We talked to Andrea Karg the founder of Allude cashmere about fashion and her approach and her path to sustainability.

DEAR ANDREA, CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND ALLUDE IN THREE SHORT SENTENCES?
Allude is luxurious, truthful and surprising. The label is founded in 1993 and based in Munich - it stands for luxury knitwear and has been established over the past few years as a 360-degree brand around the material cashmere.

My motto in life is: "There is no limit to the sky" - I don't accept any boundaries and always want to develop further.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FASHION MOMENT - WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET IN TOUCH WITH FASHION?
It all started with my first contact with the sensual material cashmere. My career in the fashion world began with an idea that seemed quite simple. I wanted to transform luxurious cashmere into feminine fashion pieces and transfer the sensuality of cashmere in a modern collection.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH SUSTAINABILITY? WAS THERE A PERSONAL KEY FOR YOU?
It is essential for me - cashmere itself is a sustainable material - to follow the path from raw material to the finished product is one of the key elements for the success of Allude. That's why we work on sustainability as well as on the constant quality and craftsmanship of our production. This is only possible if the entire production cycle, from combing out to the POS, can be completely traced. In addition, I see my duty as creative director not just in selling my creations, but also in ensuring that every customer has their cashmere favourite for a very long time.

Cashmere production at Allude: the fine hair is first combed out and then washed.

That's why we developed the "Allude Cashmere Care Series" a while ago. Since March 2015, the Allude Cashmere Clinic has been offering the almost lost craft of artificial stopping as a repair service.

For me, sustainability is more than just a word: Taking responsibility is a matter of honour - and so is sustainable action!

ALLUDE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COMPANIES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF LIFE- TIME EXTENSION. (CASHMERE CLINIC) PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT IT....HOW FAR IS THIS SUSTAINABLE?
By opening the Allude Cashmere Clinic in Munich, we want to communicate sustainability to consumers as well. We have created a place where everyone can bring their cashmere favourites, no matter which label, by themselves or by post, so that they can be cared for and, if necessary, reprocessed & thus made long-lasting. The Cashmere Clinic offers a complete wellness programme: it cleans, dries, steams, unpills and fills holes. With the Cashmere Clinic we try to work against the disposable mentality in the long run.

IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABILITY, WE MUST ALSO LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF PRODUCTION LOCATION/PRODUCTION CONDITIONS. NOT EVERYTHING THAT IS PRODUCED IN CHINA IS BAD AND CONDEMNABLE IN ITSELF... IN OTHER WORDS: IT IS HIGHLY COMPLICATED ...
YOU PRODUCE IN CHINA.....HOW DO YOU ENSURE FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS? WHY IS IT EVEN AN ADVANTAGE TO PRODUCE IN CHINA?
From the fine sub-hair of the goat to the cuddly soft sweater - in between lies a long process that begins for Allude where the raw material cashmere is extracted and processed: in the People's Republic of China. This is not only where most cashmere goats graze, but also the place where a cashmere industry has developed that makes the country into what it is today: the worldwide leading producer of cashmere raw materials. Of the around 26,000 tons of raw cashmere produced and processed worldwide every year, China accounts for approximately 18,100 tons. This is why China is the world's largest producer of cashmere raw materials.

The fine under-hairs of the cashmere goat are especially high-quality: the thinner and lighter they are, so the quality of the cashmere is better.

Allude has been working with various local production facilities for more than 20 years and from the beginning has made its partners the best companies with the highest technical standards and certified production conditions. A major advantage is the closeness to the starting point of the production process, the cashmere goats.

In additional we are on site 4 times a year and convince ourselves again and again personally of the local conditions. We are also Iso certified.

DO YOU ALSO HAVE PARTS THAT ARE PRODUCTED IN EUROPE?
Allude also produces in Europe, for example in Portugal, Italy, Romania and Germany (Apolda - large knitting centre). Our hand knitted sweater like the exclusive piece from Allude x the wearness was knitted by embroiderers from the Bavarian Forest.

TELL US MORE ABOUT THE SPECIAL PIECE YOU DESIGNED FOR THE WEARNESS?
With the Special Piece in Limited Edition we created a model- knitted by hand from recycled cashmere yarn in the Bavarian Forest.

DO YOU STILL HAVE POINTS ON THE AGENDA WHERE YOU SAY - HERE WE CAN GET BETTER? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE COMING YEAR?
When it comes to ecology and sustainability, we work on certifying our products. For example, many of our yarns are already Ökotex certified and muelesing free.

IS SUSTAINABILITY THE NEW LUXURY?
Luxury is exclusive from the basic idea...and that is particularly what sustainability doesn't need. On the contrary, sustainability needs a wide basis.

HAS YOUR PERSONAL LIFESTYLE CHANGED?
I have always tried not to waste anything and to consume everything consciously. For example, I always ride more by bike than by car.

WHAT ARE YOUR TWO SUSTAINABLE HOTSPOTS (IN MUNICH)?
My home and the English garden are my personal sustainable hotspots in Munich.