Our Values
The journey of going green..
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the core of our business. From the raw materials that make up our garments to the sustainable wrapping and packaging, we always try to find more sustainable solutions.
Our creativity and designing for sustainability contributes positively to people and the planet.
Each of our product pages shows a description of the textiles and trims used to make our garments.
In terms of material use, we strive to better ourselves with every project. It is important for us to only use good quality, pre owned, vintage and deadstock fabric - materials.
For the time being the trims (threads and zippers) are not 100% sustainable but are sourced locally in Amsterdam. However, there are materials used from the upcycled /edited collection such as vintage buttons and/or zippers as remnants from the previous upcycled projects.
Designing the circular economy future, however, requires that we rethink the way we design. It is no longer enough to just simply create beautiful clothing, we now must also be systems-thinkers, designing solutions from the outset as opposed to reacting to the mess downstream.
Future target: We will take responsibility of our own products after our customer is done with them, this will be the fact to ensure a 100% sustainable and circular economy model.
Learn more for our sustainable projects and transparent pricing policy
Transparency
“Secrecy is the linchpin of abuse of power... its enabling force. Transparency is the only real antidote.”
“ Hi again :) I am Katerina and I am the founder and Upcycle designer of Fitolojio Workshop. See more at the founder page.
xx ”
Meet mr. Yasar, the tailor to get things done "I am Yasar. I was born in Turkey in 1965. We are tailors from the family. My uncles (from mother's side) are also tailors. I started with helping my uncle during school holidays when I was 12. Later it became my profession as well. I am doing this job for 44 years. I moved to the Netherlands in 1986. I worked in different apparel shops. 15 years ago I opened my own atelier and I still continue there. I have loved doing my job for 44 years."
Yasar runs his own small workshop with his wife Suzan.
We make every garment to last a lifetime - gems to pass down for generations to come.
70% - 80% of the produced garments, are made in my little studio by me following the whole upcycling or not process (drawing, deconstruction, designing, pattern making, cutting, sewing, fitting ), but I am collaborating with local artisans in Amsterdam Oost (close by my studio) for fabrics that are very thick for my sewing machine - However, I show my respect to those skillful people working for the result.
When you purchase a garment from Fitolojio, you’re investing in more than just a piece of clothing - it’s a commitment to transparency, ethics, and a healthier world for us all.
The below pricing breakdown is an example from the upcycled collection. Pricing varies based on the complexity of the design, the type and quantity or type of fabric used, and the time it takes to complete each piece. You can check our transparent pricing policy here.
Why does the upcycled “Little Lime” woolen coat cost 350€?
Materials cost us 74 € — This cost includes the purchase of the wool vintage blanket from Retroriek ( a local Dutch webshop), buttons, lining, threads, care labels and interlining.
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Production Cost is 60 € — Hours to make * Hourly labor 20€.
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Logistics 21 € — Logistics include shipping, transaction fees and packaging costs.
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Overheads - Markup 134 € — This cost contains our expenses like website maintenance, studio rent, shooting, models, other overheads and marketing. The markup allows us to pay for our company expenses and invest in future products. Our markup also allows us to pay everyone who works for us a fair price. Pattern making cost also included.
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Taxes 61 € — We pay 21% sales tax according to Dutch law. This price does not include income tax.
Uniqueness
Fitolojio is about One-of-a-Kind clothing items for every woman who wants to celebrate her individual beauty.
The fundamental art of reconstruction is selecting interesting items and creating unique combinations that add value.
Our cutting and construction techniques are inspired by vintage couture and each component is hand selected.
We carefully select garments and vintage textiles, which we combine and re-sew together to create one harmonious piece from multiple different garments.
Most materials can be reconstructed into something beautiful through thoughtful and out-of-the-box design thinking.
There is a sense of accomplishment that comes from creating fresh new designs out of textiles that were considered useless or outdated.