The values we represent are simple. As a small, independent family business, we love to reflect our beliefs through our work and products.
We are a Turkish couple living in the UK since 2005, and we started Cotton and Olive’s online presence in 2013.
As a principle, we work only with Turkish craftspeople, sourcing all our products exclusively from Turkey – the homeland we know best and whose language we speak. We believe that, as a Turkish couple selling only Turkish home textiles, we have found our niche and are proud of our heritage. Nurturing personal relationships with the weavers we have collaborated with over the years makes a huge difference, not only on a personal level but also to the quality of the final product. It is difficult to establish such close personal relationships in a foreign country where you have little understanding of the customs, habits, way of life, and above all, the language. However, we dispatch every single order from our warehouse in Surrey.
Our suppliers’ values
We don’t work with just any weavers, but with those who share our values, listen to us, and fulfil what we want and how we want it. We value our weavers and their families. Year on year, we develop our relationships with them, so immense mutual trust and respect are growing between us. They practise this traditional craftsmanship as families, often for generations. Every child born into this kind of family knows the craft as naturally as their ABCs. The survival and growth of traditional Turkish weaving is largely due to this generational continuity.
Some family enterprises are smaller than others, with a small shop on the village high street as an outlet for their produce. Others are larger enterprises, not on the scale of a factory but more like workshops. Their production capacity is greater, and therefore, they sell on a wholesale basis to a wider audience. We work with both small businesses and larger enterprises, depending on the volume of our orders and their capacity.
Big or small, it makes us really happy to see many women and young girls working in these workshops. They run the workshops, carry out quality control, and manage customer relationships. They are part of the economy, contributing to their own and their families’ welfare. There is also a group of local women and girls who work from home to finish the tassels with their final touch: a knot. Tassels, which come in various forms and styles, are created by the skilled hands of the local women’s community.
Our designs
By creating our own designs and patterns, we also contribute to the local weavers’ pattern archive. They stylise our patterns and use them in various forms to create their future products. My business partner and husband, Atil, has given his name to one of the patterns we originally used for our ZigZag mini blanket. This inspired the weaver we collaborated with to use a modified version of the original pattern to create their own blanket, which they later sold in their thousands across the world.
Materials
As for the materials we use for our products, we keep things simple and all-natural. We primarily use cotton for all our products and use linen blended with cotton in varying percentages. No acrylic, polyester, or any other man-made fibres are blended into our textiles.
The only exception is the Myrtle Blanket, which contains just 15% polyester, with the remainder being cotton. Fabrics made from quality cotton and linen are designed to last longer, contributing to slow fashion. They also do not release microplastic particles into the environment during washing and drying.
Plastic-free packaging
To contribute to environmental conservation, we introduced a plastic-free packaging option for our online customers to reduce the negative impact of plastic used in deliveries. This initiative was inspired by feedback from one of our online customers, and it felt right almost instantly. It was fully aligned with our brand’s integrity and the values we represent. The impact on our customers was immediate and extremely positive.
Currently, nearly 90% of our customers opt for plastic-free packaging. As a next step, we are working to reduce the plastic used in international shipments of our products from Turkey to the UK. Although we are not yet 100% plastic-free, we have come a long way in significantly reducing plastic use.
Waste and recycling
In keeping with slow fashion, we also aim to minimise our internal waste. Delivering first-class products at their very best is our ultimate aim for an impeccable customer experience. We individually inspect every single product before dispatch.
Our products may show minor weaving irregularities. We do not consider these faults but rather part of the beautiful and authentic nature of woven fabric, each with its own personality and character.
Quality control
What we do consider faults are holes in the fabric, surface stains, or stitching issues. During our product checks, any faulty items are separated and clearly marked. They are priced individually based on the nature of the fault. Instead of writing these products off, we recently started selling them as seconds under the Sale tab on our menu. Customer response to this has been incredibly positive. By doing this, we are reducing waste while still offering our customers something beautifully natural at a lower price.
We strive to live our brand ethos ourselves. Integrity and honesty at every step are important to us. We also truly value our customers’ feedback. We listen carefully and take it into account as we continue to evolve and improve.
Until next time, keep well!
Ilgen
