Materials

The choice of materials is one of the most impactful aspects of sustainable fashion. At Alchemist, we select our fabrics with the utmost care, always prioritizing quality, sustainability, and ethics. Our materials are carefully chosen for their environmentally friendly properties, as well as their luxurious look and comfortable feel.

At Alchemist, we favor natural materials. The materials we use are sustainably produced and always certified. In the production of our clothing, we do not use azo dyes, phthalates, or nonylphenol ethoxylates. Additionally, we use natural man-made fibers and a few synthetic fibers—these synthetics are only used to strengthen other materials.

Natural Materials

Cotton

Cotton is one of our favorite fabrics. It feels soft on the skin, is breathable, and is one of the most widely used textiles worldwide. Unfortunately, conventional cotton is highly polluting, with negative impacts such as soil erosion and degradation, pollution from pesticide and herbicide use, and excessive water consumption. We currently use three different types of certified cotton in our collections.

GOTS – Certified Organic Cotton

The Global Organic Textile Standard is the leading global textile processing standard for organic fibers. It ensures organic status from harvesting through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing. GOTS enforces strict labor conditions and encourages ethical work practices, including freely chosen work, freedom of association, standard working hours, and fair wages. GOTS-certified cotton uses less water and energy, allowing soil to recover and excluding harsh fertilizers and pesticides.

OCS 100 – Certified Organic Cotton

The Organic Content Standard verifies the presence of organic material in a product. It applies to goods containing 95–100% organic content and tracks the production and distribution process. It helps companies ensure the integrity of the materials they order.

BCI – Certified Cotton

The Better Cotton Initiative is the world’s largest cotton sustainability program. It trains over 2.3 million farmers across 23 countries in more sustainable farming practices. While BCI cotton is not organic, it helps farmers move toward sustainability. Its seven principles aim to improve the environmental and social impact of cotton production.

Cotton Usage Overview

In our SS25 collection, 77.4% of the cotton used was GOTS / OCS 100 certified organic cotton. We used 21.3% BCI-certified cotton and 1.3% conventional cotton. In AW24, 61% was GOTS / OCS 100, 25% BCI, and 14% conventional cotton—mostly from earlier stock. Our goal is to eliminate conventional cotton from future collections.

Linen

Linen is made from the flax plant and is strong, breathable, and ideal for warm weather. Its production is sustainable, requiring little water and growing well on poor soil. The flax plant also produces useful byproducts like linseed, ensuring minimal waste.

Animal-Friendly Wool

We use wools such as alpaca and merino, sourced from certified suppliers where animal welfare is a priority. Since 2020, we no longer use mohair. We only use non-mulesing merino wool from farms that prevent infections through careful breeding, inspection, and animal care.

Natural Man-Made Fibers

TENCEL™

TENCEL™ by Lenzing produces Lyocell and Modal sustainably from wood pulp. These biodegradable fibers can be composted and make up nearly 13% of our collection. TENCEL™ Lyocell is made from eucalyptus wood sourced from FSC-certified forests. Its closed-loop production system reuses water and solvents, making it highly sustainable. It’s soft, absorbent, and cooler than linen. TENCEL™ Modal comes from Austrian beechwood and is processed with minimal energy. It’s silky, smooth, and carries the EU Ecolabel.

Ecovero

Lenzing Ecovero is a sustainable alternative to viscose, made from FSC-certified European wood pulp. The chemicals used are recycled, and the bleaching process is chlorine-free. Ecovero is colorfast and long-lasting.

Viscose

Viscose is a semi-synthetic fiber derived from wood pulp of fast-growing trees. While its chemical process can be polluting, we only use viscose from FSC-certified sources. We aim to switch completely to Ecovero. In SS20, 21.9% of our materials were viscose; in AW20, we reduced this to 7.3% and increased Ecovero to 31.3%.

Synthetic Fibers

To enhance durability, we sometimes blend in synthetic fibers like acrylic, polyamide, and polyester—preferably regenerated or recycled. These help prevent pilling and stretching, especially in delicate knitwear.

Leather

Since 2019, we no longer use real leather. Instead, we use a vegan alternative made from non-chemically treated PU by Leathertex.

Recycled Materials

Recycled materials reduce the need for raw resources and help conserve water and energy. We work with Ecotec® fibers from our supplier Marchi & Fildi, using both Ecotec® cotton and polyester. These fibers offer up to:

  • 46.6% less greenhouse gas emissions
  • 46.9% energy savings
  • 61.6% less water consumption

Ecotec® products are certified with:

  • BCI
  • GRS certificate by ICEA
  • Oeko-Tex 100
  • Certified Quality System Company ISO 9001:2015
  • TF
  • Tessile & Salute

In our SS25 collection, 10% of materials were recycled fibers. In AW24, this was 3.6%.

Denim

All our denim contains at least 95% organic or recycled cotton, with a small amount of elastane for comfort. The high cotton content ensures durability. Our denim partner is Tejidos Royo, a Spanish company founded in 1903 and a pioneer in sustainable textile production. Their certifications include:

  • Oeko-Tex Standard 100 & STEP
  • Textile Exchange BCI member
  • UN Global Compact Signatory
  • GRS & OCS by ICEA
  • AMFORI BSCI Social Audit

Dry Indigo / Dry Black

Tejidos Royo developed Dry Indigo, a water-free dyeing process certified by AITEX under the Eco-Technology standard. It significantly reduces water use and requires less space.



We believe that luxury and ethics can go hand in hand—without compromise.