About BENU COUTURE
Who we are and what we do
How a garment is made @ BENU COUTURE
What services are provided by BENU COUTURE?
BENU creations
We design and produce upcycled fashion and accessories, all on site in our tailoring studio in Esch-sur-Alzette. Our team of professional tailors and designers produce a variety of upcycled garments from selected, high quality fabrics.
Every item is unique!
Our BENU models are produced in series. Nevertheless, each item is unique! Because we only use fabrics from used garments and textiles for the production.
The variations of a model differ both in size and in the combination of different fabrics and colours.
Be surprised by our models! Visit www.benucouture.lu and our sales points to get the BENU creations.
Adjustments
You have fallen in love in a BENU creation but your favourite variation doesn't fit? Depending on your needs, we can make the necessary adjustments.
Maybe a model is not available in your favourite colour? Or the variation you like is already sold? No problem! We would be happy to realise an existing model according to your colour wishes.
In both cases, we add extra costs to our prices.
Made to measure
A hole in your trousers? Your beloved T-shirt too tight? We repair and transform your clothes according to your personal ideas. Or why not create a completely new garment based on the clothes and fabric leftovers you provide? BENU COUTURE offers to make a new creation just for you!
The BRING-IN production is particularly popular: here you choose an existing BENU creation that we produce for you. We integrate a piece of fabric that you've provided. The fabric comes from your favourite jumper, your boyfriend's shirt, your girlfriend's blouse, etc. This creates a unique emotional piece just for you!
Warranty
We want you to enjoy your BENU creation for as long as possible! That's why every single item is made professionally and with the utmost care in the BENU tailor shop. Should you nevertheless discover a production defect, such as a fault in a seam or on a fastener, come to us or send us your item.
We will take care of the repair free of charge for a lifetime! Damage due to normal wear and tear will be repaired for you at our usual prices.
Prices
BENU COUTURE stands for fair and transparent prices that reflect the real costs of clothing production. This is in stark contrast to the international fashion industry, which keeps its costs low through exploitative working conditions and poor pay, thus flooding the market with the ubiquitous cheap products.
We calculate the prices for all BENU creations according to the actual amount of work:
1 hour of work = 30 euros
So we measure how long it takes to make a garment. This working time includes all the steps for the production of a BENU creation: preparing the fabrics, cutting, fitting, sewing together, final quality check and photographing. The materials used are not included in the prices. Let's take an example: the production of the blouse model SUMATAN takes 2.5 hours. This results in a price of 2.5 x 30 euros, i.e. 75 euros.
To benefit from our services, contact us here:
Who's working at BENU COUTURE?
We are a mixed team of young and older people. We come from different countries and cultures. In the tailor team alone, 7 different languages are spoken! We are united by the joy of working together and creating something new from something old!
Diversity of people and professions
Our work benefits from the diverse professional competences and skills of our team members. Whether as a fashion designer, master tailor, custom tailor, tailor or apprentice - each individual brings their professional experience to design and production!
The sales team is supported by a web developer, a photographer and a coordinator. And not to forget the volunteers and students who help out the team when needed!
Our workplace is the BENU COUTURE studio in Esch-sur-Alzette. All necessary work steps from design to production to distribution are realised and organised on site. And that is important to us! Because local production means excellent craftsmanship and fair working conditions. In addition, the distances behind each product are consistently reduced.
Why is the social aspect so important to us?
BENU COUTURE offers a working environment that is characterised by esteem and respect for all employees. In doing so, we also give people who have difficulties gaining a foothold in the labour market a chance. In addition, we train to make our contribution to better local skills. For example, the team integrates long-term unemployed, refugees, young people without work experience and apprentices. A prerequisite for working in the core team for design, pattern and production is professional qualification. Only in this way can we guarantee the high goals of BENU quality. We see diversity as an enrichment for us as a team, but also for the project as a whole.
You can contact us here:
What materials do we process?
Wool, silk, cotton... for our creations we use fabrics made from natural fibres wherever it is possible. It is only when it is absolutely necessary that we process materials that (also) contain synthetic fibres as well. It should be noted, however, that the existence of artificial fibres cannot be completely ruled out even in the case of natural fabrics, given that mixtures are often impossible to detect.
But one thing is the same for all fabrics: they come from used garments and textiles! Even accessories, such as buttons, find a second life in BENU creations. For ethical reasons, fur is never used at BENU COUTURE!
As a rule, we only buy new components, such as zips, if it is unavoidable. We view each new purchase as exceptional, and it will be scrutinised in relation to a good sustainability balance. A regional production, eco-labels, the absence of heavy metals, a socially responsible production ... all of these criteria are important to us! But: Due to durability considerations, we can unfortunately only all too rarely fall back on certified organic cotton thread. Because of its durability and tear resistance, we mostly use polyester thread from German production, which is certainly one of our weak points. But we are continuously trying to improve!
Maybe you have tips? Then get in touch with us!
Where do used clothes and textiles come from?
The materials are exclusively clothing donations from private individuals. Our sewing team selects high quality materials that can be transformed into durable garments. We hand over the rest to the national collection and sorting centre for clothes of Spëndchen asbl a common association of Caritas Luxembourg and Croix-Rouge Luxembourg.
Would you like to donate used clothing and fabrics? Then contact one of our collection points. We do not accept deliveries by post because the ecological footprint would already be too important. Every market in industrialised countries suffer from the almost endless flood of clothes. So if you live further away and are looking for a socio-ecological solution for your clothes, then look for initiatives around the corner. You will be surprised (in most cases) how many you will find.
And... we invite you to read our thoughts on clothing donations! More information here
Why do we not use industrial leftovers?
The clothing industry produces considerable amounts of fabric leftovers that are disposed of as waste. And yet we have decided not to accept them. Why? We don't want the industry to put on a "green coat" by giving BENU COUTURE their overproduction and then proclaiming: "Look how sustainable we are!"... We want the industry to take responsibility. Finally... The market is already flooded by clothes that people want to get rid of anyway.
What are our working tools?
Sewing machines, scissors, irons, measuring tapes... all kinds of small and large tools and accessories are used at BENU COUTURE. Whenever possible, we use second-hand equipment!
Professional equipment, such as sewing machines, is bought second-handed and always with professional support and maintenance service. Only in exceptional cases new equipment is bought in addition. For semi-professional or non-professional equipment, such as we use for workshops, we gladly accept donations. The donated equipment is checked and, if necessary, professionally repaired and maintained.
You have some equipment or tools that you would like to donate to BENU COUTURE? Then get in touch!
Independently of BENU COUTURE, we want to show that the market is full of second-hand equipment in working condition. Local repair and maintenance offers are therefore all the more important!
