Committed Fashion
We take care of you and the world around us with the same care and attention we put into our products.
We know that every action counts, so we try to make Happy Belly Barcelona a brand that's consistent in how it produces — from the material in each product and its local manufacture, to its environmental impact.
The Material
The quality of the material is key to our commitment to sustainability, because of the impact fibre has on how long a garment lasts.
We choose fabrics with the highest possible percentage of natural virgin fibres, so the garment is gentle on your skin and stays with you for a long time. Our commitment to a long-lasting garment — one that keeps its shape and function through continued use — comes down to this: over time, it's the more sustainable choice. We prefer virgin fibre over recycled: mechanical recycling shortens the fibre and usually blends it with others to regain strength, which costs it softness, its ability to hold its shape, and, in the long run, lifespan — the opposite of what we're after. That's why we apply circularity elsewhere, in our stationery or packaging, and keep virgin fibre for what touches your skin and has to last.
We look for certified yarns and fabrics that also guarantee respect for the environment, dignified working conditions, and fair trade.
Here's the detail:
For organic cotton, the fabric we use comes from a supplier certified to the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) standard, licence number CB-GOTS-CUC-03-1010800. This certification guarantees that the cotton is organically grown and that the fabric's entire production chain meets strict social and environmental criteria.
For our superior extra-fine wool, the RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) seal certifies that the wool was sourced with respect for animal welfare and responsible land management in its production.
The dyes used on both materials carry Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, which verifies they contain no substances harmful to human health or the environment. In practice, that means your skin benefits, and there's less impact with every wash.
The Manufacturing
We believe in the future of the local economy, and we look for nearby suppliers. As we say in our manifesto, the most interesting things don't always happen far away: close by, there are networks, quiet complicities, and crafts passed from hand to hand — and local manufacturing is our way of keeping that network alive.
Our workshops are located in Catalonia. Our knitwear is made in Igualada, and our cotton pieces in Tàrrega. Both workshops understand what we need: small, staggered production runs to avoid overstock, hands-on involvement in prototypes and R&D, and help optimising our processes to minimise waste — waste that doesn't get thrown away: it's part of the raw material for our stationery, as we explain further down.
Most of the clothing we buy has travelled thousands of kilometres, often by air — the transport mode with the highest carbon footprint per unit of weight. Producing close to home lets us cut that journey to a minimum — your garment doesn't cross half the world before reaching you — and also keep a close eye on working conditions at every workshop, something far harder to guarantee when production is offshored thousands of kilometres and several intermediaries away. That's why we chose Catalonia: it's not just a question of origin, it's a way of staying in control of how every garment is made, from start to finish.
The Packaging
Our communication materials, packaging, and shipping bags can be recycled or reused after use. They're cardboard boxes, compostable envelopes, organic cotton pouches, or papers made with renewable energy that carry FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. This seal guarantees that forest products — wood, paper, and their derivatives — come from forests managed responsibly, in a way that's socially beneficial and economically viable.
Our stationery is an example of textile upcycling. The paper behind our products — leaflets, postcards, or business cards — is made from the waste discarded during fabric manufacturing: 25% leather offcuts and 40% recycled fibres.
Answering Your Questions
What's the difference between organic and conventional cotton?
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers, using much less water, and meeting environmental criteria throughout the chain. Conventional cotton, far more common in cheap clothing, can retain residues of those chemicals. The cotton fabric we use is also GOTS-certified, which also guarantees fair social conditions throughout the chain, and is free of harmful substances thanks to Oeko-Tex dyes.
In a garment you wear in direct contact with your body for hours, you'll notice that difference in origin on your skin.
What exactly guarantees that your cotton is certified?
That there's an independent guarantee of its origin and how it was produced. Many brands talk about "natural" or "sustainable" cotton with no seal behind it; we work with our fabric supplier's GOTS certificate (no. CB-GOTS-CUC-03-1010800), which verifies both organic growing and compliance with social and environmental criteria across the whole chain.
Why do you use virgin fibres instead of recycled ones?
Because both cotton and wool fibres are in contact with your skin for hours and need to last for years. In mechanical recycling, the fibre gets shorter and is usually blended with others to regain strength, which costs it softness, its ability to hold its shape, and, in the long run, lifespan. We apply circularity in other areas, like our stationery or compostable packaging, but the fabric itself is always virgin.
Are your dyes natural?
Our dyes aren't natural: they're synthetic, but certified to Oeko-Tex Standard 100. That's an independent guarantee that the garment doesn't contain harmful substances — heavy metals, formaldehyde, allergenic colourants, among others — above the safe limits set for garments worn in direct contact with skin. It's a demanding standard, but it isn't the same as a naturally-sourced dye, and it doesn't guarantee compatibility with specific sensitivities or health conditions. If yours specifically requires you to avoid synthetic dyes, we recommend checking with your doctor or dermatologist first.
Is your wool mulesing-free?
Yes. RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certification guarantees animal welfare and prohibits practices such as mulesing, as well as ensuring responsible land management: an independent guarantee that the virgin wool we use in yarns carrying that certification comes from an animal-welfare-respecting source.
Are your products vegan?
It depends on each product's composition. Our organic cotton garments are plant-based, so yes, they're vegan. Our merino wool garments, on the other hand, come from sheep and aren't vegan, even though they carry RWS animal-welfare certification.
Do your garments shed microplastics when washed?
Very few, compared to synthetic garments or recycled blends. Our fabrics are mostly natural fibre (95% organic cotton, 93% extra-fine merino wool, or 100% merino wool outright), and natural fibres release almost no microplastics in the wash, unlike polyester or many recycled fabrics blended with synthetics. The small percentage of elastane or polyamide in some of our garments is the minimum needed for stretch and fit, without turning the garment into a significant source of plastic microfibres.
What happens to the garment at the end of its life? Is it biodegradable?
The natural fibres that make up most of our garments (organic cotton and merino wool) are biodegradable, unlike synthetic fabrics or many recycled blends, which persist in the environment. Some garments carry a small percentage of elastane or polyamide for stretch, so without question, the most sustainable thing you can do is make the garment's life as long as possible. That's exactly why we're so committed to the highest quality in both material and manufacture.
