Written by Laura Mulders
Jules Toebosch created Collé in 2019 with the vision to create a fashion brand that would revolutionize the apparel industry. One of his primary priorities was to create a brand that was focused on ecology and sustainability. He did this by doing extensive research on the use of sustainable materials in the fashion industry. What he found was that many of the current practices were heavily taxing on the environment.
Jules is a strong believer in the ability of this generation to provide change and create a better world. This is also what he wanted to prove with his business. He always had an interest in fashion and, thus, saw this industry as the perfect one to create his sustainable path. On the next page, Jules explains what inspired him to start a sustainable fashion business and what hurdles he experienced along the way.
What is Collé and what inspired you to start this business?
Collé is a sustainable fashion brand founded in 2019. Our idea was to build an eco-friendly business that would revolutionize the apparel industry. We wanted to build a business that only works with organic and recycled materials.
I see you have a major focus on sustainability, what made you choose this path?
I think my biggest motivation was to take care of our planet. I felt that I, someone from the younger generation, had to take the leverage and provide change. The actions of the older generations have caused the world to be decaying. We know that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries, so that needs to change. Hence this sustainable initiative.
What are your main points of focus when it comes to sustainability in your brand?
Our core values lie in maintaining a good relationship with the environment via the production of eco-friendly clothing, providing our customers with optimum satisfaction, and also building a great brand image through the provision of eco-friendly, high-quality, and unique clothing at an affordable price.
Have there been any hurdles in your journey towards creating a sustainable business and, if yes, how have you dealt with them?
Gee, there’s not really anything that’s really been an obstacle beyond the fact that producing sustainably is expensive. Organic and recycled fabrics are more expensive because more time goes into making them and of course, that manifests itself in the final product. At Collé, we then really try to show our customers, why the product is more expensive, than normal and also make sure that we really create a story that the customers buy into.
Are there any Belgian regulations imposed on sustainable businesses?
There are not really any regulations at the moment, I think, but as a company, you have to be able to prove that your fabrics are really organic or recycled. This is through a certificate, which we also show in the stores where we sell our clothing.
What are your main aspirations for the future?
I hope we can expand Collé to really be a known brand. We are still a small brand, but we hope to become as big. We also hope to spread our sustainable mission even more and mobilize people to join our mission.
“THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE MOST POLLUTING INDUSTRIES IN THE WORLD, THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE”
