Art and material. At Hast, the whole team is passionate about clothing. Food lovers? Let us say connoisseurs instead. For in the wardrobe as in the kitchen, a good recipe is nothing without good ingredients. When it comes to the raw materials we use, the parallel with culinary art seems relevant: just as refined dishes require fine produce, precious pieces require fine materials. Since 2012, we have made a point of selecting them with care, convinced that an honest wardrobe must be honest right down to its fibres.
A promise is a promise.
Beyond premium, durable and timeless pieces, it is integrity and responsibility that we wish to hang on the rails of our collections. For this reason, we set ourselves a goal in the form of a promise: to use only natural or recycled materials to design our garments. Given that 64% of the fibres produced worldwide in 2021 were synthetic, you can imagine that this was no easy challenge. Have we achieved it? The answer is yes, and our Spring-Summer 2023 collection can proudly claim to be entirely natural or recycled.
Hast, iconic garments made from natural materials.
More than a choice, favouring natural materials reflects our commitment to an industry that is more respectful of people and the planet. Unlike synthetic materials, which are chemically manufactured, natural materials occur naturally in our environment and require less processing. Of animal or plant origin, they have a wide range of properties and are, overall, more environmentally responsible.
Because they are a guarantee of quality and performance, we pay particular attention to selecting our fibres at Hast. It should not be forgotten that a textile is made up of yarns, and that these yarns are themselves made from fibres. Choosing the latter carefully is therefore an absolute necessity in meeting our standards for the finished product.
As you (re)discover our collections, you will notice this predominant share of natural raw materials, ensuring comfortable, breathable, responsible and biodegradable pieces. Organic cotton, wool, linen, as well as ramie, hemp and silk: these are the leading players in the five-star cast of our wardrobe.
The art of combining materials.
Depending on the animals or plants from which they come, natural fibres have particular properties. Thermoregulating, antibacterial and crease-resistant, merino wool is very different from linen, which is considerably lighter, stronger and more absorbent. By blending fibres during spinning or mixing yarns during weaving or knitting, it is nevertheless possible to combine several raw materials to bring together their potential. The possibilities are then endless, allowing extraordinary natural blends to be imagined.
At Hast, we value this work of inventiveness and ingenuity. Keen to let you benefit from the qualities of the materials we select, we have made a habit of imagining bold blends in which each fibre expresses itself in its own way.
Featured in our Spring-Summer 2023 collection, the cotton/linen combination perfectly illustrates this technical and creative ambition: by combining the elasticity and softness of the former with the strength and rustic character of the latter, we obtain a fabric with a unique texture, at once supple, comfortable and durable. For the same pairing, proportions can also vary to emphasise the characteristics of one fibre or another. Thus, our tailored jacket in 51% linen and 49% cotton has a drier hand and more pronounced texture than our T-shirts made from a 70% cotton and 30% linen fabric.
Cotton/linen, cotton/linen/ramie, cotton/hemp, wool/silk: you will find these unique combinations throughout the breadth of our wardrobe. Often original, sometimes surprising, always effective, they offer distinctive textures and performance that we encourage you to explore alongside your single-material pieces.
A word on recycled materials.
At Hast, our commitment is clear: to create exceptional garments for everyday life, made in Europe and exclusively from natural or recycled materials. Whether used alone or blended, we have just discussed the natural fibres used to make our pieces. It remains for us to say a word about those that allow us to keep our promise of responsibility: recycled materials.
As you might expect, certain garments and accessories have conditions of use that make plant fibres difficult to use. Swimwear, for example, cannot be made from cotton or linen for obvious reasons. To remain committed to 100% natural or recycled materials in our collections, we had to think hard to keep this piece in our summer wardrobe. In the end, we succeeded in sourcing SEAQUAL-certified recycled polyester, a label guaranteeing that it is made from ocean waste (fishing nets, plastic bottles and other debris collected from the oceans).
Like the recycled wool previously used for our winter crew-neck jumper or our work jacket, this bold choice reflects a firm desire to limit our environmental impact — for the material that pollutes least is the one that already exists. In an industry that recycles less than 20% of its materials, it seemed essential to us to move forward on this issue. As the circular economy and material recovery are two major environmental challenges, we intend to give them a place in our wardrobe.
A few benefits of natural materials.
Behind the label of our garments lies an authentic quest we have pursued for 10 years: the search for the finest possible materials. We place great importance on working with natural fibres, less for the pleasure of saying so than for their countless virtues:
- They are distinctly softer than their synthetic counterparts. In direct contact with the skin, the hypoallergenic properties of cotton, wool, linen or hemp are preferable for sensitive skin.
- They have proven their durability. Anyone who has ever opened their grandparents’ wardrobe knows it: well-maintained quality natural materials have an exceptional lifespan.
- They catch the light beautifully. Thanks to the structure and arrangement of their fibres, natural materials offer sublime colours whose depth is incomparable to the artificial sheen of synthetic textiles.
- The drape is distinctly more natural. If you compare two identically cut jackets, after a few wears you will find that the overall appearance of the first (made from a natural material) is much purer than that of the second (made from a synthetic material). One being alive and the other inanimate, it is only natural that they express themselves differently in this respect.
- They result from considered production processes. We strive to select certified fibres, guaranteeing cultivation, farming and harvesting conditions that respect people and the environment. For example, 25% of our cotton shirts are GOTS-certified, a label that guarantees cotton from organic farming and ensures an environmentally and socially responsible production method. The same applies to our « European Flax » certified linen and our « GRS » certified wools. Add to this the fact that 100% of our fabrics are made in Europe, and you will understand how carefully we source the materials we offer.
- They are easier to recycle and recover. Natural materials can easily be transformed into new fabrics when they are single-material or blended, as they are easier to “defibre”.
- They do not pollute. Unlike synthetic garments, which release microplastics with every wash, natural materials are biodegradable, environmentally friendly and do not contaminate wastewater.
A statement of intent
As a brand, we have an essential role to play: informing you about the composition and making of your garments, as well as their future and that of the elements they contain. We are fully aware of this and equally convinced of the need to introduce a new way of producing. Healthier, more considered, more sustainable and ethical. At Hast, this conviction is reflected in our raw materials through meticulous, attentive selection. Without losing sight of our aim to offer you a premium wardrobe, and without compromising the stylistic identity that defines us, we make 100% of our garments from natural or recycled materials to fulfil our ambitions for responsibility.
In the inflationary context you know, this commitment comes at a cost that would deter many; yet it also reflects values that, for us, are priceless. It is this, too, that gives Hast its particular place in the ecosystem: that of an honest, committed brand, producing consciously and responsibly garments of worth to dress your lives. Garments that are simply right to wear.
