We thrive to make our designs as usable and functional as possible, no-nonsense clothing that you won’t want to throw away. Our goal is to minimise the problem of getting dressed appropriately, so you’ll have time to worry about the bigger picture, whether it means waking up to a hectic routine with kids, an overwhelming day at work, or just plain harsh weather.

Nordic design has its foundation on functional thinking, as the climate dictates much of how we need to get dressed. The materials and styles we use need to adapt to nature’s elements as well as the urban environment.

Longevity is the key to a more sustainable consumption. By simply wearing our clothes twice as long as we do now, we could potentially reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the textile industry by 44%, according to the Ellen McArthur Foundation report. This is why we encourage our customers to take a moment before each purchase and ask themselves: Do I really need this product? We welcome both answers.

Longevity is about physical durability, a well-designed good quality product that can also be repaired. Longevity is also about emotional durability, that derives from timeless and functional design that you want to wear over and over again.

Upcoming EU regulation and textile strategy 2030 aims for clothing, accessories and footwear that are long-lived, recyclable, and made of recycled fibers while being free of hazardous substances and compliant with social rights. We think that Makia’s dna is compliant with the EU’s vision but a lot of work needs to be done, since there is no finish line in this race.

Makia is part of Manna&Co group that includes Finlayson, Vallila, Reino&Aino and Lexington Company brands. Sustainability is the corner stones of Manna’s daily business. Sustainability work’s focus areas are products and production, the environment and climate as well as people.

Makia is counting the following fibres as preferred materials: organic cotton, recycled cotton, organic wool, recycled polyester, TENCEL™ Lyocell, LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose and LENZING™ Modal. Makia has selected these fibres based on the Textile Exchange’s Preferred fiber & materials- report.
Manna group is targeting 90% use of preferred materials by 2032.

General cotton information

Cotton is one of the most used textile fibres in the world. Cotton’s share from global fibre production was 20% in 2023 (Textile Exchange, Materials Market Report 2024). Although cotton is a natural fibre, it is also one of the most unecological ones. Cotton plant is quite demanding, it requires fruitful ground, warm climate and a lot of water. Large crops are being manufactured with a lot of artificial fertilizers for better growth and dangerous chemicals for reducing pesticides. These chemicals are harmful for the environment, animals as well as humans. A single cotton t-shirt requires 2700 litres of water according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Conventional cotton water is mostly coming from irrigation.
Organic cotton is cultivated without artificial fertilizers and pesticides. It uses only non-GMO seeds, crop rotation and manual picking. It reduces the environmental impact greatly. It is a safer option for the environment as well as people. Although organic cotton requires as much water as the regular cotton, organic cotton is more rain-fed. Fibre qualities are the same as regular cotton but without any harmful chemicals that might cause skin irritation. Lack of chemicals is good for the cotton farmers, soil as well as end-consumers.
As a fibre cotton is soft, breathable and absorbent. It is also strong and can stand up against wear and heat. On the other hand, it wrinkles easily, is prone to shrinking and is slow to dry.

Cotton production

World biggest cotton producers in 2023/2024 (ICAC, World Cotton Statistics, 2024)
1. China 2. India 3. Brazil 4. USA 5. Pakistan
World biggest organic cotton producers (2020/2021, Textile Exchange, Organic Cotton Market Report, 2022)
1. India 2. Turkey 3. China 4. Kyrgyzstan 5. Tanzania
Makia is using cotton or cotton mixed fabrics in many product categories, mainly in jersey products as well as in men’s woven shirts and trousers. Cotton has a soft feel, it is quite durable and easy to care.

Makia cotton / organic cotton usage / recycled cotton* usage:

(includes cotton/elastane but excludes other mixed qualities // *includes recycled cotton/recycled polyester, where cotton exceeds 50%)
2018: 51,5% / 4,4% / 7,5*%
2019: 54,9% / 3,7 % / 5,9*%
2020: 17,6% / 47,0% / 7,2*%
2021: 5,6% / 53,4% / 2,2*%
2022: 3,9% / 52,5% / 1,6*%
2023: 6,1% / 53,5% / 1,2*%
Makia is using mostly certified organic cotton that is farmed and processed entirely in Turkey.

General wool info

In 2023 0,9% of global fibre production was wool (Textile Exchange, Materials Market Report 2024). Wool is a natural fibre that comes from sheep / Merino sheep. Sheeps are grown in large herds that require large land areas where sheep cause erosion and lessens the natural diversity. Sheep also produces methane gas which is a strong greenhouse gas. The shearing is normally done once a year, where the wool is removed from the animal.
Mulesing is the removal of strips of wool-bearing skin around the breech of a sheep to prevent the parasitic infection flystrike. The scar tissue that grows over the wounds does not grow wool and is less likely to attract the flies that cause flystrike. Mulesing is a common practice in Australia, particularly on Merino sheep. Other wool producing countries have banned mulesing or are naturally mulesing free.
Wool has great fibre qualities. Wool is an active fibre that helps you stay warm when the weather is cold and cool when the weather is hot. Wool is absorbent and can hold moisture well, without feeling cold. Merino wool even absorbs the odour molecules from sweat. Wool fibre is naturally elastic and ideal for moving and exercising. Wool has also a protective outer layer that helps prevent stains from being absorbed. The most important care instruction for wool products is airing and lint brushing, if they don’t have stains.

