Meet ISTO, the Portuguese brand that promotes sustainability with “factorism” and price transparency
MILAN — A factory tour offered to end consumers is one of the implementations that distinguishes the Portuguese brand ISTO when it comes to transparency.
Rather than just talking about its environmental and social commitment, the company came up with the concept of " factourisme” to allow customers to experience for themselves how its products are made.
The project adds to initiatives ranging from price transparency to on-demand production that supports the ecological mindset behind the brand, launched in 2017 by a trio of young talents from different sectors.
Related GalleriesISTO co-founder and CEO Pedro Palha fits the modern entrepreneur archetype of the millennium: on the move, curious, lucid and determined. With a background in business management, he developed an interest in fashion and the direct-to-consumer model while working for a German company in Mexico in 2014. Upon his return to Portugal, Palha and his former collaborator Vasco Mendonça - who specialized in advertising and digital marketing - began to envision a brand that could meet their personal demand for value-for-money, understatedly stylish clothing.
They were encouraged by the potential of their home country, as Portugal has a high concentration textile factories supplying international brands. "I think our fashion industry exports about 95% of what it produces... We have a lot of quality and expertise, but we don't have a lot of fashion culture compared to [d' other countries],” Palha noted.
Inside the Lamosa factory in Portugal. Courtesy of OITSThe scarcity of local brands has further widened the gap to fill the market, encouraging Palha, Mendonça and graphic designer Pedro Gaspar to eventually launch ISTO and anchor the company in sustainability and classic designs.
"We all liked well-made clothes but couldn't find any at an affordable price. Everything what we liked at that time was either very cheap or very expensive," Palha said. "But more importantly, we wanted to build something that had a purpose. Everything had to be cohesive and make sense."
Therefore, the product assortment is based on a permanent collection of wardrobe essentials designed for longevity with their minimalist designs and with a focus on circularity, given that they are made from organic and recyclable fabrics supplied by certified suppliers. The brand also reflects the understated nonchalance of Portuguese style, the colors of the country via the natural palette and an overall sense of ease and pragmatism that define the local approach to life.
MILAN — A factory tour offered to end consumers is one of the implementations that distinguishes the Portuguese brand ISTO when it comes to transparency.
Rather than just talking about its environmental and social commitment, the company came up with the concept of " factourisme” to allow customers to experience for themselves how its products are made.
The project adds to initiatives ranging from price transparency to on-demand production that supports the ecological mindset behind the brand, launched in 2017 by a trio of young talents from different sectors.
Related GalleriesISTO co-founder and CEO Pedro Palha fits the modern entrepreneur archetype of the millennium: on the move, curious, lucid and determined. With a background in business management, he developed an interest in fashion and the direct-to-consumer model while working for a German company in Mexico in 2014. Upon his return to Portugal, Palha and his former collaborator Vasco Mendonça - who specialized in advertising and digital marketing - began to envision a brand that could meet their personal demand for value-for-money, understatedly stylish clothing.
They were encouraged by the potential of their home country, as Portugal has a high concentration textile factories supplying international brands. "I think our fashion industry exports about 95% of what it produces... We have a lot of quality and expertise, but we don't have a lot of fashion culture compared to [d' other countries],” Palha noted.
Inside the Lamosa factory in Portugal. Courtesy of OITSThe scarcity of local brands has further widened the gap to fill the market, encouraging Palha, Mendonça and graphic designer Pedro Gaspar to eventually launch ISTO and anchor the company in sustainability and classic designs.
"We all liked well-made clothes but couldn't find any at an affordable price. Everything what we liked at that time was either very cheap or very expensive," Palha said. "But more importantly, we wanted to build something that had a purpose. Everything had to be cohesive and make sense."
Therefore, the product assortment is based on a permanent collection of wardrobe essentials designed for longevity with their minimalist designs and with a focus on circularity, given that they are made from organic and recyclable fabrics supplied by certified suppliers. The brand also reflects the understated nonchalance of Portuguese style, the colors of the country via the natural palette and an overall sense of ease and pragmatism that define the local approach to life.
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