Materials
When the founders of Elvang, Lasse and Tina Elvang, travelled to Peru in 2002, it turned out to be the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the country where Elvang today both produces and sources its most important raw material: Alpaca wool.
The journey would change both their own lives and the area they visited. In Peru, Lasse and Tina met a hard-working and warm-hearted people with proud craft traditions who took care of their history, traditions and animals, but they also learnt how poverty and harsh living conditions limit the opportunities for development and progress.
During their stay, Lasse and Tina Elvang also got to know the alpaca, which for thousands of years has been an essential domestic animal for the Peruvians, partly because of its fine and durable wool. With the experiences from Peru - and several alpaca patches - in their luggage, Tina and Lasse Elvang returned to Denmark, both keen to make a difference for the Peruvians they had met through their unique alpacas. Thus, Elvang was a reality.
ALPAKA
The quality is exceptional, the insulating properties unlike any other material - and most importantly, alpaca wool is so comfortable against the skin that those who normally find ordinary sheep's wool scratchy will enjoy the soft fibres.Alpaca wool originates from Peru and lives in the Andes, where the animal - a biological member of the camel family - has been a basic and vital part of nature's resources for millennia, not least because of its unique fur. Alpaca wool is called the modest wonder of nature.
Alpaca wool is thermoregulatory, meaning it can be up to seven times warmer than sheep's wool when it's cold, while appearing light and cool when temperatures rise.This is because alpaca wool fibres are hollow and therefore naturally insulating.
In addition, alpaca wool is unique because its fibres are naturally water-repellent and breathable, which means they keep you warm and dry when it's wet and humid, and for those who may have allergic reactions to the substance lanolin found in regular sheep's wool, alpaca is an obvious alternative. This is because the wool is hypoallergenic, as it does not contain the substance and is therefore suitable for allergy sufferers.
Alpaca wool comes in a natural colour range determined by the animal's innate colour, which ranges from a very light beige to a multitude of brown shades to a deep, saturated black. The special baby alpaca wool is fine and soft and comes from the very first shearing, when the alpaca is typically two and a half years old. The wool has a very low fat content, so it is not necessary to use the same amount of water to prepare and clean the wool as with sheep's wool, for example.
Alpaca wool is widely considered a sustainable choice. This is not only due to the properties and quality of the wool itself, which gives it a long lifespan, but also the way of life of the animals in the country of origin. Because alpacas live free in the wild, often in mountainous areas that cannot be cultivated, they are part of the natural cycle just like other free-ranging animals. They feed on grasses and drinking water from streams and rivers, so they don't need supplementary feed, and alpacas are also gentle in the sense that they bite through the straw without pulling up the roots, so the landscape is not altered. The dried alpaca droppings are used by the local population as fuel and are thus - just like the wool - an important resource.
GOTS CERTIFIED COTTON
Cotton is known as one of the most environmentally problematic crops, partly because cotton production requires a lot of water and because cotton fields are often fertilised and sprayed extensively.That's why at Elvang we only use organic cotton certified under the internationally recognised labelling scheme GOTS, which stands for Global Organic Textile Standard.
GOTS is the most widely used labelling scheme for organic cotton textiles, and thus your guarantee that the cotton textile is produced responsibly towards both the environment and people. GOTS certification defines a number of conditions that must apply throughout the entire process from sowing and growing the cotton to picking, transport, processing and storage.For example, it is a requirement for certification that at least 70% of a given textile is made from certified organic cotton fibres and that the use of colours for dyeing meets a number of environmental requirements.The fibres are also not treated with pesticides and insecticides, and the finished product is guaranteed to be free of fluorinated substances.In addition, GOTS certification sets requirements for social conditions, including labour rights such as minimum wages, working hours and breaks, and of course no child labour is used.
At Elvang, we use GOTS-certified cotton of the highest quality and our production takes place in GOTS-certified factories in Portugal.
LINEN
Linen is a natural material made from the linen plant and its stem. Linen fibres are hollow, which makes linen textiles exceptionally lightweight and cool to the touch, but also has the effect of being quick-drying and breathable.However, these are not the only special qualities of the material, as linen is also more durable than other comparable materials and, like wool, is self-cleaning.Textiles made from 100% linen usually have a matt surface that can appear slightly rough, but when blended with other materials, usually cotton, you get a beautiful, uneven look.
In a number of Elvang's products, a combination of linen and cotton is used to give the textile its special surface and texture.The blend of the two natural materials gives a mottled look and a number of small unevennesses that make each product unique. However, there are also a number of practical advantages to working with a blend of linen and cotton, namely that by adding linen instead of synthetics, you get a material that has a different firmness and higher durability. In bed linen, for example, it also helps to keep the textile fresh due to the self-cleaning properties of linen.
INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
At Elvang, we want to operate in a socially responsible manner, and as a member of the UN Global Compact - the world's largest corporate social responsibility network - we only work with producers who operate in accordance with a comprehensive CSR programme. In addition, Elvang supports the training of herders in farming and breeding methods, as well as shearing the alpaca, which ensures that they get a higher yield and a fairer price, and makes it possible to produce high quality alpaca fibre.
By keeping production in Peru - close to both the alpacas and the local people who have lived off and with them for centuries - we help Peruvians improve their standard of living by working with a natural resource that is central to their culture and history. We are also helping to support and maintain the proud craftsmanship traditions that Peru is known for, ensuring that traditional skills and knowledge do not disappear.
