections, with 40% based in Europe and 60% in Asia. Though we don’t own these organisations, it is our responsibility to make sure that everyone we work with treats their employees fairly and follows environmentally friendly business practices.
To ensure this, we work directly with factory owners, local governments, trade unions and non-government organisations, as well as garment makers themselves. Before we work with any external suppliers, they must sign a strict Sustainability Commitment and our code of ethics.
Meet some of the inspiring people behind our collections below.
MEET OUR SUPPLIERS
MANTECO
The family-run Italian textile company has been perfecting the art of creating sustainable luxury fabrics since 1943. Based in the Tuscan region of Prato, the Mantellassi family are renown worldwide for their high-end fabrics and sustainable production solutions. Collaborating with local artisans to keep the traditions of Italian craftsmanship alive while seeking more planet-friendly manufacturing methods is something they attribute to their global success over the years.
Our team have been working closely with Manteco since day one. Recently, we have invested in four new wool innovations to feature in our collection – each one more sustainably sourced. To find out more, read our interview with the man from Manteco himself, Mr. Marco Mantellassi.
MATERRA
Hailing from a humble greenhouse in Essex before moving to Gujarat in India, Materra is a planet-centric technology company working towards scalable, sustainable and beautifully soft cotton. Its most celebrated innovation to date is growing cotton in climate-controlled greenhouse environments, which uses up to 80% less water and around 30% less carbon dioxide compared to chemically intensive cotton farming.
In 2021, we invested in Materra’s first-ever yield to create a set of prototype T-shirts – with the aim to scale this up in the future. To find out more about this exciting partnership, read our interview with the co-founders as they talk cutting-edge cotton farming, the importance of the local community and working with COS.
MATERRA
Hailing from a humble greenhouse in Essex before moving to Gujarat in India, Materra is a planet-centric technology company working towards scalable, sustainable and beautifully soft cotton. Its most celebrated innovation to date is growing cotton in climate-controlled greenhouse environments, which uses up to 80% less water and around 30% less carbon dioxide compared to chemically intensive cotton farming.
In 2021, we invested in Materra’s first-ever yield to create a set of prototype T-shirts – with the aim to scale this up in the future. To find out more about this exciting partnership, read our interview with the co-founders as they talk cutting-edge cotton farming, the importance of the local community and working with COS.
VALÉRIUS
When it comes to jersey material innovation, few manufacturers are as synonymous with progress and quality as Valérius. Now over 25 years into its legacy, the award-winning Portuguese trailblazer is focusing its energy on recycling to close the loop on textile waste and fabricate a more sustainable future for jersey.
Since joining the COS family in 2009, the partnership has blossomed into a long-standing collaboration of two global giants sharing the same vision of quality, sustainability and innovation. Read our interview with the team at Valérius HQ where we discuss sustainability, the revolution of jersey recycling and the extraordinary journey of an everyday COS signature.
SÖKTAŞ
Founded in 1971 and based in Turkey, the Kayhan family have been cultivating cotton for generations, and Söktaş’ main specialty is in the development of original yarns and new blends. Over the years, they have brought many world firsts to the fashion industry – such as exceptional cotton fabrics blended with fine wool, silk and linen.
Collaborating with manufacturers that are masters in creating high-quality, long-lasting fabrics is an integral part of what we do at COS, which is why Söktaş is the perfect specialist supplier for our shirt collections.
SÖKTAŞ
Founded in 1971 and based in Turkey, the Kayhan family have been cultivating cotton for generations, and Söktaş’ main specialty is in the development of original yarns and new blends. Over the years, they have brought many world firsts to the fashion industry – such as exceptional cotton fabrics blended with fine wool, silk and linen.
Collaborating with manufacturers that are masters in creating high-quality, long-lasting fabrics is an integral part of what we do at COS, which is why Söktaş is the perfect specialist supplier for our shirt collections.
TINTEX
Managed by a father and his two sons, the family-centric Tintex Textiles is a world-leading jersey specialist driven by its aim to create high-quality fabrics with less of an impact on the planet and its people. Based in the Portuguese region of Porto, it has been a pioneer in the textile industry for over twenty years and has been collaborating with COS since day one.
Our long-standing relationship has resulted in new sustainable innovations within the textile industry, too. Plummy® and Naturally Clean® are special fabrics that still look new after continuous washing that have been developed to support us with creating long-lasting, durable collections.
Since joining the COS family in 2009, the partnership has blossomed into a long-standing collaboration of two global giants sharing the same vision of quality, sustainability and innovation. Read our interview with the team at Valérius HQ where we discuss sustainability, the revolution of jersey recycling and the extraordinary journey of an everyday COS signature.
ÜNLÜ
Ünlü Tekstil is one of Turkey’s leading garment manufacturers and one of COS’s biggest suppliers. Operating since 1992, the company considers adaptation the key to its success, and integrates sustainability through three key pillars: people, planet and profit. Harnessing happiness amongst its people by promoting gender equal initiatives and uplifting women in the workplace is paramount.
Through its loyal partnership with COS, the company has helped to expand our collections and increase supply to offer variety. Ünlü was one of the first to adapt to a digital approach with 3D sampling, resulting in less material used in the product development stage, and test a waterless thread dyeing system for stitching threads, which are both big milestones in the aspect of sustainability. While educating its team on sustainable practices through its platform, Ünlü Academy, ensures complete transparency from product conception to realisation.
Collaborating with manufacturers that are masters in creating high-quality, long-lasting fabrics is an integral part of what we do at COS, which is why Söktaş is the perfect specialist supplier for our shirt collections.
ÜNLÜ
Ünlü Tekstil is one of Turkey’s leading garment manufacturers and one of COS’s biggest suppliers. Operating since 1992, the company considers adaptation the key to its success, and integrates sustainability through three key pillars: people, planet and profit. Harnessing happiness amongst its people by promoting gender equal initiatives and uplifting women in the workplace is paramount.
Through its loyal partnership with COS, the company has helped to expand our collections and increase supply to offer variety. Ünlü was one of the first to adapt to a digital approach with 3D sampling, resulting in less material used in the product development stage, and test a waterless thread dyeing system for stitching threads, which are both big milestones in the aspect of sustainability. While educating its team on sustainable practices through its platform, Ünlü Academy, ensures complete transparency from product conception to realisation.
Collaborating with manufacturers that are masters in creating high-quality, long-lasting fabrics is an integral part of what we do at COS, which is why Söktaş is the perfect specialist supplier for our shirt collections.