SOSUE is a Hamburg fashion brand. Sue Giers and her sister Vanessa Gieser founded the brand in 2016 because they wanted to create fashion for women who are in the middle of life. SOSUE is not a purely green label, but we take sustainability issues seriously. Processes at SOSUE are constantly questioned and discussed internally to meet our responsibility. In dialogue with producers and customers, we are constantly learning and trying to implement it in our daily work.

 

No-Season: Buy once and wear for a long time

When designing our fashion, we make sure not to constantly launch new collections or follow every hype. We want our fashion to be worn as long as possible and independent of the season. Therefore, among other things, we rely on one-size fashion or repeatedly produce successful creations. This saves resources and prevents unnecessary production of goods. Except for wool and cashmere, we avoid animal products such as leather, fur, angora, or down.

 

Made in EU

Our fashion is produced in the European Union. A large part of our collection is made in Portugal, while the remaining clothing is manufactured in Italy or Bulgaria. Additionally, we work with our manufacturers to continuously improve our sustainability in textiles. This also includes trying to keep the plastic content, such as elastane, as low as possible or to avoid it entirely. Fabrics made from recycled materials (including synthetic fibers), if available, are also used at SOSUE. Furthermore, we use fabrics from our producers that other brands no longer use to create garments in small batches.
 

Transport and Packaging

SOSUE goods are not transported to Germany by plane but delivered overland. For orders, the goods are shipped with DHL GoGreen, meaning the ordered goods are sent climate-neutrally. To protect the goods in the warehouse and ensure they arrive in perfect condition to the customer, they are packed in polybags containing EcoVert, which causes the material to decompose naturally within 10 to 15 years (instead of 300 years). The boxes and cardboard are made from recycled paper or cardboard and at SOSUE, as long as they are not damaged, they are reused again and again.

Left-Overs

Although we make an effort not to include unnecessary pieces in the collection, it can happen that we do not sell everything, but that does not mean we destroy the “leftovers” or give them to wholesalers. These pieces are donated to organizations, offered at a lower price, or we refurbish individual pieces to bring them back into our shop.

Second-Hand: Pass SOSUE on

We do not see secondhand as competition; on the contrary, we repeatedly support vintage and secondhand shops because we like the idea that fashion is worn and passed on as long as possible. We also repeatedly encourage our customers to care for SOSUE pieces so that they last as long as possible. We are happy about every blouse of ours that is resold or given away.

 

Social Engagement

Not everyone is lucky enough to lead a carefree life. There are people who have to overcome difficult situations and rely on help. We support organizations and projects that help ensure people no longer have to stand socially marginalized, that they receive appreciation and are promoted.

Projects and organizations supported by SOSUE:

Women For Women: Supports women in former war zones so they can build a new life.

Childaid Network: Supports children and adolescents in the most remote areas of Southeast Asia.

Arche Hamburg: Christian child and youth welfare organization that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Lions Club Mallorca: Helps people who are in need to ensure their basic needs are met.

Children's Hospital Sylt: A rehab clinic where children are medically, therapeutically, and emotionally strengthened together with their families for four weeks after cancer therapy.

 

Empowerment

SOSUE is a company founded by women and predominantly staffed by women, which is also why we support many female founders and leaders in their work. We regularly report on our blog and social media about their business ideas and work. We want to encourage women to become self-employed, start companies, or take on responsible positions. Women power is more than a statement for us; at SOSUE it is a lived reality.