Our Materials
Plants
We love using plant fibres like cotton, flax, and hemp in our products. These natural materials are carefully chosen, and we prioritise using certified fibres that verify claims such as “organic” or “recycled”. By following a chain-of-custody system, we can trace their journey at every stage, demonstrating our commitment to transparency and care from the field to the finished piece.
At Damson Madder, we are proudly certified for GOTS (License Number 303989), OCS, and GRS (Textile Exchange ID: TE-00306231) standards for our natural fibres.
Cotton
Cotton is a soft & fluffy staple fibre that grows in a ball around the seeds of the cotton plant, valued for its comfort and versatility.
Characteristics:
- Soft to the touch
- Breathable
- Absorbent
- Strong and durable
At Damson Madder, cotton is the base of most of our collections. To ensure responsible sourcing, over 92% of the cotton in our products is either organic (OCS or GOTS certified) or recycled, reflecting our commitment to responsibility and traceability throughout our supply chain.
Organic cotton consumes much less water—91% less blue water than conventional cotton. Farmers rain-feed it and grow it without harmful chemicals.
Recycled cotton gives waste textiles a second life. It reduces textile waste ending up in landfill and lowers the need for new resources.
Damson Madder uses these fibres to create various fabrics. Lightweight weaves such as poplin and voile are crisp and airy. They are perfect for summer styles. Knitted fabrics like jersey are soft, stretchy, and comfortable. These are ideal for T-shirts and casual staples.
Linen
Linen is a bast fibre derived from the flax plant, valued for its crisp, fresh texture and natural strength.
Characteristics:
- Lightweight and airy
- Durable
- Softens with wear
- Moisture-wicking
We have not yet widely used linen in our designs, but we see strong potential for it in future collections. Flax is resilient and uses little water, with minimal fertiliser or pesticide use. Nearly every part of the flax plant has a use: long and short fibres are used for textiles, clothing, and upholstery while shives can be used for animal bedding or fuel.
Linen produces crisp, lightweight fabrics that drape naturally, blend well, and feel soft. Over time, the fibres relax and soften, creating a comfortable, lived-in texture while remaining strong. Its breathability, durability, and tactile appeal make linen versatile for many textile designs.
Paper
Paper is a versatile material made from wood pulp. It can be used in functional items like mailers or transformed through techniques such as papier-mâché into sculptural, textured forms like our Christmas decorations.
Characteristics:
- Mouldable when wet
- Recyclable
- Good printability
- Strong when layered and dried
At Damson Madder, we prioritise using FSC® certified paper, ensuring the wood fibres are sourced from responsibly managed forests that protect biodiversity, ecosystems, and the rights of workers and local communities. Paper’s versatility, recyclability, and tactile qualities make it an excellent material for both practical and creative applications.
Synthetics
We selectively use synthetic fibre for stretch or performance outerwear to enhance longevity. Where possible, we choose certified recycled fibres to use existing resources. These fibres follow a chain-of-custody system, allowing us to trace their journey at every stage, reinforcing transparency and accountability from raw material to finished piece.
At Damson Madder, we are proudly certified to the GRS (Textile Exchange ID: TE-00306231) standard for our synthetic fibres excluding elastane.
Polyester
Renowned for its resilience and versatility, polyester is a synthetic fibre made from petroleum-based polymers and retains its shape and colour over time.
Characteristics:
- Strong and long-lasting
- Wrinkle-resistant
- Quick-drying
- Retains shape and colour
At Damson Madder, we use polyester selectively to add strength, durability, and structure to fabrics, making them ideal for our longevity pieces.
Polyesters smooth, resilient fibres make it ideal for a wide range of fabrics, from structured outerwear to sheer chiffons. In performance outerwear, polyester excels in strength, fast drying, and lasting shape and colour retention, even with repeated wear.
Polyamide (Nylon)
Polyamide or commonly known as Nylon, is a synthetic fibre made from petrochemical-based polymers, valued for its lightweight and durable properties.
Characteristics:
- Lightweight
- Quick-drying
- Abrasion-resistant
- Retains shape
At Damson Madder, we use polyamide in blends to enhance performance and durability. Its resilient fibres suit technical fabrics, knits, and blends.
Polyamide is extensively used in our bag accessories for its outstanding tear resistance and robust strength. Its smooth, technical handle gives our products a modern, high-performance feel, making it ideal for accessories that demand resilience and a sleek appearance.
Elastane
Elastane is a synthetic fibre valued for its stretch and recovery. It is blended with other fibres to increase flexibility, comfort, and shape retention.
Characteristics:
- Highly elastic and resilient
- Lightweight
- Enhances comfort and fit
- Durable
At Damson Madder, we use elastane sparingly, mainly in fitted garments and knits. Small amounts let fabrics move with the body and keep their shape. It’s unique elasticity makes it ideal for flexible garments, and blending it with other fibres improves fit and durability in our responsibly sourced fabrics.
Animal
We use animal fibres such as wool, mohair, and cashmere for their breathable warmth and softness. We carefully select these materials and prioritise certified fibres that support responsible animal welfare and land management. Through a chain-of-custody system, we track each fibre’s journey from farm to finished product to ensure the highest quality for your knits and cold-weather accessories.
At Damson Madder, we are proudly certified for RWS, RMS & RAS (Textile Exchange ID: TE-00306231) standards for our natural fibres.
Wool
Wool is a natural animal fibre valued for its warmth & breathability. It is naturally insulating and moisture-wicking, making it ideal for a wide range of garments from knits to tailored pieces.
Characteristics:
- Warm and insulating
- Breathable and moisture-wicking
- Soft & textured
- Durable and long-lasting with correct care
At Damson Madder, we are committed to using long lasting, responsibly sourced fibres. Wool plays a key role across our collections and all wool we use is certified under the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) from The Textile Exchange, ensuring traceability and high standards for animal welfare and land management.
