This year, we're celebrating World Ocean Day by partnering with TWOTHIRDS, the Barcelona-based clothing brand that shares our commitment to healthy oceans. In this blog post, we sit down with Lutz Schwenke, the founder of TWOTHIRDS, to delve into the story behind it.
What inspired you to found TWOTHIRDS and can you explain the meaning of the name?
The company is called TWOTHIRDS because two-thirds of our planet is covered by the ocean. Our mission statement right from the start has been to spread the joy of the ocean and to protect the ocean for future generations.
What was your vision when you founded the company and has it changed over time?
We started out wanting to give people an alternative to poorly made fast fashion, so eco-conscious folks could feel good about the clothes they wear, all of which are designed to last a lifetime. From a style perspective, we wanted to create garments that reflect our love of ocean lifestyles, but more mature looks that shun the garish logos and loud colors most mainstream surf brands opt for. To be honest, our vision has remained largely the same.
What distinguishes TWOTHIRDS from other brands?
Our PRE-ORDER system really sets us apart. Our customers accept there will be a delay in them receiving their orders, a sacrifice worth making because it helps us order only the raw materials we truly need. This system enables us to cut overproduction to almost 0%. This is a huge achievement when you consider the industry norm is between 20%-30%. Beyond our own company’s waste reduction, we also go the extra mile to clean up the wider fashion industry. Our Deadstock Limited Edition collections salvage luxury-grade deadstock fabrics and yarns from nearby local factories (condemned to landfill by luxury brands) and turn them into exclusive limited production runs. These are just some of the ways we ensure TWOTHIRDS clothing goes above and beyond to keep our oceans clear of waste pollution.
What makes the shirt unique?
The collab t-shirt is extra special because its print is the work of our talented in-house artist Emil Kozak. It also features a unique blend of organic cotton and recycled cotton, as we move more towards trying to increase our use of recycled post consumer textile waste.
What has been your proudest moment or personal highlight so far?
A big one was recently becoming B Corp Certified. It vindicated the way we do business and has inspired the whole company to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable fashion.
How do you see the future of the textile industry?
In the future, brands will have to pivot to become so much more than just marketing loudspeakers, designed to convince consumers to buy purposefully expendable products. Value will no longer solely reside in the product itself — and the ownership of that product — but more in the quality of the processes which brought it into existence.
If you had one wish for World Ocean Day, what would you wish for?
For politicians and business leaders to act faster, to bring human societies back in harmony with the ocean.
Discover the collection here.
