Being an eco-responsible brand is not a communication posture, it is a commitment of every moment which requires rigor and which includes challenges as difficult as exciting.
When we're growing, offering new designs, and aiming to meet the aspirations of our community, our development and production rhythms are light years ahead of those of fast fashion.
And believe us, this can sometimes generate as much frustration for us as for you, as the equation of granting your wishes and meeting our commitments seems insolvable.
Thankfully, we're a team of competitors, challengers and dreamers, and there's not a challenge we'll give up in the face of, especially when it comes to dressing you sustainably.
As the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait". And everything is even more delicious when we manage to present you not one but three products that are wonderfully named "Get Lucky".
Why make it simple when you can make it eco-responsible?
The majority of hoodies, sweatshirts or jogging suits on the market are made of cotton. The reason is simple, we expect these products to be as soft as possible and so far one of the softest materials is cotton.
We could have chosen the option of organic cotton whose culture is already more ecological and ethical than that of conventional cotton. Indeed, the culture of organic cotton uses less pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and no GMO.
It takes 2,500 liters of water to make one cotton T-shirt, the equivalent of 70 showers. Organic cotton growing methods save water compared to conventional cotton. The problem is that this saving is not yet clearly quantified, and most cotton is still grown in countries outside the European Union.
The other reasons that dissuaded us from using organic cotton were the fact that its cultivation takes up more space than conventional cotton, and on soils that could be used for agri-food crops.
Finally, cotton bleaching requires the use of chemicals that transform it and generate toxic organic volatile micro-particles during its manufacture.
For all these reasons, we made a choice; The only one that allowed us to develop a comfortable, environmentally-friendly outfit without ever having to resort to cotton, even organic cotton. Micro Modal ®.
"Circle I'm listening!" - "Make me a natural fiber sports product"
At Circle, we always listen to you and our products are developed for you and with you #CirclePlayers.
Among your feedback, we received many requests for a more "natural" alternative to our other models. This was not necessarily obvious to us because as a reminder, our fight is not to use new resources but to tackle the waste that pollutes our land and oceans, such as plastic bottles and fishing nets, to create low impact technical clothing. #ProtectOurPlayground
We had started to introduce materials like TENCEL™ Lyocell in some of our products such as our Iconic Manifesto T-shirt.
TENCEL™ Lyocell is derived from beech, spruce, birch, aspen, southern pine and maple.
No pun intended, so we had experience in the field, and like you, we were keen to develop a range of hoodies, sweatshirts and jogging suits. Our aim was to complete the wardrobe of the responsible sportsman and to bring you comfort and softness before, during or after your sports sessions. But we weren't done yet.
Back to the past
About two years ago, we started the research to find the right material to develop an eco-friendly hoodie, sweatshirt and jogging suit.
We identified a material with which we developed prototypes, and began testing them, both worn and in the lab. Romain Trebuil, our founder, was always wearing his famous hoodie, which earned him many compliments.
And then, patatras. The material was starting to "puddle" despite the extensive ISO tests we'd done beforehand.
So an ISO test Kézako?
This is a standardized test performed by a company outside of Circle to verify the quality and durability of our products.
We have tested the items below as with each of our products:
- Dimensional stability during washing
- Abrasion resistance
- Pilling resistance
- The resistance of the colors to washing
- The resistance of the colors to perspiration
- Dimensional stability in steam
- The resistance of the colors to rubbing
- Resistance to fabric bursting (tearing)
- The strength of the dyes
Although this material ticked a lot of the boxes in our specifications, this premature pilling didn't allow us to choose it, because for Circle, an eco-responsible garment is a sustainable garment.
With Nelson Mandela's quote "I never lose, either I win or I learn" in mind, we continued the search, more determined than ever to find THE right material.
The choice of an ecological material
After several months of new research, we found a good alternative with the Modal®, this material of natural origin coming from the transformation of wood. This material allows us to keep a certain level of performance and to use a natural material that does not monopolize land dedicated to food agriculture.
Modal® is made from beech wood from sustainable forests in Austria and neighboring countries. It was developed by the Austrian company Lenzing in the 1990s.
