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Sustainably produced. What does that actually mean? Take a look at the manufacturer of the cycling apparel brand FUTURUM.

Producing in Europe is what it takes to be a sustainable cycling apparel brand.

The production of FUTURUM takes place in Europe. The fabrics used are mostly made in Italy, and the production itself mostly takes place in Portugal. Many other brands choose to produce further away, for example, in Asia. That's cheaper, but it also means that the clothing has to travel halfway around the world to reach our warehouse. FUTURUM strives to minimize logistic movements. Additionally, this ensures that the clothing is made with respect for people and nature.

This constant pursuit of sustainability is evident in many aspects of FUTURUM. From solar panels on the roof and waste separation in the office to shipping without plastic. Since 2016, FUTURUM has not used plastic in its packaging but instead uses sustainably sourced and processed paper. This has already saved hundreds of thousands of plastic packaging pieces. This packaging can also be used as a shipping bag, eliminating the need for additional packaging in a shipping box.

FUTURUM uses merino wool as much as possible. It is 100% biodegradable and has natural antibacterial properties, keeping it fresh for longer. And if you do need to wash it, it can be done at a cold temperature. When washing clothing, small particles of fabric are released in the washing machine. With synthetic materials, these are microplastics that ultimately end up in nature. With a natural material like merino wool, these micro particles break down very quickly.

The clothing from FUTURUM is made with timeless designs. Not clothing that goes out of fashion after one season, but items that last longer. Extra reinforcements in critical areas ensure that the clothing remains beautiful and does not wear out quickly. The entire FUTURUM collection is also completely free of PFC/PFAS.

HANDMADE IN PORTUGAL

Andrea sews the zipper. A shirt or jacket quickly consists of 7 different sizes, and of course, there must be a good stock of each. Additionally, shirts and jackets often come in various colors. Every stitch, every zipper, and every label of these clothing items is sewn by hand. In short: an incredibly labor-intensive task. That's why 50 specialized seamstresses work to create the cycling apparel from FUTURUM.

STRUCTURE

Spring 2024, Portugal. In this well-lit room, clothing items are skillfully sewn together by the employees. A lot is happening in the photo, yet everything is extremely neat and organized. No chemicals are used in the production process, and the fabrics used are as natural as possible and contain no PFAS. Better for the seamstresses, for you, and for the planet.

NO WASTE

Not a centimeter of fabric is lost from these large pieces of fabric that are cut with millimeter precision. Advanced software accurately calculates the positions of the different fabric panels. The space between these panels is kept as small as possible to ensure that almost all fabric ends up in a piece of clothing. The small amount of leftover fabric is not thrown away but sustainably recycled.

CLOSE TO HOME

The FUTURUM factory is located in Portugal. That's nice and close to home. Maybe this isn't the cheapest option, but it significantly reduces emissions during transportation to the Netherlands. What immediately stands out are the large rolls of fabric from which the clothing is produced. The blue fabric is 100% merino wool. A very high-quality and sustainable material. Right now, the new JONA and ROSA 100% Merino long-sleeve cycling shirts are being made from this fabric.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Only the best is good enough. The fabrics used are extensively tested for quality by the Italian fabric manufacturer. However, the Portuguese factory conducts its own individual tests for each roll of fabric to guarantee its quality. In the photo, you see a device that exerts pressure on the fabrics to test the quality and strength of the stitches. If the quality isn't good enough, the fabric isn't used but recycled for other purposes. That's also one of the reasons why FUTURUM offers a lifetime warranty on its clothing.

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