Oftentimes, when we think of sustainability, we picture processes that are modern and high-tech. However, how can sustainability and tradition coexist? Some answers can be found within the Baltic country of Lithuania. Home to Vinted, the secondhand retail platform that gained such popularity that it became the #1 fashion retailer in France in 2025 (beating Zara, Shein, and Amazon), environmental awareness isn’t new to this country’s fashion industry. In fact, natural materials such as flax have been vital crops for Lithuanian folklore and crafts for thousands of years, with linen weaving playing a central role in Lithuanian culture.
To this day, Lithuanians often opt for artisanally crafted clothing made of natural materials, with the nation’s streets frequently filled with markets featuring handmade goods and authentic craft stores. Linen and other natural fibers continue to be integral, both symbolically and in everyday life, where they are valued for their simultaneous practicality, comfort, beauty, and quality.
As time goes on, numerous Lithuanian brands have emerged that seamlessly blend the latest fashion aesthetics with elements of Lithuanian heritage as well as values of sustainability. To learn more about what kinds of beliefs, environmental practices, and inspirations they hold, I interviewed three such brands: Not Perfect Linen, The Knotty Ones, and Son de Flor.
1. Not Perfect Linen (@notperfectlinen)
Not Perfect Linen has been mastering linen fiber for over a decade to deliver the highest-quality garments, crafted by a single master from start to finish. Having opened their studio in 2014 for the most talented local female artisans, NPL has been honoring handcrafting ever since.
For this company, sustainability is not just a trend but a holistic philosophy that acts as a guiding thread in everything they do. Rooted in the idea of slow fashion, the brand aims to create long-lasting, timeless garments while embracing the imperfections of natural materials and valuing authenticity over perfection. NPL prioritizes thoughtful, human craftsmanship over mass production, encouraging a shared responsibility between producer, consumer, and the planet. A representative of the brand stated, “We bring this philosophy to life through the choices we make every day. We work with OEKO-TEX certified European linen, a durable and biodegradable material, and keep our production local and in-house to ensure transparency and reduce our environmental impact.” Moreover, NPL creates items made to order, avoiding overproduction, and, when possible, reuses leftover fabrics. Even in their packaging, the brand uses recyclable materials, balancing environmental responsibility with ethical practices.
The brand’s values go beyond purely environmental consciousness to a broader respect for linen as a material with all of its natural texture, character, and irregularities, as well as for its team and the consumer. As put by the brand, “We don’t take shortcuts, and we stay true to what we believe in. We cherish our close, respectful, and supportive relationship with every team member, and we are always doing our best to ensure them fair pay and the best working conditions.”
Lithuanian culture is a natural part of what Not Perfect Linen is as a brand, with linen’s deep roots in the country encouraging a long-standing respect for craftsmanship, fiber, and creating things that last. While the brand doesn’t attempt to recreate tradition, it carries its values forward in a quieter, more contemporary way.
Not Perfect Linen’s designs are created with durability at their center. The brand shared, “During our durability tests, we noticed something interesting: linen fabrics with small, dense floral patterns performed better than plain linen fabric. This does not mean our plain linen is any less durable. Its unmatched quality and strength are more than enough to endure for decades. Yet floral linens hold their shape even longer, show less fatigue, and age more evenly, becoming part of the story that will be told for decades.” For this reason, NPL sought to feature these patterns in their latest collection to create garments that can be passed down among daughters and sisters.
When asked about what kind of advice they would give to someone passionate about the fashion industry, the brand responded, “Take your time. Fashion can feel fast from the outside, but meaningful work takes longer. Try to understand materials, processes, and what goes into making something well. Stay close to what feels true to you, rather than what seems to work for others.”
2. The Knotty Ones (@theknottyones)
The Knotty Ones, a conscious luxury knitwear brand founded by three grad school friends who met in 2011, seeks to celebrate the art of heritage craftsmanship through modern design. In the words of the brand, “Born out of nature, pagan Lithuanian roots, and heritage knitting craft, every garment tells a unique story woven by the hands of female artisans.”
The Knotty Ones is a close-knit sisterhood, and that is not just a play on words — working with over 70 talented female artisans across Lithuania, the brand empowers them to take control of their financial futures, offering flexible jobs to women in smaller towns across Lithuania while showcasing their master skills. The company reflects these values on every level, from female leadership to the community of artisans and a loyal customer base obsessed with the high-craftsmanship products and the emotions they radiate. The Knotty Ones embraces their passion for exceptional design and the power of community, celebrating the artistry inherent in every piece. As a testament to the value of their team, the brand hosts a “Give Some, Get Some” initiative every Black Friday, raising funds to make their artisans’ dreams come true, which can be explored in depth on their website. Moreover, with every piece purchased, the name of the knitter who created the piece is visible, forming an especially personal touch.
Not only that, but the brand acknowledges the value of sustainability, creating pieces that are zero-plastic and 100% biodegradable and using only natural yarns and high-quality natural fabrics like Merino wool, cotton, or linen for their pieces. All information regarding the specific fibers used and their certifications and standards is transparently listed on their website. The brand adopts an individual-piece approach rather than collections and aims for pre-orders to avoid deadstock. The Knotty Ones avoids plastic at every step of production, from packaging made from cornstarch that is entirely recycled and recyclable, to buttons, which are made from Northern South American Corozo seeds, for which the brand waits to drop naturally.
Discussing the sources of inspiration for their garments, the brand responded that, “Most of our inspiration comes from our surroundings: the crashing waves of the Baltic Sea, the dark, inky skies of our winter nights, the long blades of grass and colorful, blooming flowers in meadows throughout the country. If we spent days and weeks exploring it as kids in Lithuania, it’s likely we’ve woven it into a knit design.” The brand seeks to translate the wild-spirited and free energy of growing up in Baltic nature into clothing.
