For nine years now, the TreeShirt. What began as a simple T-shirt has now become a symbol of our values, our attitude and our aspirations. But we want more than just a good product. We want to create a statement that combines quality, sustainability and responsibility. Come with us on a journey through time and find out what changes the TreeShirt gone through and what we have learned along the way.
2017 - The beginning with the very first TreeShirt
The original TreeShirt was not the very first NIKIN- that honor goes to the Treeanie - but it was the second. With little experience, but all the more ambition, we wanted to develop our own shirt right from the start. But it soon became clear that making a T-shirt is more complex than we thought. Material selection, cut, collar width, sleeve length, logo placement and size grading - behind every detail there are decisions, discussions and lots of learning by doing.
The first TreeShirt came onto the market in 2017. At that time, it was still produced in Asia from conventional cotton with polyester content. Today, our basic TreeShirts are all made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton and are produced fairly in Europe. We'll explain why this change was so decisive in a moment. Back then, the focus was on the Tree. But feedback from the community quickly made it clear: if we really want to give something back to nature, it's not enough to just plant trees. Our products must also live up to this claim. This was the beginning of an intensive journey full of development, responsibility and progress.
2018-2019 - Production in Europe, new cuts, organic materials
The second version of our TreeShirt was an important step forward in 2018. For the first time, it was produced in Europe. We also developed our own women's cut to better accommodate different body shapes. Although the shirt initially still contained polyester, we started switching to organic cotton and recycled polyester in the same year. At the same time, we worked intensively on the fit. Together with a local pattern maker, we implemented the feedback from the community and significantly improved the cut.
Our first visit to the producer in Istanbul was a special moment. We were finally able to see with our own eyes how our products are made. We also wanted to give our community this insight. We documented the visit, shared the footage online and opened up the view behind our supply chain for the first time. This marked the beginning of a new phase of transparency for us.
By the way: If you would like to accompany us on further manufacturer visits across Europe, you can view our playlist. In Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia and Portugal, you can see where and how our products are made.
The biggest milestone to date followed a year later: we were GOTS-certified in 2019. This made our first TreeShirt with the internationally recognized sustainability standard a reality. GOTS certification includes ecological and social criteria and places high demands on all parties involved. Since then, we have been re-certified every year. We are particularly proud of this, because it shows that our claim to responsibility is not a snapshot, but a permanent promise.
2020-2022 - Quality, fits and new materials
From 2020, we were able to significantly enhance our product development thanks to a growing and more experienced team. We introduced a standardized sizing system, developed new fits and established quality controls for better reliability.
The new fits created more choice: Regular for a normal, close fit, Relaxed for those who like it a little looser. Today, our sizes are coordinated across all products. Once you know your size, you can rely on it - regardless of the product. This makes selection easier, the ordering process more efficient and reduces returns. A clear step forward, also in terms of sustainability.
We also took a big step forward in terms of materials. During this period, we completely removed recycled polyester from the material mix of our TreeShirts and have since been relying exclusively on 100% organic cotton. The only exception was the popular melange colors, as the characteristic effect could previously only be achieved with polyester fibers. But we wanted to find a better solution for this too.
After a long search, we came across a yarn manufacturer that developed mottled yarn made from 100% organic cotton. Different colored, pre-dyed fibers are mixed and processed into yarn. This solution not only made it possible to do without polyester, but also solved another problem: pilling. The short polyester fibers often led to lint formation during washing. With the new yarn, we were also able to eliminate this quality problem.
Today - EVOLVE & 100% transparency
And that brings us to the present: today's TreeShirt represents the result of years of work, countless optimizations and valuable feedback from the community. And we can proudly say that it combines the highest quality, noticeable durability, sustainable materials, fair production in Europe and a reliable fit. What's more, it is still made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton and now always comes prewashed to prevent shrinkage and fluffing during washing. And thanks to the partnership with retraced, you can transparently trace where the cotton comes from, how and where the shirt was made and the people behind the production - right down to the packaging.
To celebrate all these development steps and milestones, we have created a limited edition collection. The EVOLVE TreeShirt symbolizes our journey and our ambition to constantly rethink fashion. It brings together everything we have improved over the last few years. Each shirt comes with a tonal tree embroidery, a subtle print on the hem and a QR code that allows you to view the entire supply chain.
EVOLVE is more than just a shirt. It is our promise to you, to nature and to the future. Discover the limited EVOLVE edition now and help us to make our products even better - step by step, shirt by shirt.