Wool production

World biggest wool producers (Textile Exchange, Materials Market Report 2024):
1. Australia 2. China 3. New Zealand 4. Turkey 5. South Africa
Makia is using Turkish origin certified organic wool. Merino wool that Makia uses is coming from multiple origins. All Merino woolen accessories are made from mulesing free wool mainly from South Africa or New Zealand, but we cannot be sure of the knitted merino wool apparel’s mulesing status. Hence, we don’t claim them to be mulesing-free.

Makia wool / Merino wool usage (excluding mixed fabrics):

2018: 1,4% / - / 11,0%
2019: 0,8% / - / 15,5%
2020: 0,9% / - / 8,5%
2021: 0,4% / - / 7,0%
2022: 0,0% / 1,1% / 3,6%
2023: 0,3% / 0,2% / 2,0%

Leather is very durable, breathable and it can be easily cared for. Leather products age well and become softer and better fitting when worn.

Makia used leather in shoes and accessories but has now stopped leather production in 2023.

Makia was working with two tanneries, and they were both certified by the Working Leather Group. Leather Working Group is a non-profit organisation responsible for the world’s leading environmental certification for the leather manufacturing industry. The upper leather in Makia shoes was from cow and lining from pig. All linings where the shoe is in contact with your skin are made from chrome-free and vegetable tanned leather.

Makia leather usage:

2018: 5,5%
2019: 3,1%
2020: 2,4%
2021: 3,9%
2022: 5,4%
2023: 2,0%

Other animal fibres

We don’t use any vulnerable, endangered, exotic or wild-caught species, fur or rabbit hair, feather or down, bone, horn, shell, teeth or cashmere silk.

General polyester info

Polyester is the most used fibre in the world with a 57% share of the global fibre production (Textile Exchange, Materials Market Report 2024). Polyester is a synthetic fibre derived from oil and is the most used fibre in the textile and apparel industry. Polyester fibre is light, strong and does not absorb water and can be produced in a way that transfers moisture away from skin. Polyester products are also easy to wash, and they dry quickly. Polyester is non-biodegradable. Polyester production has less environmental impact than natural fibres in terms of water and wastewater, but it requires more energy and chemicals, causing also more greenhouse gases.
Recycled polyester is usually made from plastic bottles. Using recycled polyester uses 30-50% less energy and reduces the need for crude oil. Unfortunately, each cycle when plastic is reheated it degrades and cannot be recycled indefinitely.
Makia is using polyester in jackets and bags due to its suitable qualities to these products. We are nowadays mainly using recycled polyester and recycled polyamide.

Recycled polyester is usually made from plastic bottles. Using recycled polyester uses 30-50% less energy and reduces the need for crude oil. Unfortunately, each cycle when plastic is reheated it degrades and cannot be recycled indefinitely. 

Makia is using polyester in jackets and bags due to it’s suitable qualities to these products. We are nowadays using only recycled polyester.

Makia polyester / Makia recycled polyester usage:

2018: 4% / 0,1%
2019: 1% / 5%
2020: 1% / 7%
2021: 0,7% / 23,5%
2022: 0,4% / 29,3%
2023: 1,9% / 29,6%

TENCEL™ Lyocell is a registered trademark of Lenzing for lyocell fibre. Fibre is made from dissolving pulp which comes from sustainably grown wood using a unique closed loop system, making it a sustainable selection. Process is similar to viscose but without the use of harmful carbon disulfide.

TENCEL™ Lyocell fibre is from botanic origin and breathable, absorbent, strong and soft to touch. It has better softness and moisture absorption capacities than cotton, making your skin feel cool and comfortable.

Makia Tencel usage:

2018: –
2019: 0,2%
2020: 2,1%
2021: 1,9%
2022: 1,3%
2023: 1,3%

LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose is another registered trademark of Lenzing. It is made from certified wood sources using an eco-responsible production process. Process has 50% lower water impact, up to 50% less air impact than generic viscose (confirmed by Higg MSI; cradle to fiber production gate). Fibre is certified by EU Ecolabel.

Makia LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose usage:

2021: 1,4%
2022: 0,2%
2023: 1,1%

All our products follow EU’s Reach regulation about chemicals. We also do not use heavy metals, azo dyes, phthalates or PVC, and we only use ecological coatings in our jackets.

