Since 2015, we have been producing clothing made from wood — soft, breathable, affordable. Today, we are expanding our production beyond Portugal. Here we explain why.
Since 2015, wijld has had a clear mission: sustainable fashion should not only work for a few. It must be affordable — because only then does it truly have an impact.
Our core is fibers made from wood, which are among the most sustainable textile raw materials in the world. Soft, breathable, biodegradable — and made from a renewable resource that requires little water and no pesticides.
The world has changed since our founding. Rising energy prices in Europe are making sustainable production increasingly expensive there. Faced with the choice of either raising prices significantly or compromising on our standards, we chose a third way: adding new production partners in Turkey, China, and Bangladesh who share our values and have decades of textile expertise.
We work exclusively with partners who are regularly audited by independent institutes. Our requirements: certifications according to GOTS, OEKO-TEX, and BSCI — for ecological and social standards that we do not compromise on.
We took a close look at everything ourselves. Below you will find the questions we asked ourselves — and our answers.
— Timo
Founder · wijld
Questions we asked ourselves
we asked ourselves.
01Is production in Asia really sustainable?
Many factories in Asia have developed enormously in recent years — with modern wastewater treatment, renewable energy, and high environmental standards. Bangladesh now has more LEED-certified Green Factories than any other country in the world.
We looked into it ourselves before making the decision. The video above shows what we saw.
02What is really behind this decision?
Honest answer: rising energy prices in Europe have significantly increased production costs. We faced a choice — raise prices or lower quality. We wanted neither.
Partners in Turkey, China, and Bangladesh enable us to maintain our standards and keep prices stable — or perhaps even lower them in the long term. More margin at the expense of our values was never the goal.
We want our favorite pieces to have a big impact — and that only works if many people participate and can afford them.
03How independent are your certifications?
GOTS, OEKO-TEX, and BSCI are not self-declarations — they are awarded by independent institutes and regularly re-evaluated. No company buys these certificates; they must prove and defend them.
Additionally, we visit our partners personally — just as we have done in Bangladesh, and as we regularly strive to do with our partners.
04What does this mean for the quality of my wijld products?
Nothing changes in our quality requirements. Every shipment is inspected by independent testing institutes before shipping — regardless of whether it comes from Turkey, China, or Bangladesh.
Wood remains wood. The fiber comes from the same certified sources, no matter where the yarn is processed. We continue to rely on sustainable forestry here.
05What does the life cycle assessment look like despite longer transport routes?
The biggest lever for a low CO₂ footprint lies not in transport, but in the material. Lyocell made from wood causes up to 75% less CO₂ emissions compared to conventional cotton — this is by far the most effective contribution we can make.
The longer transport route from Asia hardly makes a difference: container ships emit about eight times less CO₂ per ton and kilometer than trucks. The difference between Portugal by truck and Asia by sea freight accounts for less than 0.5% of the total product footprint — because even our Portugal shirts have always had a global supply chain: lyocell from Austria, cotton from India.
06What will happen to your production in Portugal?
Portugal remains an important partner for us — especially for certain products and smaller runs. We are not scaling down, we are expanding.
Our goal was never to produce everything in one place, but to work with the best partners for each product.
Three certificates,
that we do not negotiate.
Global Organic Textile Standard
Ecological textile processing from field to finished garment. Independently tested, renewed annually.
Standard 100
Tested for harmful substances. Every batch is checked before shipping — regardless of production location.
Business Social Compliance
Social standards along the supply chain: fair wages, safe working conditions, freedom of assembly.
The biggest lever is not in transport, but in the material.
CO₂ emissions of lyocell from wood compared to conventional cotton — over the entire product lifecycle.
Source · Lenzing LCA 2022This much less CO₂ is emitted by container ships per ton and kilometer compared to truck transport.
Source · NABU / UBA 2022Share of transport in the total product footprint — Portugal by truck vs. Asia by sea freight.
Source · UBA freight transportCO₂ per ton-kilometer
Source · UBA 2022 (truck, train) · NABU / UBA (sea freight) · UBA (air freight)
Material choice beats origin
“We want our favorite pieces to have a big impact — and that only works if many can be part of it.”
Founder wijld · 2026
A little addendum — Your questions.
Write to us. We respond personally.
Do you have a question we haven’t answered here? Or a suggestion we should hear? We read every message — and reply.
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