VETTA
VETTA has a different approach to fashion. The brand creates mini capsule wardrobes made up of five versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched to create a month's worth of outfits. You can buy the entire capsule or shop individual pieces to start building your dream wardrobe. The versatile designs can be worn multiple ways, and everything mixes + matches.
VETTA is committed to sustainable fabrics and responsible factories. The brand only works with responsible factories who pay workers fairly, protect workers rights, have safe working environments, and prohibit child labor, forced labor, and discrimination. Factories are visited personally, and the brand works closely with them to manufacture the collections. These are the factories that VETTA works with:
Woven factory, New York, New York, USA. Our New York factory is a family-run business, and many of the seamstresses and managers have been there for over 30 years. They specialize in woven and tailored garments, and they are incredibly skilled, producing mostly high-end garments for luxury department stores. Every day from 1-2pm, no matter how busy it is, everything stops for lunch: time to share food and stories.
Sweater factory, Los Angeles, California, USA. The sweater factory is located in L.A., and is one of the few domestic manufacturers left that can create high quality fully-fashioned sweaters. The factory is very clean and well-maintained, and is audited annually for social and environmental compliance. It also is focused on sustainability, and gets 70% of its energy from solar power!
T-shirt factory, Los Angeles, California, USA. The t-shirt factory in L.A. makes t-shirts for the biggest ethical brands in the U.S. They run a very efficient and orderly factory, and they are audited by a third party to ensure that they meet strict social compliance standards.
New Delhi, India. For all garments with intricate lace work, VETTA has partnered with a family-owned factory in New Delhi that has this expertise. The factory is SA8000 certified, which means they get audited regularly for fair treatment of workers. They must meet strict standards of safe working conditions, living wages, and human rights. We visited twice in 2019 and met with the owner and his family, talked with the workers, and spent some time touring the workspace. To find out more about why VETTA is manufacturing internationally, check out this blog post written by VETTA´s Co-Founder & CEO Cara Bartlett.
Mumbai, India. Our newest factory is a Fair Trade Certified non-profit organization whose mission is to empower women. It's a co-operative that trains and provides employment to women in the slums of Mumbai. It also provides hundreds of educational sponsorships to children of workers, provides health insurance, does trainings on savings and finances. We visited in person and talked with the women, and were so inspired by the impact this organization is having. We hope to work with them more in the future!
The primary fabrics used in the collections are tencel (made from sustainably harvested wood pulp that's processed in a closed looped system that recycles solvents), organic cotton, and deadstock fabric (leftover fabric that we save from the landfill and give a new life). The impact of each fabric is analyzed throughout its lifecycle, and fabrics with the highest quality and best performance are selected. Some of the things to consider are water and pesticide usage during fiber growth, renewability of resources, energy and chemicals used during processing, disposal techniques, care requirements, fabric longevity, and biodegradability. VETTA has chosen the following fabrics because at the moment they are the most sustainable options:
Tencel. Tencel is made from natural wood fibers that are sustainably harvested. It requires less water than other fabrics, and it's biodegradable. Tencel uses a closed loop system that recycles solvents, rather than releasing them into the environment. This is our favorite fabric, both for its amazing properties and overall sustainability.
Linen. Linen is made from natural fibers (flax) and does not require pesticides or chemicals like conventional cotton does. It also gets better with time, and is biodegradable.
BCI Supima Cotton (T-shirts). VETTA started working with Supima Cotton because of it's quality and longevity in jersey (t-shirt) fabrics. Supima (short for "superior pima") is an incredibly soft yet durable material that makes up less than 1% of all cotton grown in the US. Supima cotton fibers are longer than traditional cotton fibers, which means the fabric made from it is super soft and also longer lasting. VETTA´s Supima cotton is grown under Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)'s standards, which are used around the world to push the cotton industry in a more sustainable direction.
Organic cotton (twill and yarn). The brand´s organic cotton (in woven and yarn forms) is made overseas by our partner mills. It is GOTS certified, so it has passed strict ecological and social criteria that is backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. Organic cotton is made from natural fibers, doesn't use pesticides or chemicals, and is biodegradable.
Recycled polyester. Recycled materials, like our recycled polyester, divert trash from landfills and help give our waste a new life. Recycled polyester garments have all the benefits of using virgin polyester (durability, ease of care, and design benefits), without using new resources that have harmful effects on our planet.
Ecovero. Lenzing EcoVero is the most ecological and sustainable viscose that can be made today. It uses FSC and PEFC certified raw materials rather than wood from endangered rainforests, recycles all of the chemicals used in a closed loop process rather than releasing them into the environment, and uses 50% less energy and water consumption than conventional viscose.
Lenzing modal ponte. VETTA worked with a US-based fabric mill to design the Ponte fabric from scratch. Ponte fabric typically is made of Rayon, Nylon, and Spandex. The brand created their own more sustainable version of ponte fabric by replacing the Rayon with Lenzing Modal, which is made from sustainably harvested Beech trees that are self-propagating and don't require artificial irrigation. Alos, nylon is replaced with Econyl (regenerated nylon that is made from nylon waste from landfills and oceans around the world). VETTA partnered with a fabric mill in California that has strict environmental requirements so that these fibers are handled properly.
Deadstock fabric. In addition to designing new fabrics, VETTA likes to use deadstock fabrics, which are materials that have been leftover from other designers. By using deadstock fabrics, creating new waste is avoided and can save existing materials from the landfill.
VETTA is dedicated to being responsible in every aspect of the business, because they believe that the little things can make a big difference. Their poly bags, inserts, and packing slips are made from 100% recycled materials, and their boxes are made from recycled and FSC certified materials. In addition to sustainable fabrics, most of the buttons and elastic used are made in the USA. Every aspect of the supply chain has an impact on people and the planet, and VETTA strives to be more responsible and sustainable with each new collection.
Based: Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ships to: USA and Canada.
Products: High-quality, sustainable wardrobe items.
Mission: To provide a minimalist alternative to fashion with eco-friendly materials and an empowering workforce.
Vision: To create an ethical, American-made clothing brand.
