Knitwear tracing

Every item in young Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma'scollection can be traced back to its source. Since one sheep suppliesexactly enough wool for one sweater, each sweater is tagged with aspecific animal's ID number, and comes with a certificate: the animal'spassport. Information provided includes breed, weight, year and placeof birth, and a picture of the sheep. Sweaters are priced from EUR 475.

So far, Meindertsma has only used non-dyed materials, sticking tothe natural colours of sheep, rabbits, goats and alpacas. She'splanning to use coloured yarn for upcoming collections, and provenanceof colours will be included on separate labels. A blue scarf, forexample, could be dyed with natural indigo, with information providedabout the type of plant the dye was extracted from and where it washarvested. All of this adds up to an appealing story; one thatcustomers can share with friends, and one that (re)connects them withthe source of the products they consume. Which makes Flocks a greatexample of the still made here trend: products that have a sense ofplace or provenance are coveted by consumers for a variety of reasons,from environmental concerns to shifting perceptions of what constitutesstatus.

Source: theseflocks.comAdded: 19 July 2007