At ANNAMARIAANGELIKA, it all comes down to the basic material, because without good material, none of the AMA garments would be what they are today.
Since the beginning of AMA, how natural a material is and how it feels to wear it have been of utmost importance to Julia. It is essential that a garment feels good on the skin and that you enjoy wearing it. After all, a knitted sweater becomes your constant companion not only because of its design, but above all because of the sensation it leaves on your skin.
At ANNAMARIAANGELIKA, natural fibres are used not only because they represent the best quality of raw materials, but simply because of how good they make you feel.
You can look anywhere, but you will not find synthetic materials anywhere here. For our ANNAMARIAANGELIKA collections we use 100% sustainable natural fibres. As a slow fashion label, we see it as our responsibility to make every piece as durable as possible by choosing only the best materials. On the other hand, at the end of their life, we want to reintegrate them into the biological cycle. This means that everything we sell is biodegradable, even the labels.
We prefer to use alpaca wool for our clothing. Peruvian alpaca wool to be exact. After all, at an altitude of 5,000 metres, it takes special protection to withstand the prevailing weather conditions. And longevity, high quality and durability is important. And it is exactly these characteristics that are at the heart of the slow fashion philosophy, to which we have dedicated our brand ANNAMARIAANGELIKA. Unfortunately, the keeping of alpacas in the wild and the lack of feed controls so far make any certification of alpaca wool impossible. Nevertheless, our alpaca wool from Peru is ‘pure nature’. When we are not using alpaca wool in our garments, we mainly use cotton from surplus yarns. In case we ever have to buy “new” cotton, which is rare, we make sure it is GOTS certified.
But what is it exactly that makes alpaca wool so special? Why is it known as “the fleece of the gods”? And why is it essential that we have more alpaca wool in our wardrobes?
The fact that its hollow fibres give it special thermal properties should definitely be highlighted here: In winter, it acts as a heat accumulator that insulates against the cold. In summer, it provides protection against overheating and has a cooling effect. This is not only good for alpacas. The wool also regulates moisture. Alpacas not only want to be warm, but also dry. The hollow fibres absorb moisture and transfer it to the outside. Thanks to its protein structure and low fat content, bacteria do not stand a chance here either. The fibres also have an odour-neutralising and anti-allergenic effect.
And that is not all. The unique structure of the fibres also has other fantastic benefits, namely being extremely soft and anti-static. No scratching. No pilling. And no single fibres sticking out. Instead, the bright and long-lasting colours of a genuine premium product with integrated UV protection: The biochemical composition of alpaca wool is indeed impermeable to UV rays. Its elasticity and resilience also make it dirt-repellent and hard-wearing. A true wonder material.
For the lining of our beanies, we use GOTS-certified cotton jersey. In order to avoid waste, we use up any left-over cotton yarn, even if it is non-organic. We stand by our zero waste concept and are keen to have it implemented any way we can.
And yes, we also use silk. But only if it lives up to our ethical standards: Peace-Silk, Fair Trade and kbT-certified organic silk as well as silk produced in India according to GOTS standards. To ensure that nothing is wasted and since upcycling is an important part of our zero waste approach, we also re-use silk from existing garments.
Peace-Silk stands for the idea that both silk cultivation and silk production are undertaken by non-violent means. We feel that it is essential that every silkworm is kept in accordance with controlled organic animal welfare standards (kbT) and is given the chance to become a butterfly. Only once the cocoon is empty is it used for further processing – without chemical treatment. It can take between two and four weeks until the butterfly hatches from the cocoon. For us at ANNAMARIAANGELIKA this worth waiting for.
We select the finest materials, so you can enjoy them for years to come. We grant our skilled knitters in Peru good working conditions and the necessary time to produce fashion of exceptional quality. No rush, no chasing of short-lived trends. We love what we do. And we celebrate it all: the people, the places and the many inspiring moments that bring our colourful designs to life.
