Our stones
Rado and I are really demanding customers. Sometimes it’s quite difficult – you know, when you have spent several days deciding which shampoo to buy, people around you will not always understand that… on the other hand… that shampoo is top notch :D. But back to the main point. You can imagine how difficult it is for us to find a T-shirt that meets our requirements. The One that is stylish but also timeless. T-shirt that gives you a feeling that you are one of a kind, because you haven’t seen another four people wearing the same tee on your way to work. T-shirt that doesn’t fall apart after second washing. T-shirt made from eco-friendly materials by people who work in fair conditions. Getting a T-shirt with all these features? – almost impossible task, we thought. So why shouldn’t we create our own T-shirts? And that’s how UTAIGA was born.
Of course it was not just like that. Building a brand from scratch with basically no prior knowledge was not easy but we can talk about that next time :). This post should be about some stones. Cornerstones, foundations, pillars… simply these are UTAIGA’s essentials. These are our core values, the principles we follow, this is who we are.
FIRST STONE – ORIGINAL DESIGN
Minimalistic and inspired by nature. If we had to describe our design with just one sentence, it would be this one. Whether it is the graphic of the T-shirts, its packaging or the website, we strive to make their design original and timeless.
When we were looking for somebody whose artworks will be on UTAIGA T-shirts, our friend Kubo was the obvious choice. He also created our logo and his specific style was exactly what we were looking for. Kubo made his first sketches and after that the first t-shirt designs were made. Our collaboration continues and I believe it will bring many great ideas and new products in the future. However, we don’t stop looking for more talented artists with unique style who could become part of our team.
SECOND STONE – QUALITY MATERIALS
One of our top priorities when choosing the right suppliers was quality. Within several months, we tested many potential candidates. We had no mercy with any of the T-shirts and we had them on most of the time. We wore them to work, during our woodland walks, Rado wore them even when he was doing CrossFit. We washed them, ironed them, made them dirty and crumpled over and over again.
Danish brand Neutral® was the winner of “UTAIGA T-shirt stress test”.
Their shirts got us immediately. They’ve got perfect cut, they are light, super soft, fit great and the best thing about them is that all of these features remains the same even after really long time. “Everything is okay” claims Neutral® about their products and we can only agree with them.
THIRD STONE – RESPECT FOR NATURE
In my opinion, living in an ecoLOGICAL way is nowadays a matter of common sense really.
People should realize this simple but fundamental fact – We only have one Earth and it’s up to us to start taking care of it.
At UTAIGA, It’s absolutely clear to us. We therefore try to make products that are sustainable and eco-friendly. What does it mean? Our T-shirts are made from 100% organic cotton and they are manufactured using renewable energy. T-shirt designs are hand screen-printed using eco-friendly water-based inks in a small workshop in the north of Slovakia. Producing billions of tons of waste is also a huge problem. Hence UTAIGA packaging is made of easily recyclable cardboard without the use of plastics and chemicals.
I believe that every single person can contribute to improving the state of nature. We can inspire each other to ensure that even the next generations will enjoy a walk throughout the beautiful spring forest. Are you ready?
– Matej –