However, The Knotty Ones also likes to mix the new and the old by incorporating beloved elements of free-spirited pagan mythology, which has been celebrated in the region for centuries. All of the knits created by the brand are founded on the tradition of functional design, “while being stylish enough that there’s a good chance you might accidentally match with your closest friends.”
3. Son de Flor (@sondeflor)
Son de Flor is a brand born out of a longing to create something that lasts, which is put into practice through the creation of timeless garments that are “meant to be worn again and again, across seasons, across years, becoming part of a woman’s life rather than a passing trend.” Having started as a small, women-led team, they desired to challenge fast fashion — create less, but better, produce locally and with care, and build a brand where beauty, purpose, and respect for people and nature are one and the same. Son de Flor is not just about clothing — it is about how they choose to live.
Sustainability runs through the structural hierarchy of the brand, from the founders’ and leaders’ consciousness, to the strategy, company values, and care for the team, partners, and customers, as well as the planet. Son de Flor proudly works with one of the friendliest fabrics — linen — for its durability, ease of care, natural beauty, and biodegradability. Committed to using 100% linen, the brand also ensures that all trims used for the garments are certified. When natural options are hard to find, as with zippers and buttons, Son de Flor chooses recycled and certified materials with a transparent background when possible. The brand aims to produce locally while acting globally — with linen and dress production, as well as an office based in Lithuania, allowing the maintenance of a low production and logistical footprint while still supporting local craftsmanship and community. The company does not underestimate the importance of customer relationships in its approach, aiming to educate, encourage, and support clients in their purchases and in wearing garments creatively, so that each piece can live a long and meaningful life.
The brand’s choice of linen also reflects Lithuania’s deeply agricultural traditions. The brand’s co-founder and creative soul, Vaida, says, “there is something quietly alive within us — a closeness to the earth, a sensitivity to trees, to seasons, to the unseen rhythm of nature.” Lithuania is home to exceptional linen producers, with craftsmanship passed through generations, which has built a respect for the material, the process, and time itself.
In 1918, Lithuania became one of the first countries to grant women the right to vote. This legacy of strength, voice, and presence is felt deeply at Son de Flor. As a female-led team of around 20 women collaborating with respect and connection, there is a natural sense of empowerment — because for this brand, sustainability isn’t only about materials, it is also about people. They believe every pair of hands deserves to be treated with dignity — morally, emotionally, and financially.
At the core of the brand are human values of respect, consciousness, and connection. The brand aims to build relationships, tell stories, and invite women to slow down and buy with intention. The brand seeks to remind people that less can be enough, even more than enough. They want to create “pieces that women return to, that become part of their lives, their memories, their everyday rituals.” According to Vaiva, “If a woman puts on our dress and feels more herself, more grounded, more at ease — then we know we are on the right path.”
The brand’s designs are inspired by nature — “seasons changing, from the way linen moves in the wind, from the feeling of sunlight on the skin.” Growing up in Lithuania, the connection with nature never really leaves. Son de Flor is also deeply inspired by women — their stories, strength, and softness. A kind of strength that endures, creates, and holds. Finally, there is time — the brand is inspired by pieces that do not belong to one moment, but to many. “Old photographs, vintage silhouettes, garments that could exist yesterday, today, or years from now.” In a way, they don’t try to invent something new, but rather remember what already feels true, and give it a shape that can be worn.
Finally, regarding advice for those interested in the fashion industry, Vaida responded, “Start by getting really honest about why you love fashion, because the industry is not just beauty, it’s discipline, repetition, and long stretches of unseen work; when your “why” is clear, it becomes your anchor.
Train your eye as much as your hands: study silhouettes, fabrics, history, and how people actually live in clothes, because great fashion is always a conversation between aesthetics and real life.
Don’t wait for permission — create, style, write, photograph, build something small but consistent, because momentum matters more than perfection, and the industry notices those who show up repeatedly.
And finally, protect your voice; trends will come and go, but what truly lasts (and what the industry is quietly searching for) is a point of view that feels unmistakably yours.”
In an incredibly fast-paced world, it is crucial to take a step back and slow down while also staying true to one’s roots and heritage. These values are embodied wholeheartedly by brands like Son de Flor, The Knotty Ones, and Not Perfect Linen, and they serve as a beautiful example of how craftsmanship and tradition can be blended authentically with the highest standards of community, ethics, and sustainability. Returning to the aforementioned question of how to combine sustainability and tradition, sustainability doesn’t have to be about inventing something new; these brands show that it can arise from revisiting long-existing processes that were in place before the industry sped up to accommodate fast fashion and mass production. In a way, through these examples, we can see that we may not even need to combine sustainability with tradition, because oftentimes tradition is the definition of sustainable. New isn’t always better, and sometimes simply going back to our roots can give us all the answers we need.
From both a producer and consumer standpoint, even our smallest actions shape who we are, which is why it is so important to make choices — even seemingly inconsequential online shopping ones — that reflect who we want to be. Because isn’t luxury all about having a choice? Whether it be a choice to be sustainable, a choice to support initiatives you believe in, a choice that reflects your cultural roots, a choice to be comfortable in the highest-quality materials, or a choice to slow down, luxury is the ability to dress in what you believe in and have your clothes reflect who you are. So, for those who want to splurge on a little luxury, why not splurge on something luxurious for the planet, that also brings someone somewhere a little closer to their dream?
By Nastassia Tsialpuk