Lenzing mainly uses wood from thinning, a practice applied in sustainable forestry. Wood that is unsuitable for high-quality products such as furniture, and is normally destined for burning, is used to produce Modal® fibers. The harvested wood is then ground and dissolved with eco-solvents to obtain cellulose, and then yarn in a second stage.
The fabric is then knitted and dyed in Portugal, as close as possible to our workshop. The wastewater is treated in-house.
Grâce à cette matière, nous utilisons des matériaux déjà existants tout en maintenant le niveau de qualité et de durabilité que nous sommes fixés avec nos autres matières.
Here are some figures that support our choice:
- One hectare produces 10 times more Modal® than cotton
- Less than 1% of the world's wood supply is used for fiber.
- It takes 20x less water for TENCEL™/Modal® than for cotton.
We see you coming, we say "wood" and immediately you have in mind images of solid trees and therefore rigid fabrics. But think again because this material will give you some nice surprises. Because it is even softer than cotton.
Durable, technical, soft and comfortable
Modal® is a very fine fiber that has everything!
The fabric is naturally soft, smooth and silky. You have to touch it to believe it, but this collection of hoodies, sweatshirts and jogging suits will simply blow you away with its softness, comfort, and coziness. We warn you, you may not leave them but especially to be touched a lot 😂
This softness is retained with every wash, making them products you can keep and love for a long time. Little sustainability tip: avoid fabric softener, wash inside out in a delicate cycle at 30° and air dry. Your products will thank you.
Another, more technical advantage, TENCEL™/Modal® absorbs 50% more moisture (and therefore perspiration) than cotton. As a result, it dries much faster!
It is also efficient, both anti-odour and anti-bacterial because bacteria spread 10 times less than on cotton and it adapts to your body temperature. You will be able to wear these clothes for your sports activities, or throughout the day without fearing any bad surprises.
SoftWood_Tech
TENCEL™/Modal® is one of the main constituents of our material, which we named Softwood_Tech. To achieve the ideal fabric, we took the research a step further with the addition of two other materials:
- Polyamide known for its fiber strength
- Elastane is a fiber that is very appreciated for its elasticity.
THE LIFESTYLE AND STYLE TRUMP CARD
Yes, we are first and foremost a sportswear brand and if we do not compromise on materials, we have the same requirement for style. Especially when it comes to developing pieces as essential as a hoodie, sweatshirt and jogging.
Even before the successive confinements, these pieces had become staples of our wardrobes. Today, it is no longer a question of choosing between style and comfort, between aesthetics and practicality. Athleisure fashion is celebrated by sports equipment manufacturers as well as by luxury houses.
So much for competition, but with our strong eco-responsibility bias, we rose to the challenge. We've worked on the fit, details and colors to make our products as cool as they are sustainable.
For the jogger, we used a drawstring so you can choose between a high-waisted or low-waisted wear and inserted a double pocket to carry your treasures. There's also a cutout on the front that adds a stylish touch and is reminiscent of our Get in Shape leggings.
We have developed two types of tops:
- The true classic hoodie with pockets and hood. Unisex, you can choose to wear it fitted or a little oversized. Its assets: the tone on tone cord, the handmade Circle embroidery and the unique "Protect our Playground" print on the sleeve.
- A woman's sweater slightly "crop" to lengthen the silhouette. Its assets: a singular cut in the back, a comfortable round collar, the handmade Circle embroidery and the unique print "Protect our playground" on the sleeve.
To offer it or to offer it to yourself
3 products, 3 colors and a world of possibilities
When to wear them and how?
First possibility that's "Circle compatible": you can wear these products before and after your sports session. The perfect opportunity to curl up in a comfortable, stretchy outfit that's soft to the touch.
For those who are cold, you can even wear them during your outdoor runs or at the end of your yoga sessions during the relaxation postures. You'll love the savasana.
You can also go full urban style, with a sweatshirt and jogging suit or hoodie and jogging suit. Or choose to wear just one of the three products and make it the centerpiece that counterbalances a classic look to give it edge.
For a slightly more urban style, don't hesitate to pair the jogging-sweat or jogging-hoodie duo with a long trench coat.
You can also have fun with colors and make Navy, Moss and Lilac color-blocks or, on the contrary, have fun mixing colors.
And if the temperature rises a bit, don't hesitate to tie the sweater or hoodie on one shoulder.
Choose one of these products and "Get Lucky"!