Every Elvang product is the result of original, locally rooted craftsmanship combined with modern, Scandinavian design. Quality, tradition and social responsibility are the guiding principles, and we never compromise on the ethical standards that are the foundation of our business.
During their stay, Lasse and Tina Elvang also got to know the alpaca, which for thousands of years has been an essential domestic animal for the Peruvians, partly because of its fine and durable wool. With the experiences from Peru - and several alpaca patches - in their luggage, Tina and Lasse Elvang returned to Denmark, both keen to make a difference for the Peruvians they had met through their unique alpacas. Thus, Elvang was a reality.
ALPAKA
The quality is exceptional, the insulating properties unlike any other material - and most importantly, alpaca wool is so comfortable against the skin that those who normally find ordinary sheep's wool scratchy will enjoy the soft fibres.Alpaca wool originates from Peru and lives in the Andes, where the animal - a biological member of the camel family - has been a basic and vital part of nature's resources for millennia, not least because of its unique fur. Alpaca wool is called the modest wonder of nature.
Alpaca wool is thermoregulatory, meaning it can be up to seven times warmer than sheep's wool when it's cold, while appearing light and cool when temperatures rise.This is because alpaca wool fibres are hollow and therefore naturally insulating.
In addition, alpaca wool is unique because its fibres are naturally water-repellent and breathable, which means they keep you warm and dry when it's wet and humid, and for those who may have allergic reactions to the substance lanolin found in regular sheep's wool, alpaca is an obvious alternative. This is because the wool is hypoallergenic, as it does not contain the substance and is therefore suitable for allergy sufferers.
Alpaca wool comes in a natural colour range determined by the animal's innate colour, which ranges from a very light beige to a multitude of brown shades to a deep, saturated black. The special baby alpaca wool is fine and soft and comes from the very first shearing, when the alpaca is typically two and a half years old. The wool has a very low fat content, so it is not necessary to use the same amount of water to prepare and clean the wool as with sheep's wool, for example.
Alpaca wool is widely considered a sustainable choice. This is not only due to the properties and quality of the wool itself, which gives it a long lifespan, but also the way of life of the animals in the country of origin. Because alpacas live free in the wild, often in mountainous areas that cannot be cultivated, they are part of the natural cycle just like other free-ranging animals. They feed on grasses and drinking water from streams and rivers, so they don't need supplementary feed, and alpacas are also gentle in the sense that they bite through the straw without pulling up the roots, so the landscape is not altered. The dried alpaca droppings are used by the local population as fuel and are thus - just like the wool - an important resource.
GOTS CERTIFIED COTTON
Cotton is known as one of the most environmentally problematic crops, partly because cotton production requires a lot of water and because cotton fields are often fertilised and sprayed extensively.That's why at Elvang we only use organic cotton certified under the internationally recognised labelling scheme GOTS, which stands for Global Organic Textile Standard.
GOTS is the most widely used labelling scheme for organic cotton textiles, and thus your guarantee that the cotton textile is produced responsibly towards both the environment and people. GOTS certification defines a number of conditions that must apply throughout the entire process from sowing and growing the cotton to picking, transport, processing and storage.For example, it is a requirement for certification that at least 70% of a given textile is made from certified organic cotton fibres and that the use of colours for dyeing meets a number of environmental requirements.The fibres are also not treated with pesticides and insecticides, and the finished product is guaranteed to be free of fluorinated substances.In addition, GOTS certification sets requirements for social conditions, including labour rights such as minimum wages, working hours and breaks, and of course no child labour is used.
At Elvang, we use GOTS-certified cotton of the highest quality and our production takes place in GOTS-certified factories in Portugal.
LINEN
Linen is a natural material made from the linen plant and its stem. Linen fibres are hollow, which makes linen textiles exceptionally lightweight and cool to the touch, but also has the effect of being quick-drying and breathable.However, these are not the only special qualities of the material, as linen is also more durable than other comparable materials and, like wool, is self-cleaning.Textiles made from 100% linen usually have a matt surface that can appear slightly rough, but when blended with other materials, usually cotton, you get a beautiful, uneven look.
In a number of Elvang's products, a combination of linen and cotton is used to give the textile its special surface and texture.The blend of the two natural materials gives a mottled look and a number of small unevennesses that make each product unique. However, there are also a number of practical advantages to working with a blend of linen and cotton, namely that by adding linen instead of synthetics, you get a material that has a different firmness and higher durability. In bed linen, for example, it also helps to keep the textile fresh due to the self-cleaning properties of linen.
INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
At Elvang, we want to operate in a socially responsible manner, and as a member of the UN Global Compact - the world's largest corporate social responsibility network - we only work with producers who operate in accordance with a comprehensive CSR programme. In addition, Elvang supports the training of herders in farming and breeding methods, as well as shearing the alpaca, which ensures that they get a higher yield and a fairer price, and makes it possible to produce high quality alpaca fibre.
By keeping production in Peru - close to both the alpacas and the local people who have lived off and with them for centuries - we help Peruvians improve their standard of living by working with a natural resource that is central to their culture and history. We are also helping to support and maintain the proud craftsmanship traditions that Peru is known for, ensuring that traditional skills and knowledge do not disappear.
Every Elvang product is the result of original, locally rooted craftsmanship combined with modern, Scandinavian design. Quality, tradition and social responsibility are the guiding principles, and we never compromise on the ethical standards that are the foundation of our business.