Brand Introduction: Shipsheip - A minimalistic unison of aesthetics and ethics

Feb 28

Written By

Shipsheip is a fair and sustainable fashion brand based in Cologne. The two powerwomen behind the brand are Joana who is the designer of the brand and Daniela, the theologist and ethicist behind the brand. At Shipsheip they look at sustainability holistically and try to implement eco-responsibility and fair conditions throughout the brand.
The name Shipsheip derives from the old nautical saying “It´s all shipshape and Bristol fashion" which means as much as that everything is in its place and as it should be. This again refers back to their holistic approach. The three things that lay at the heart of Shipsheip are individuality, fairness and high quality.

I was able to interview the two girls behind Shipsheip and find out more about the brand, its origin, its aim and its future prospects.

Tell me how it all started. How did Shipsheip come into existence/being?
It all started a few years back when we lived in a shared flat and came up with the idea to found an eco-conscious label. As a fashion designer and an ethician this was an obvious consequence and after we both finished our studies things started to take shape. In the meantime I (Daniela) worked within project management/marketing and Joana worked in the theater but we always had the dream to evenutally become self-employed. Shortly after launching our online store we were offered a storefront in cologne and quickly opened up a concept store. With the first launch of our womenswear collection in summer 2018 we also completely redid our onlineshop.

Tell me more about Shipsheip: What the focus and what's your mission?
We only have one premise: Aesthetics and Ethics are inextricably linked. We love minimalistic things that don't take hold of a temporary trend but instead aim for things that will go along for a long time. Fair working conditions and transparent production chains are for us a given. Just as important for us is that our products appeal to our customers on an emotional and aesthetic level. Therefore, we design elegant, urban styles that are versatile and that please at first glance.
What is special at Shipsheip is that we offer two different segments: Thereby we consciously bring together eco-fair global production with local single-piece productions made on demand.
Our ready-to-wear segment includes collections that are directly available and produced under fair and ecological criteria in India as well as Portugal. Thereby many styles remain longer than only one season in our product range.

In our made-to-wear we respond to the increasing demand of individual and configurable fashion. With the aid of our modular system the products can be designed for individual need and can be compiled by chosing from different cuts, colors and materials. Those products are only produced in our studio after we receive the order and are made from 100% organic materials.

Why Fair Fashion?
For us there is really no other alternative. The textile industry is one of the dirtiest industries in the world. It runs on the costs of those people that can neither defend themselves nor have any other option available: Violating working conditions and human rights as well as environmental damage are the consequence-and of course women are the ones that have to suffer the most due to the partriarchal system. Therefore, this is nothing we want to associate ourselves with when doing our daily business. We see particularly Fair Fashion as an opportunity to change things. Because we believe that there is an alternative way of doing business-one that isn't on the expense of neither humans nor the environment. It is possible and exactly this is why we need more Fair Fashion labels that show that there is an alternative way of operating; namely without exploitation and violation and with respect for the people and the environment.

We believe that there is an alternative way of doing business-one that isn't on the expense of neither humans nor the environment.

Where do you get your inspiration for the designs?
Inspiration can come from different sources: Travelling, art and architecture however are the ones I mostly refer to. Often the styles are inspired by Scandinavian or Japanese culture. In those cultures you often find great examples of creating looks that are timeless but nevertheless special, intersting and with love to the detail. Our zero waste blouse Susan is a great example because it not only differentiates itself with a slightly assymetrical cut but its design is also that well thought out that there aren't any offcuts in its production. One of our new favourites from the summer collection for example was inspired by a twenties dress that we found in a secondhand shop in Porto.

What differentiates Shipsheip from other Fair Fashion brands? What makes you unique and special?
For one the unique combination of our two differnt segments: global versus German production / ready-to-wear versus made-to-wear, for another we aim very deliberately at making the complex topic of eco-fair value chains more feasible for our clients. For that reason we made our supply chains completely transparent and visible online, supported by many videos so that customers can form their own impressions. Therefore, we also regularly pay a visit to our production sites which also facilitates collaboration with them. That way we ensure to always remain authentic.

We need more Fair Fashion labels that show that there is an alternative way of operating; namely without exploitation and violation and with respect for the people and the environment.

In how far does your way of operating differ from that of a Fast Fashion brand?
We produce much less, slower, qualitatively higher and most importantly in a way that everyone along our supply chain can profit from it. Yearly we launch two collections, we have a basic collection which is permanently available and we avoid surplus production.
In addition we offer with our individual made-to-wear segment the possibility for our clients to put together their own favorite styles-that doesn't only result in a stronger bond to the clothing item but also brings back a particular value awareness toward material things. Something that we have to relearn in our current flatrate-society.
Sustainability at Shipsheip starts directly in the design of the piece: How long is something wearable, how many ressources does its production take, how much offcuts will there be? So the main difference at Shipsheip is that we don't produce for styles that quickly end up in a landfill but instead can be worn often and for a long time.

Do Fair Fashion brands have a harder time establishing themselves on the market?
The Fair Fashion world still is a small niche market even if it's constantly growing. Nevertheless, the demand is much smaller than on the conventional market. Of course this is a disadvantage because even Fair Fashion brands have to make a living from what they're selling. Adding to this is the fact that there are only few big brands out there and mostly smaller brands that often lack in capital or order volume. Furthermore, there is yet a lot fewer choice between eco-fair ingredients and materials which makes especially the designing very challenging sometimes.

The main difference at Shipsheip is that we don't produce for styles that quickly end up in a landfill but instead can be worn often and for a long time.

What is planned for the new collection (if you're already allowed to disclose that...)?
There will be a completely new range of materials, haptics and colors. And mainly we were able to employ Smartfiber which normally is only used for functional wear. One of our favorites is definitely the merinowool-algue-mixture which couldn't possibly be more pleasant. It cools or warms as needed and is also suitable for allergy sufferers as it doesn't abosorb any odors.

If you had one free wish which one would it be?
Currently the consciouness formation regarding Fast Fashion and all its negative consequences is much further developed than a few years back -and we're very pleased with that. However, we would wish that Fair Fashion keeps asserting itself and more people start buying consciously. Particularly we would wish for the establishment of a more binding political framework so that companies can be held accountable. Greenwashing and voluntary self-declarations of big firms don't lead to anything but confusion of the customers.

Particularly we would wish for the establishment of a more binding political framework so that companies can be held accountable.

What do you wish for the future?
To carry on, keep growing and keep changing things.

This interview was conducted with Daniela and Joana - the founders of the eco-fair brand Shipsheip.

Eileen Fleece Coat
The coat characterizes itself through flowy kimono style sleeves and is made from super-soft cotton fleece. The coat has a comfortable cut that sits lose on the silhouette, therefore allowing for free movement. While it could be worn especially during the season changes it could also be worn during colder days when appropriately layered.