Reet Aus

What Reet Aus does

Reet Aus is an Estonian sustainable fashion company founded in 2012 by designer Reet Aus PhD, producing circular fashion garments, accessories, and corporate apparel from recycled and upcycled textiles. Its core technology is the proprietary UPMADE® industrial upcycling certification system, developed with the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Center, which converts the ~18% pre-production textile waste typically discarded after cutting into new UPMADE-certified garments — each Up-shirt saves approximately 200g of new material from becoming waste and emits 92% less CO2 versus a conventional t-shirt on a cradle-to-gate basis. The company supplements upcycling with seamless knitting (zero cut-loss) and partners with TENCEL/Lenzing on REFIBRA™ technology for recycled denim, all meeting ETI, ILO, OEKO-TEX, and Global Recycled Standard requirements.

The business operates across four revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce (reetaus.com, worldwide shipping from Tallinn) and a flagship studio store; B2B corporate custom clothing and merchandise (200+ organizations served, including Pipedrive, Estonian Song & Dance Celebration, Veriff, Tehnopol, PÖFF, Hektor Hotel); UPMADE® licensing and certification royalties from a certified factory network (BEXIMCO Group in Bangladesh, Mirafo SP.J in Poland, Denhaus Tekstil in process); and ancillary services (Trash to Trend repair/upcycling studio, group workshops at €78, and gift cards). Distribution combines owned DTC channels with wholesale partners in Estonia, Japan, and the United States, supported by an event- and content-driven community GTM motion.

Reet Aus is a founder-owned private company with no disclosed institutional capital, headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, with 11-50 employees. Its positioning rests on founder-led scientific authority (Estonian Order of the White Star, German Ecodesign Award 2023, UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network membership), quantitative LCA transparency, and a multi-stakeholder ecosystem spanning certified factories, named material suppliers, retail partners, and long-tenured corporate clients.

Name

Reet Aus

Website

https://reetaus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Reet Aus is an Estonian sustainable fashion company founded in 2012 by Reet Aus PhD that designs circular garments, accessories, and corporate apparel from upcycled production textile waste using its proprietary UPMADE® certification, serving DTC consumers and 200+ corporate clients via e-commerce, a Tallinn studio store, and licensed certified factories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (31525), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320), Women's, Misses', And Juniors Outerwear (2330), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Apparel Alterations, Repair & Circular Manufacturing (Remake/Upcycle) (CRAAAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outerwear & Cold-Weather Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAI), Headwear Manufacturing (Hats/Caps/Beanies) (IMAOAFAA)

Keywords

• Sustainable fashion
• Circular apparel
• Upcycled clothing
• Corporate uniforms
• Eco-friendly textiles

Headquarters

HQ city

Harju

HQ country

Estonia

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Product Sales: Reet Aus generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of apparel and accessories via its e-commerce storefront (reetaus.com). Products include Up-shirts, knitwear, denim, accessories, and home goods sold at unit prices ranging from $30–$464 per item. The company ships worldwide from its Tallinn studio store. Gift cards (€30–€100) are also sold as digital products.
2. Corporate Custom Clothing & Merchandise: B2B revenue stream from designing and producing custom circular corporate shirts, uniforms, and accessories for organisations. Reet Aus has served over 200 organisations including Pipedrive (641 shirts), Estonian Song & Dance Celebration (35,000 shirts), Ajujaht, Tehnopol, and others. Corporate clients receive custom-designed UPMADE-certified garments as part of team apparel and merchandise packages.
3. Workshops & Upcycling Services: Revenue from upcycling workshops (€78.00 per group session) and repair/upcycling services at the Trash to Trend studio. Services include garment repair, redesign, and local upcycling where customers can bring garments for transformation. Also includes self-guided learning content for basic garment repair techniques.
4. UPMADE® Licensing & Certification: Reet Aus licenses its UPMADE® methodology to certified partner factories and brands. Currently certified partners include BEXIMCO Group (Bangladesh), Mirafo SP.J (Poland), with Denhaus Tekstil in certification process. Partners pay for certification and use of the UPMADE® system and brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Reet Aus designs and manufactures ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, and corporate uniforms from upcycled textile waste, with every piece certified under the brand's proprietary UPMADE® industrial upcycling methodology. The company sells directly to consumers through its Tallinn flagship studio-store, online channels, and a network of multi-brand retailers in Estonia, Japan, and the US, while running a parallel B2B program that supplies sustainable corporate wear and licenses the UPMADE® system to partner manufacturers in Bangladesh, Poland, and Latvia.

Product overview

Reet Aus is a sustainable fashion brand founded by PhD designer Reet Aus, operating since 2012 with a science-based circular fashion model. The company produces clothing through industrial upcycling of pre-production leftover fabrics, using the proprietary UPMADE® certification methodology developed with Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Center. The core product line centers on the Up-Shirt collection (available in Classic, Basic, and Limited Edition variants) supplemented by seamless knitwear, denim products, and complete gender-specific collections for women, men, and kids. The company offers accessories, home products, and gift cards, alongside B2B corporate clothing and merchandise services. The Trash to Trend repair and upcycling studio provides circular economy services including garment repair, local upcycling, and workshops. Each garment carries UPMADE certification, with environmental savings of approximately 75% water, 88% energy, and 80% less CO2 compared to conventional production. The company also licenses its UPMADE methodology to certified partners including BEXIMCO Group and Mirafo SP.J.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UPMADE®: Industrial upcycling certification system developed by Reet Aus PhD that enables brands and manufacturers to apply upcycling methods and obtain certification for circular production.

