The launch of a sustainable suit dyed using the waste of your morning cup of coffee
Caffe Inc., Bonne Suits & Boro Atelier launches their suits made through a unique circular supply chain in the Netherlands with support of the Circulaire Ketenprojecten
Caffe Inc. a Dutch start up based in Amsterdam, creates the world’s first natural dye by upcycling the waste stream of spent coffee grounds, a large but overlooked waste stream. Collaborating with Bonne Suits and Boro Atelier, the iconic gender neutral Bonne suits are available for purchase in three different shades via Bonne Suits.
*These natural dye suits using Caffe Inc. coffee colorants are limited edition.
Earthy colours done by nature – Price list
Every suit from this collection comes in its own unique tone due to the natural dying methods used by Boro*Atelier. The garment may change over time to fit your body and lifestyle. It is created by nature and will stay until nature wants. Please keep in mind that this demand reflects the market proof of principle, and will show a signal that organic, natural, local and sustainable production of garments can also generate demand.
Products:
Mocca Bonne Suit €300
Charcoal Bonne Suit €300,-
Raw Green Bonne Suit €300,-
Mocca Bonne Jacket €180,-
Charcoal Bonne Jacket €180,-
Raw Green Bonne Jacket €180,-
Mocca Bonne Pants €130,-
Charcoal Bonne Pants €130,-
Raw Green Bonne Pants €130,-
For sale at:
WARMOESSTRAAT 67 Warmoesstraat 67, 1012HX Amsterdam
The world’s first ink from coffee by-product
Please get in touch if interested in becoming a launching customer for our natural ingredients by emailing to hello@caffeinc.nl
Caffe Inc. is the only company worldwide commercially offering bio-based colorants and printing inks. We have been working on our R&D pipeline since 2019. This pipeline refers to the development of natural dyes from coffee by-product that goes to waste. A resource that is abundant in coffee-addicted Europe a resource that had already traveled from all over the globe. A resource in which its high value is being wasted to organic digestion. Caffe Inc. will become the first company to validate this innovative product and is working tirelessly to achieve continuous production and new shades.
With much experimentation and adjustments of the colorants and dying technique, three very different tones were achieved. The coffee-dyed Bonne Suits are available in three colour shades: Mocca, Charcoal and Raw Green.
Figure 1. Mocca (left) Charcoal (middle), and Raw Green (right)
Environmental impact of synthetic dye
The textile industry is among the world’s most significant environmental polluters, particularly due to the use of synthetic dyes. These dyes, while offering a broad range of colours, are toxic and adversely impact all forms of life. The presence of harmful substances like naphthol, vat dyes, nitrates, acetic acid, heavy metals, and various non-biodegradable dyeing auxiliaries in synthetic dyes leads to the extreme toxicity of textile dyeing water effluent. This pollution affects water quality, harms marine life, and can even lead to soil productivity loss. The industry’s movement towards more eco-friendly dyeing processes, such as using bio-based colors and natural mordants, is crucial in mitigating these environmental impacts. Khattab, Abdelrahman, & Rehan, (2020).
“This project makes my brand come through on the promise behind our Suits: the cup of coffee you drink in the morning, forms the basis of the suit you wear to feel beautiful and self-confident in the evening. It’s how fashion should work. This is what the future of Bonne Suits looks like: local and sustainable production.” – Bonne Reijn
The unique supply chain
Two years ago, Bonne Suits offered their suits to Caffe Inc to test the colorants on textile. Bonne Suits is a company based in Amsterdam that created its iconic BONNE suit. The BONNE suits were created to be ‘the unisex, seven-day suit’, a genderless and seasonless uniform that aims to cater to all bodies and ages. The suits’ timeless design and idealistic nature makes it the perfect testing ground for this new dyeing method. The introduction of the unique biobased/natural pigment from Caffe Inc. combines the elimination of pollutants from wastewater and the upcycling of overlooked waste into an eco-friendly upgrade on the conventional production of clothes. The first dyeing test resulted in a beautiful and promising sustainably dyed suit, but only in one colour tone.
Figure 2. Model wearing Mocca suit
With the ink in one hand and the suit in the other, Boro*Atelier steps in. Boro*Atelier is a social enterprise and dyeing house in Amsterdam, providing training and gainful employment to long-term job seekers and refugees, the colorants were put to the test. They focus on using only natural dyes and organic cotton for less environmental impact.
Figure 3. Suits hanging in Boro*Atelier
This collaboration led to a completely new, circular, Amsterdam-based supply chain for textile dyeing. It started with the help of Circulaire Projecten, but to make a tangible circular product that can be long-lasting and inclusive. An experiment, a bold testament to see if there is demand for a purpose driven industry collaboration. Re-orienting the clothing industry from a global to a local setup while upcycling waste of a common, everyday product.
Video: Coffee Dyed suits interview with Evaluna Marquez (founder of Caffe Inc.)
The Circulaire Ketenprojecten
This is a subsidy offered by the Dutch government to promote circular economy. This subsidy is for SME entrepreneurs or large entrepreneurs who work together to close a product or material chain. Transforming a linear supply chain into a circular loop.
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About Caffe Inc
Caffe Inc. BV offers a 100% circular solution for coffee waste. We extract valuable ingredients such as innovative natural colorants from used coffee grounds and sell them on the market. Our main products consist of 100% upcycled coffee oil for the personal care market, coffee four for the bio-based material market, and coffee ink for textile and paper dye. Our coffee colorants provide a natural, nontoxic and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical dyes, which is the current standard and one of the most polluting steps in the textile industry. We reduce CO2 emissions and keep valuable resources in the economy-from the grounds up!
Find our more – Caffe Inc – Eco-friendly coffee-based resources.
Contact – hello@caffeinc.nl
About Bonne Suits
Founded by Bonne Reijn, who as a young stylist realized there was a gap in the market for garments that transcended gender, age or socio-economic background, the eponymous label is centered around a two-piece suit silhouette with the unique ability to become a key piece in anyone’s lifestyle or wardrobe. The 100% cotton suit was designed for everyday wear being both durable and easy to take care of, as well suitable for both informal and informal contexts. In 2019, Bonne Suits won the Dutch Design Award for Fashion.
Find out more – https://bonnelife.com/
About Boro*Atelier
BORO is a Japanese philosophical concept: “use everything and waste nothing”. Textile production, without wasting raw materials and talent! We offer people the opportunity to strengthen themselves by developing their talents and get the best out of themselves. We’ve developed a special training course and offer the most efficient and sustainable way for long-term job seekers and/or people with refugee backgrounds.
Find out more – working on the future of textile production since 2015 – boro*atelier (boroatelier.nl)
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