We believe that with true quality, there is no need to artificially embellish with useless over-design.

We caught up with håndværk cofounder Esteban Saba to discuss the brand, its designs, fabrics, and future. håndværk are also offering a 20% discount using the code: minimalissimo

We felt there was a void in the market for a label that was solely dedicated to high-end essentials—crafting each piece from the finest fabrics, and focused on the details as the foundation to function. From the start, the ultimate goal was to create a label that we would love as customers, something that would make us proud. Our passion for fine fabrics was the main force driving håndværk’s creation.

It is a Danish word that stands for artisanal, a trade, or handy-work. We felt it represents the soul of the label. At the core, we want to highlight that pride achieved by the craftsman with his honest work. We want to convey that making quality garments is a humble and tedious endeavour, miles away from the hype of the fashion world.

We have always been huge fans of Danish design, specifically mid-century modern furniture—with the focus on simplicity, honest materials and function. These values influence how we go about crafting our products and our name serves as a beacon that keeps us focused on what is most important—how each product is made.

Absolutely. We don’t want anything to take the attention away from the quality of the materials and fabrics. We believe that with true quality, there is no need to artificially embellish with useless over-design.

We are also pleased by the minimalist aesthetics, it frees the mind, and it makes us feel at ease with our environment. Specific to the garment, we feel that an understated approach to design places the focus on the uniqueness of each individual.

Our idea of luxury starts with sourcing the finest, highest grade, all natural materials, and defining a process to create a product with the highest level of attention to detail. We take the whatever-it-takes, no-matter-the-cost approach to the production process. The key for us is finding the individual that appreciates the effort.

We also believe that at the high-end of the luxury market, the consumer takes an understated, timeless approach. Also, luxury is defined by independence, the ability to stir away from flashy brands or logos, basically saying “these don’t define me.”

Our expertise is in yarn and fabric manufacturing; we grounded our launch collection in four distinct fabrics that we believe perform at their best when used for the right products. For example, our men’s underwear is crafted with a premium lightweight jersey fabric knitted with a super fine (ultra high gauge/count) yarn, a two-fold (80/2), flamed to reduce excess fibres. The women’s underwear range is made from an 80/1 interlock, a thin fabric with natural flexibility made from 100% cotton. We try to find the perfect balance between technology and artisanal work.

We source our extra long staple Peruvian Pima cotton from a single supplier; the plantations and mill are located in the northern coastal valleys of Peru, and the cotton is entirely harvested by hand, maintaining fibre length and uniformity. The Peruvian Pima strain that we use is the best cotton in the world, characterised by its extra long staple, incredible softness and durability.

We recently expanded our shipping to Europe, and now to the rest of the world, 150 countries in total.

Over the last couple of months, we started to expand via wholesale with key retail partners. We are currently in Japan and our first retail partner in Europe will most likely be in Berlin.

Our plans include retail partnerships across Europe, and to implement a second fulfilment centre there that will support our retail partners and our online store. Also, when the time is right, we would love to open håndværk branded stores—allowing us to better convey our values.

No surprises. At the moment, we are working to expand our core offering—and thinking through how to best expand from that base. Although we will have some product introductions over the next few months, we will present our first seasonal capsule during the shows next year.