Mohair
Sought after for its sheen and softness, mohair is a long & luxurious fibre from Angora goats, valued for its lightweight warmth and perfect for premium knits and textured fabrics.
Characteristics:
- Soft & smooth
- Lightweight
- Lustrous with natural sheen
- Durable with correct care
At Damson Madder, we use mohair responsibly across our collections. We source all mohair certified under the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) from The Textile Exchange, which covers the entire supply chain from farms to the final sale. RMS assessors evaluate RAF farmers for animal welfare, land management, and social responsibility, ensuring ethical treatment of both animals and people.
Cashmere
Cashmere is a soft, fine animal fibre known for its exceptional softness, lightness, and luxurious feel, making it ideal for high-quality knits and premium garments.
Characteristics:
- Exceptionally soft and lightweight
- Warm and insulating
- Luxurious texture
- Breathable and comfortable
At Damson Madder, all our cashmere is certified by The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS), an independent standard. GCS ensures sustainable cashmere production by promoting the welfare of cashmere goats, improving herders' working conditions, and responsible land management.
Alpaca
Alpaca is a natural animal fibre valued for its softness, warmth, and strength, making it ideal for luxurious, high-performance knitwear and textiles.
Characteristics:
- Soft & naturally smooth texture
- Durable and resilient
- Breathable and moisture-wicking
- Lightweight & airy
At Damson Madder, alpaca represents a high‑quality fibre with strong potential for our collections. We source alpaca responsibly through the Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS) from Textile Exchange. RAS is a voluntary standard that covers the supply chain from farms to final sale, focusing on animal welfare, sustainable land management, and social responsibility.
Pulp
We use pulp-based fibres such as viscose, lyocell, and modal sourced from trusted suppliers, including Lenzing, FSC, and the Birla Group. These fibres are derived from sustainably managed forests and are valued for their softness and fluidity. We prioritise certified, responsibly sourced materials and support transparency from forest to finished product through recognised forestry standards.
Viscose
Viscose is a semi-synthetic fibre derived from wood pulp, valued for its drape and often considered an alternative to silk. Its soft, silky texture makes it ideal for flowing dresses, blouses, and wardrobe staples.
Characteristics:
- Soft and smooth
- Lightweight and breathable
- Flows and drapes beautifully
- Comfortable and versatile
At Damson Madder, we prioritise using certified fibres such as LENZING™ ECOVERO™ and LIVAECO™, which reduce water use by at least 50%. By choosing responsibly certified viscose, we support sustainable forest management and considered production.
Modal
Modal is a semi-synthetic fibre made from beechwood pulp, valued for its softness and strength. Due to its breathability, it's ideal for knits, tops, and layered pieces.
Characteristics:
- Silky and smooth
- Soft yet durable
- Lightweight and breathable
- Retains shape well
At Damson Madder, we use LENZING™ Modal, a certified fibre from sustainably managed forests. It combines comfort, longevity, and responsible production, giving garments a luxurious feel while supporting responsible sourcing and minimising impact.
Lyocell
Lyocell is a semi-synthetic fibre made from responsibly sourced wood pulp, prized for its smooth texture, strength, and silk-like drape.
Properties:
- Soft and breathable
- Beautiful drape
- Moisture-managing
- Lightweight and durable
At Damson Madder, we use LENZING™ Lyocell & TENCEL™ Lyocell, a certified fibre made from responsibly sourced wood pulp. Lyocell is produced through conscious processes that reduce water use and chemical impact.
Recycled, Chemical and Packaging
Recycled
At Damson, we use recycled fibres sourced from pre- and post-consumer textile waste, including synthetics such as polyester and polyamide, as well as plant- or pulp-based materials.
Pre-consumer textile waste is collected as manufacturing offcuts. Post-consumer waste comes from textiles no longer fit for use; recycled polyester also includes reprocessed plastic bottles. Repurposing these materials gives them a second life and helps divert textiles and plastics from landfills.
We prioritise recycled synthetics to maintain performance and reduce environmental impact. We use recycled fibres across technical outerwear, linings, knits, and blends to create comfortable, durable, versatile pieces.
Our recycled fibres are certified under the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) or Recycled Claim Standard (RCS), ensuring traceability and responsible production. By choosing recycled materials, Damson Madder extends the life of existing resources while maintaining quality and performance as a commitment to responsible design.
Chemical
Damson Madder is dedicated to minimising hazardous chemical use across its supply chain by prioritising certified materials with reduced environmental impact.
Fabrics
We prioritise responsibly sourced and certified fibres across our collections, which enforce strict chemical management rules and restrict the use of hazardous substances during fibre processing, dyeing, and finishing. Additionally, many of our fabrics meet OEKO-TEX® standards, ensuring our suppliers deliver products free from harmful substances, aligned with REACH standards.
Prints
Our clothing prints use water-based inks that are non-toxic and free from PVC and plasticisers. Reflecting our commitment to safer, more responsible processes.
Trims
Our trims are OEKO-TEX® certified, with materials carefully selected to meet high safety and responsible standards.
We continue to expand certification across all components in our collections, supporting responsible design from start to finish.
Packaging
At Damson Madder, we believe packaging matters as much as the garment inside.
Our pieces are shipped in FSC®-certified brown paper mailers, with garments protected in recycled polyethylene (PE) bags. Paper mailers can be recycled at home, while PE bags are widely accepted at supermarket drop-off points.
Since 2025, all swing tags, care labels, and back neck labels are made from recycled or natural materials: recycled card for swing tags, recycled polyester for care labels and back neck labels, and 100% cotton strings. We avoid plastic kimbles and button bags, ensuring every detail reflects our commitment to sustainable, responsible design.