Manufacture of knitwear — from wool to knitwear

Where do Toive's knitwear come from? Who makes them and how? In this article, you can take a peek at the journey of our responsible knitwear – from high-quality merino wool to the finished product.

Knitwear production at the Garlita factory

Toive's knitwear is manufactured in the Garlita factory in Kaunas, Lithuania. Garlita is an experienced family business with over 50 years of experience and solid expertise in responsible textile production. Our collaboration with Garlita began when we wanted to expand our range to include high-quality knitwear that is ethically and sustainably produced in Europe.

Garlita employs around 200 professionals. Every stage of production – from design to finishing – is carried out with care and to the highest quality standards. Sustainability is at the heart of Garlita’s operations. In the factory yard, the first thing that caught our attention was the roof of the factory covered in solar panels. Garlita uses 100% renewable energy sources for its electricity.

High-quality wool from responsible producers

The wool used in our knitwear comes from an Italian producer and Chilean sheep. The wool is delivered to the Garlita factory in Lithuania, where it is spun into yarn. All the yarns we use are carefully selected, high quality and responsibly produced. The wool used in our knitwear is mulesing-free merino wool.

Product design – customers involved in ideation

• The journey of knitwear from idea to product begins with the design of the product and the selection of colors according to your wishes. We regularly conduct surveys about future products and constantly take your wishes into account. Based on these, ideas for new products are created.
• Once the knitwear is designed, the design is sent to the factory. At the factory, the measurements and details of the knitwear are entered into the machine, after which the knitting machine knits the parts of the knitwear into its shape. Knitting to shape as a manufacturing method allows for very little waste in the manufacture of knitwear, as there is virtually no cutting waste.

• The parts are then washed and steamed. The knitted parts are linked together, which requires a lot of skilled and careful craftsmanship. The products are finished by adding brand and price tags.
• The products go through a quality inspection, where they are inspected and screened one by one. If the product does not meet the quality requirements and is found to be second-rate, it is broken down into yarn, after which the yarn is reused. Finally, the knitwear is packaged and sent to our warehouse, where it can be sold and put to use!

Sustainable quality – in line with our values

It is wonderful to collaborate with the Garlita factory, which shares the same core values ​​as us: high quality, responsibility and an excellent work community. Based on these principles, knitwear is created that is a pleasure to wear – and whose origin you can be proud of.