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Hul le Kes – The Netherlands
Hul le Kes is a locally driven and consciously considered fashion label based and created in Arnhem, a Dutch city renown for fashion and home to ArtEZ University of the Arts which has produced acclaimed alumni Lidewij Edelkoort, Iris van Herpen as well as Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf.
Founded by Sjaak Hullekes and Sebastiaan Kramer graduates of ArtEZ, Hul le Kes is down-to-earth and proves there is perfection in imperfection. Antique French linen sourced from flea markets often displaying unique family embroideries and leftover natural materials from the industry form the foundation of Hul le Kes collections. Manufacturing is completed at Studio RYN a small local company founded in 2016 by Sjaak and Sebastian which focuses on bringing professional manufacturing back to the Netherlands by offering small quantity production for designer labels by skilled craftsperson’s.
The Hul le Kes very own garden brings diverse and seasonal colours to the collections as natural pigments from vegetables, nuts and flowers such as vibrant yellow marigolds are used for textile colouration. Hul le Kes also offer a dyeing service that allows individuals to have any natural textile item dyed, possibly to disguise stains or just simply breathe new life into a piece for longer wear. The dye colours are based on seasonality and what natural materials they have available at the time.
Every Hul le Kes garment features a hand-embroidered numerical code which allows the products to be traced between owners, creating a history and links the garment to its own individual passport. Made by hand in Arnhem from paper waste, the passports contain information on the garment such as name, size, code number, fabric properties, date and location of production and leaves space for the owner to share stories of special moments when the garment was worn or perhaps an accidental mark was left on it, adding to the character. Hul le Kes is built on a foundation of circularity, items can be returned and the team will bring them back to life through repairs or reinvention to be resold under its same unique code, adding to the garment’s passport and history for the next owner.
“It is the start of a never-ending life cycle, a life cycle full of stories, changes and character.”
Hul le Kes is one of thirty members from diverse industry backgrounds apart of The Linen Project, a collaborative research initiative guided by ArtEZ MA Practice Held in Common and Crafts Council NL. The two-year project explores small scale local flax and linen production on an organic farm outside Arnhem, with all the members working together to learn, cultivate and process the flax from seed into a fabric. The project is about shifting age-old knowledge on flax cultivation to a new generation to improve and sustain.
Hul le Kes vision for sustainability extends further than their own collections as they created the Hul le Kes ReShared collection in collaboration with the Dutch Salvation Army. Giving garments a second chance by transforming light-coloured garments [which are often hard to re-sell due to discolouration’s] donated to The Salvation Army. Through Hul le Kes natural dye process and utilising restaurant food waste such as onion skins and avocado seeds, the one of a kind pieces for the ReShared collection are reimagined and sold through pop-up stores throughout the Netherlands.
As well as Hul le Kes Dyeing Service, the label is currently working on offering Hul le Kes Mending Service as another strategy to prolonging the life of garments and reducing the impact of fashions footprint.
The essence of Hul le Kes brings forward the importance of fashion going back to the elements, reconnecting with nature and learning from our earths organic systems.
Hul le Kes approach to fashion incorporates localism, circularity, longevity, collaboration, and thoughtful consideration at every step towards creating a responsible fashion label. Offering services to extend the life of textile items as well as strategies to keep their own products in continuous use demonstrates a label taking responsibility for the products they are creating and the impact this has on people, animals and the environment.
Goal 2 – Zero Hunger
The Hul le Kes garden provides more than just the natural pigments used in their textile dyeing. Garlic, elderflower, radishes, beetroots, lemons, cherries, apples, plums and more are grown seasonally for food amongst flowers throughout the garden and orchard.
Goal 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing
Synthetic dyes often contain harmful toxic chemicals that impact both people and pollute the environment through wastewater release into soil and waterways. Hul le Kes use natural dye pigments from vegetables, flowers and nuts to colour their textiles which supports clean air, water and soil.
Goal 4 – Quality Education
Studio RYN as well as manufacturing provides a collaborative platform of courses, master classes and workshops for further learning in the fashion industry. As alumni of ArtEZ Sjaak and Sebastiaan continue to provide opportunities for internships and education for students within Hul le Kes to put their studies to practice.
Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
The use of naturally sourced pigments means wastewater from the dyeing process does not contain any harmful chemicals that could impact waterways, the environment or clean water sources.
Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
By establishing and working with Studio RYN, Hul le Kes is creating employment in the local area on Arnhem as well as encouraging the onshore manufacturing industry within the Netherlands. The business model developed by Hul le Kes works to protect and have minimal or regenerative impact on the environment.
Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
Hul le Kes encourages sustainable practices within their community by offering dyeing and mending services as well as supporting circularity which is further supported by Dutch cities and the Netherlands as they aim to be 100% circular by 2030.
Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
Hul le Kes fashion label has been developed around conscious production and consumption, making use of waste materials, renewable dye sources and circular strategies. Encouraging their customers to be conscious in their consumption by offering repair and upcycle services as well as raising awareness through collaborations.
Goal 15 – Life on Land
As members and stewards of The Linen Project, Hul le Kes is working collaboratively to research linen production within The Netherlands to understand if the practice can be revived in a sustainable manner that supports biodiversity and soil health. The use of natural materials, packaging and dyes as well as growing plants without harmful pesticides in the Hul le Kes garden contributes to a positive life on land.
1/ https://hullekes.com/collections/all
2/ https://www.instagram.com/hul_le_kes/
3/ https://spicepr.nl/portfolio/hul-le-kes/hul-le-kes-and-the-salvation-army-opened-a-pop-up-store-in-amsterdam
4/ http://www.bacoluxury.com/hul-le-kes-a-garments-second-life/
5/ https://hullekes.com/blogs/news/reshare-store-x-hul-le-kes-pop-up-shop-amsterdam
6/ https://craftscouncil.nl/en/the-linen-project