SUSTAINABLY MADE IN BERLIN

‘SHIO’ is a made-up word. It’s plucked from the middle of the word ‘FASHION’ and has grown to symbolize the ethos upon which our entire brand is built. It represents a total shift away from the fashion industry as a whole — one of the most polluting industries in the world — and a move towards embracing fashion at it's core, the part that is interested in crafting clothes with care, clothes that last. Shio offers modern essentials for your everyday.

Here are some of the key ways that we try to make a positive impact:

•  All SHIO garments are handmade by Kate Pinkstone at the SHIO Studio in Neukolln, Berlin. 

 We choose not to be a part of an industry that exploits cheap labor in developing countries. Instead, we produce all of our clothing in our studio, which allows us to ensure ethical production processes, keep track of stock, and only produce what is necessary.

• There’s already plenty of fabric in the world, why not try to use what already exists before producing more? SHIO produces items on demand, reducing waste and avoiding dead stock. 

Mass production produces a lot of scrap waste — we only produce a few of each item in each size and as the item sells, we replace it. We use the same fabrics and colours in multiple styles throughout the collection and we work with a lot of upcycled fabric, transforming second-hand cotton bed sheets and mattress toppers into tops, shorts, tunics and jackets.  

We always incorporate material scraps into smaller designs and elements, whether that be a neckline, belt, pocket, or scrunchie. This process allows us to use the majority of the fabric and eliminate waste — whatever’s left we use as stuffing for decorative pillows that we offer as giveaways or gifts.

Recently we've eliminated the use of plastic zips and started working with biodegradable buttons made from the raw material Casein (a milk protein surplus), which you’ll find on our new and improved cotton twill Trousers. 

Want to know more about our fabrics? Let’s go. 

• Every item can be made to order to fit you perfectly at no extra cost. Our aim is to avoid overproduction, returns, and reduce carbon emissions. 

Our core styles are designed to fit multiple body types and though we only stock a few sizes, we want to cater to every body type. Every item can be made to order with your measurements. Just email your measurements to us or visit us in store! 

• We ship our packages in 100% compostable mailers.

We ship all of our garments in organic hand-printed cotton bags to avoid using extra tissue and wrapping papers. Think of them as a little gift from us that you can use over and over again.