Brazilian luxury brand Osklen wants to redefine and refine the concept of a high-end, luxury basic with the addition of Polygiene anti-odor technology to its new collection of sustainably produced black T-shirts.
The limited-edition T-shirt capsule will be made available as part of Osklen’s sustainable ASAP Forests collection this month, which the brand said has received significant interest in its home country and was mentioned by Vogue Brazil as a collection to watch.
Swedish firm Polygiene, on the other hand, specializes in odor-blocking technology and has brought its expertise to the limited collection to demonstrate another way in which luxury can evolve.
“The way in which we prioritize social responsibility and ways of working to conserve natural resources is fully in line with our sustainability strategy to minimize the use of resources and extend the life of clothing,” Polygiene CEO Ulrika Björk said. “Since we recently opened up the Brazilian market, by far the largest economy in Latin America, our focus is soon to be able to add another number of major partners to the customer list.”
The T-shirt collection, which Osklen said will include a traditional tee along with a dressier model, is made with e-cotton, a type of cotton grown in Brazil that comes with strict certification and sustainability credentials. Polygiene then runs the fabric through its anti-odor treatment process.
Polygiene said that clothes treated with its technology require less frequent washings and will therefore last longer, an aspect of the concept of “new luxury” that Osklen champions in in line with its own sustainability goals.
“A brand is today identified as luxurious if it represents so-called good values,” Oskar Metsavaht, the founder and director of creation and style at Osklen, added. “It requires taking social responsibility and preserving nature’s resources for future generations.”
The luxury brand currently operates 53 proprietary stores and 22 franchise locations in Brazil with additional retail branches in Miami, Mykonos, New York, Punta del Este, Uruguay, and Tokyo to complement its international e-commerce business.
The World Wildlife Fund’s “Deeper Luxury” report awarded the title of “Future Maker” to Metsavaht for his work with Osklen, and to Tesla founder and visionary Elon Musk.
Although Osklen has made clear progress in the field of sustainable Brazilian luxury, a 2018 survey conducted by Fashion Revolution found that Malwee was the most sustainable brand in the country, earning a 53 percent rating for the watchdog’s Transparency Index, compared to just 34 percent for Osklen.