Jackalo
Jackalo was founded by mother, maker and long-time environmentalist Marianna Sachse. Marianna was always happy to receive hand-me-downs for her kids, but noticed that they petered out as her son grew bigger. Kids are notoriously rough on their clothes, their pants don’t last a month, let alone an entire school year, without rips in the knees. The waste from these trashed clothes adds up and costs parents unnecessary time and money. Plus, fashion is one of the largest polluting industries in the world.
After years of frustration with the clothing options for her active older son, and a total lack of hand-me-downs for his little brother, Marianna founded Jackalo to bring back old-fashioned quality to kids clothing. Jackalo makes clothes strong enough for active kids that are also gentle on the environment.
Photo: Yoyo Mom Blog
As a family-run company, Jackalo firmly believes in limiting the impact we have on the Earth for our children. Unlike other companies, they encourage people to send their Jackalo clothes back to them when they are done with them. They will then be washed, repaired, and resold (and upcycled or responsibly recycled) In exchange for sending clothes back, families receive 20% off their next purchase. The focus on environmental sustainability for Jackalo lies on several fronts:
Organic and sustainable farming practices
Prioritizing energy-efficient factories and those with sound practices for waste reduction and recycling
Efficient cutting practices to reduce the amount of waste generated in the production process
Recycling of all scrap fabric generated from the production process, and upcycling larger scraps where possible
Supporting a culture of repair and reuse
Offering discounts on future purchases when customers send back their used Jackalo products for repair or upcycling
They are always looking for ways that they can improve our practices. If you have ideas about how Jackalo can become a more sustainable company, send an email via their contact page.
The organic cotton is farmed under the most stringent certification possible—it is both GOTS and IVN BEST certified. It is grown in Kyrgyzstan and Uganda, where the farming practices support the local economy with fair wages and a strong focus on building local sustainable agriculture knowledge. In Uganda, the local farms are supported by the Gulu Agricultural Development Company, which has partnered with leaders in sustainable agriculture development including Acumen, Mercy Corps, Root Capital. In Kyrgyzstan, the farmers are supported by the Swiss aid organization Helvetas, which provides education in organic farming practices.
The cottons are then milled, woven, and processed by Elmer & Zweifel, a German manufacturer with a strong commitment to natural fibers, the environment, and fair labor practices. The cotton farming and fabric production are all fair trade certified with the Fair for Life standard from the Swiss Institute for Marketecology (IMO).
The garments are manufactured in Portugal, where there is a long history of skilled craftspeople manufacturing clothing and strong labor laws that support workers.
Based: Washington DC, USA.
Ships to: Worldwide.
Products: Our primary focus in on children's wear, but sometimes we have a product that parents really want, too. When that happens we do our best to make an adult version, like the Mama Mac.
Mission: To make clothes strong enough for active kids that are also gentle on the environment. We want to change the ways families buy clothes for their children with a focus on buying less, buying better, and making it last.
Vision: A world in which we dress ourselves and our kids with people and planet in mind. Where we make thoughtful purchases and make them last.
Photo on top: Maria Dawlat
Photo: Natasha Brdiges