R.EH – Independent Design Label Berlin – Durable Garments and Hand-thrown Ceramics

The sustainable design label R.EH based in Berlin – subtly refers to the Bauhaus aesthetic and principles – representing durability, high quality and functionality in clothing, accessories and interior design. All R.EH products follow fair and transparent manufacturing guidelines in cooperation with smaller family businesses in Germany and Peru.

Why did you deliberately choose to operate outside the concept of seasonal collections and trend-based designs?

I follow this approach because of sustainable and economical reasons and naturally out of a personal interest. Products which are made ethically and feature high durability, exceptional haptic qualities, ideally functional details and an overall good price-performance ratio – are the items that I personally cherish and desire the most and that’s why I enjoy designing them.

Today, the short-lived usage of most products on the market is pre-programmed and most consumers are used to bad quality and low prices without being aware that their constant consumption is more cost-intensive in the long run and over time more harmful to the environment. So to keep on reinventing and shopping seasonal fashion trends is neither creative nor sustainable. In my mind, it’s an unsustainable pattern in itself that has become unsatisfying to me as a designer. Using less and cherishing more is a sensible way out of the increasingly complicated fashion industry.

This less profit- and growth-orientated approach is obviously a challenge for every business, but relatively manageable for smaller businesses with sustainability as their core concept. Thus, I decided to create value through my designs – by designing products that consumers don’t want to dispose and replace as quickly and easily. I want my designs to enhance and simplify peoples’ lives and ideally create an emotional attachment between a R.EH product and the consumer.

Interview by Dörte Lange, Lissome