Canada’s &Or Collective introduces ethical knitwear

&Or Collective, a new conscious clothier driven by technology, has officially launched in North America with the introduction of a curated collection of women’s and men’s knitwear staples.

Backed by a female-led team from Montreal and Toronto, the brand focuses on a zero waste line of essential garments. To get there, they design garments that are fully recyclable and manufactured to minimize textile waste, while maximizing wearability.

“Fashion is a notoriously damaging industry for the environment,” stated Kristen King, co-CEO of &Or Collective. “Fundamentally, people will continue to wear clothing, so we thought long and hard about how we could do better. Our focus was on building a brand that is as conscious as it is refined, leaning into improving the entire life cycle of a product, while delivering highly desirable and hard-working pieces for our customers’ wardrobes.”

In particular, at the helm of &Or’s design ethos, Rosa Halpern, founder and creative director (design), leaned into a responsible and contemporary approach to product development with pieces that serve many purposes. 

&Or’s clothing is also made using exclusively ‘Stoll-knit’ and ‘wear technology’, and are made from sustainable yarns known for their premium quality and durability. These innovative knitting techniques not only reduce waste but also enhance agility, minimizing overruns, dead stock, and the brand’s carbon footprint.

“Our first collection features core versatile pieces that effortlessly blend into any wardrobe,” Halpern said. “They are elevated, functional, and made with beautiful and durable yarns. Our pieces won’t fade after one season, instead, we’re focused on creating much loved items that are the foundation of capsule dressing. The longevity of our pieces will really make a difference from an environmental and consumption perspective.”

To further power the brand’s commitment to responsibility, &Or is working with New York-based SuperCircle, a technology company that powers retailers’ circularity initiatives.

“We love to think of ourselves as being at the intersection of design, sustainability and technology,” added Katie Green, co-CEO of &OR Collective. 

“We started this brand to catalyze change in one of the most environmentally impactful industries in the world. A big part of this is diverting waste from landfill and participating in creating a more responsible and circular system. In partnership with SuperCircle, we are able to deliver a fiber to fiber recycling program for our consumer and ensure we live up to our zero waste promise.”

Focusing on North America as its initial target market, &Or aims to grow profitably over time. The brand’s team is further strengthened by the mentorship of industry expert Drew Green, CEO and president of Indochino.