In 2023 97% of our production volume came from suppliers that we have worked with for 5 years or more. Our products are manufactured in Turkey, China, Finland, Portugal and Bulgaria. EU production summed up 5%.
Turkey is our main source of production, and they supply our jersey goods, shirts and trousers. Most of our jackets and bags are made in China and our footwear and socks come from Portugal. Bulgaria is producing knitwear and knitted accessories. We also produce high quality woollen accessories in Finland.
We have worked together with our main manufacturing partners for years, and we visit the manufacturing sites regularly. Our major manufacturing partners have all signed Makia’s code of conduct that is based on international conventions such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, Global Compact and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and Recommendations relevant to improve working conditions in the supply chain. All our garments comply with the European Union reach regulations.
For better transparency of our production, all our garments are labelled with the country of origin, which is the place where the final form of the product is given. From the beginning of 2019 we also inform where the main material is made as well as what is the main material fibre origin.

We have worked together with our main manufacturing partners for years, and we visit the manufacturing sites regularly. Our manufacturing partners have all signed Makia’s code of conduct that is based on international conventions such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, Global Compact and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and Recommendations relevant to improve working conditions in the supply chain. All of our garments comply with the European Union reach regulations.

For better transparency of our production, all of our garments are labelled with the country of origin, which is the place where the final form of the product is given. From the beginning of 2019 we also inform where the main material is made as well as what is the main material fibre origin.

Makia Code of Conduct

Download Makia’s supplier list

To protect our good quality products during transportation and warehousing, we’ve packed them into polybags. In 2021 we switched to 100% recycled polybags. In 2019 we tested biodegradable corn starch packaging but found out that there was no suitable infrastructure to handle compostable material in the retail sector and the quality of the corn starch material was not up to our standards. In webstore deliveries we are using light weight plastic bags, that are made out of >80% recycled low density polyethylene (LDPE). Bags can also be used in return shipments.

In inbound logistics Makia is focusing on truck shipments from Europe and sea cargo from Asia. We try to avoid air cargo but occasionally we have to use it due to timetable reasons. In outbound deliveries we use truck shipments in our wholesale shipments and in webstore shipments, customers can choose what shipping method they wish. We offset CO2 emissions on all shipments that are made with DHL or UPS. Other forwarding partners are not offering compensating schemes, but they are working towards cleaner transportations with for example electric vehicles in the last mile deliveries.

For a sustainable future

12 Responsible Consumption and Production: Makia’s concept for producing clothing that stands the test of time, both in terms of quality and trends, supports the UN’s SDG 12 for sustainable consumption and production. We are now focusing on using more sustainable materials in our collections and educating customers about caring for their garments well to ensure longer lifecycles and less environmental impact. 

14 Life Below Water: Makia was founded in 2001 in an old Helsinki dockyard neighbourhood called Punavuori. The sea is close to our hearts and it affects our daily lives, so we must take care of it and preserve it for future generations. We support the protection of the Baltic Sea and Finnish inland lakes in close collaboration with Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association and the John Nurminen foundation with donations and educational marketing collaborations.

15 Life On Land: Makia has set a target of using 75% Environmentally Preferred Materials in our production by 2025. In 2020, we are changing most of our conventional cotton to organic cotton. We are also following new inventions in material R&D (pulp, pineapple, etc.) and we work with carbon neutral transportation partners (DHL & UPS). What we can all do now is to start using our clothing for longer in order to greatly lessen their environmental impact. We want to lead by example in setting this trend.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint for achieving a more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, peace and justice. The goals are interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind it’s important that we achieve each of them by 2030.

CO2 emissions

Makia’s own operations CO₂ emissions (scope 1-2) are based on purchased energy. Makia Flagship store’s energy is from renewable materials (11676 kWh in 2019) and does not create CO₂ emissions. Our HQ energy is from mixed energy sources and created 2,57 tons (18218 kWh) of CO₂ emissions in 2019. In 2019 our HQ and store’s joint electricity emissions were 29486 kWH (of which 38% was solar energy). In 2020 our electricity consumption decreased by 8% and the total emissions were 26989 kWh (of which 43% was solar energy). In 2020 our CO₂ emissions decreased 16% from 2019, and were 2,16 CO(t). These CO₂ emissions are based on the average electricity emission factor in Finland 141g/kWh). Source: openco2.net

Saving the Baltic Sea

We contribute towards the environment by taking part in conservation projects preserving the condition of the Baltic Sea with John Nurminen Foundation and Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association. So far Makia has donated over 63000€ (excl VAT) to Baltic Sea preservation.

For a good cause

Makia is also working with charity organizations Apuna ry, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto) and Cup Of Therapy.

Last and not least, make sure to follow the instructions on the care labels to make your products last as long as possible.