Based on the industry track record, it’s a question you can be forgiven for asking. However, Kostüme is proud to launch from day one with not only male and female-specific products, but also design innovations such as the convenient drop-tail toilet break feature on our signature bib short.

We firmly believe that equality and inclusivity should come as standard.

This is a fluid situation still, but typically if you are ordering from outside the UK you will likely need to pay local customs and duty. Please check with your local authority before ordering.

There is an option to join a first-come-first-served waiting list for current Edits after a product sells out. Just visit the product page for the item you want, and click 'join waitlist'. You are not commiting to buy at this stage.

If it’s an archived Edit, feel free to contact us. You never know your luck. We plan to introduce a reconditioned resale offering to increase the circularity of our products, so this will eventually be another way of accessing historical products and Edits.

We don’t do sales.

We try not to be too preachy (who doesn’t love a bargain?) but sales only exist because of ‘waste’ caused by inefficient production.

Some brands will go as far as landfilling or destroying - often via burning - stock that is still unsold after their sale ends in order to keep it from clogging up expensive warehouse space or flooding the market. Globally, this amounts to billions of excess items each year. Just think about that for a moment.

The Kostüme pre-sale model ensures that all items are accounted for before manufacturing. Less waste. Lower prices. No damaging sales.

We currently work with two highly respected manufacturing partners; one based in Italy and one in Romania. Both are independent, family-run enterprises with a strong focus on ethics and sustainability and decades of experience at the forefront of technical apparel production. You can read more in our Planet First section.

Our prices reflect the cost of doing things properly. The efficiencies within our unique business model allows us to make much higher quality products with the very best fabrics, trims and manufacturing than is possible with a traditional retail model. What this means is that you are getting a demonstrably better product, at a better price than would otherwise be possible. Our press and customer reviews are testament to this fact, and we believe this is the future of apparel production.

We understand that price is a very real barrier to entry, and we are working on ways to make our products - and cycling in general - more accessible.

The traditional fashion production model has such long lead times, and so many interrelated moving parts, that it’s difficult verging on impossible for incumbent brands to make the transition.

What that means is that you can expect to see a growing wave of exciting, innovative companies in the near future. In the meantime, some of our favourite brands already very successfully breaking the mould such as Paynter Jacket.

Click here to hear the CEO of US brand Kitsbow talking eloquently about why the existing fashion production model is broken.

Product care plays a very significant role in the overall environmental impact of each item.

The single best thing you can do is simply not buy new things. The next best is to take really good care of the things you do buy, so that they don’t need to be replaced regularly.

Each product has its own dedicated care label, but generally it’s good practice to wash dirty items as soon as possible in order to limit damage from sweat, oil and environmental grime. And if you can’t wash things straight away, separate them and let them air dry before you add them to the laundry basket.

Some general guidance for technical apparel:

• Turn garments inside out before washing.
• Use a specialist detergent. We use Nikwax BaseWash, which is water based and uses no harmful fluorocarbons.
• Wash at max 30ºc using a gentle cycle.
• Use the extra rinse cycle if possible.
• Spin on a medium setting.
• NEVER: use softener/conditioner or bleach.
• NEVER: tumble dry or iron.
• NEVER: wash in the same cycle as products featuring velcro or other abrasive surfaces or fasteners.
• NEVER: overload the machine. If possible, always wash with similar items.

Our pre-order business model coupled with limited edition artist designs means it might not be possible to get an exact replacement, unless you can find a pre-owned one. However, if you send us a photo of the damage and tell us exactly how it happened, we will see if it can at least be repaired.

Now you’re talking. You can find our best of 2021 playlist on Spotify here.

Really, really bad.

Not only is it the second-worst polluter (coming in just after the oil industry), there are also very serious welfare concerns around many of the workers involved in apparel production.

Thankfully, change is coming. Consumers are increasingly aware of the real cost of their purchases beyond the price tag, and which brands are taking direct action instead of ‘greenwashing’. Ultimately, customer purchasing habits are the best way to force the industry to make meaningful changes.

Recycled and biodegradable fabrics increasingly rival the best non-recycled offerings, but they are not a sustainability silver bullet. They represent one tiny part of a much bigger and more complex equation. Any brand claiming their products are ‘sustainable’ simply because they have some recycled fibres in the mix is being disingenuous at best.

At Kostüme, our approach is to look holistically at the entire lifecycle and value chain of each individual product, as well as our processes and practices as a brand. Our goal is making changes where they matter the most.

For more details please see our annual production report, coming soon.

Kostüme is always looking for creative, passionate, open-minded people to join its team. For more information, please visit Linkedin.

If you work in a field that offers products or services that could potentially help Kostüme do better in any part of our business, please contact us.