Products and services

• Reet Aus Womenswear Collection Ready-to-wear womenswear line designed by Reet Aus and produced from UPMADE®-certified upcycled textile waste; sold to end consumers through the Tallinn studio-store, brand e-commerce, and curated multi-brand retailers in Estonia, Japan, and the US.
• Reet Aus Menswear Collection Ready-to-wear menswear line designed by Reet Aus and produced from UPMADE®-certified upcycled textile waste; sold to end consumers through the Tallinn studio-store, brand e-commerce, and curated multi-brand retailers in Estonia, Japan, and the US.
• Corporate Uniforms & Branded Merchandise Bespoke corporate apparel, workwear, and branded merchandise produced from upcycled textiles with UPMADE® certification and per-garment impact data; sold directly to companies seeking credible sustainable alternatives to standard corporate wear.
• UPMADE® Industrial Upcycling Methodology (Licensing) Reet Aus's proprietary industrial upcycling methodology, licensed to partner manufacturers so they can produce UPMADE®-certified upcycled garments outside the brand's own collections, extending the certification system across the supply chain.

Quantifiable outcome

• Each UPMADE garment saves on average 75% water, 88% energy, and produces 80% less CO2 compared to conventional production
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BEXIMCO GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022BEXIMCO Group is a UPMADE® certified production partner (certification number: UP-2022-001-03, valid until 01.05.2026) operating in Bangladesh. The factory produces Reet Aus garments using leftover materials from mass production. BEXIMCO also collaborated on REFIBRA™ technology for recycled denim products. The partnership enables industrial-scale upcycling production for both Reet Aus and other brands certified under the UPMADE® system.
• Mirafo SP.JcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Mirafo SP.J is a UPMADE® certified partner in Poland (certification number: UP-2021-005-01, valid until 01.01.2025). The factory produces Reet Aus garments including Up-shirt Classics and other products using leftover materials. Mirafo represents the European production node of the UPMADE® certified factory network.
• Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UPMADE® methodology was developed by Reet Aus PhD in cooperation with the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Center. This scientific partnership provided the research foundation and validation for the industrial upcycling certification system, ensuring the methodology meets far-reaching aspirations in upcycling with solid field research and thorough scientific analysis.
• Ferre YarnscoreTechnology or IntegrationFerre Yarns is a Spanish yarn supplier providing recycled yarn for seamless knitwear production. The yarn has Global Recycled Standard and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifications, ensuring the sustainable and safe origin of materials used in Reet Aus knitwear products.
• Viola-Stils SIAcoreTechnology or IntegrationViola-Stils SIA is a Latvian factory responsible for knitting Reet Aus seamless knitwear. This production facility employs seamless knitting technology that eliminates cut-loss waste, enabling the production of zero-waste knitwear garments.
• TENCEL™ / Lenzing AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationTENCEL™ Lyocell fibers with REFIBRA™ technology (produced by Lenzing AG) are used in Reet Aus recycled denim products. REFIBRA™ technology gives second life to pre-consumer cotton waste from garment manufacturing, which is pulped and mixed with wood pulp to create new cellulosic material. TENCEL Lyocell with REFIBRA uses 95% less water than conventional cotton and is fully compostable and biodegradable.
• PÖFF (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPÖFF has partnered with Reet Aus for three consecutive years on a local upcycling project that transforms old festival banners and promotional materials into bags and merchandise. Sandra Sarv from PÖFF described witnessing the creation process as transformative. A mini-documentary about the collaboration is in production. This partnership exemplifies circular design applied to event waste streams.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eileen Fisher: Pioneering circular fashion brand operating the Renew take-back and resale programme. Directly comparable to Reet Aus in commitment to circularity, in-house remanufacturing of pre-consumer/used garments, and a design-led women's apparel assortment targeting ESG-conscious consumers.
• Nudie Jeans: Swedish sustainable denim brand offering free lifetime repairs and a circular take-back programme. Comparable to Reet Aus on circular services (Trash to Trend repair studio) and a design-forward Northern European positioning.
• Mud Jeans: Dutch circular denim brand with a lease-to-recycle model for post-consumer denim. Highly comparable to Reet Aus's upcycled denim line and REFIBRA™ denim story, both targeting closed-loop denim production.
• Armedangels: German sustainable fashion brand producing GOTS-certified and circular apparel. Comparable to Reet Aus on European-market D2C sustainable apparel positioning and on operating in the German-speaking ESG-conscious consumer segment.
• Stella McCartney: Luxury sustainable fashion brand known for circular material innovation and verified impact disclosures. Directly comparable to Reet Aus on transparent LCA storytelling and use of next-gen recycled fibres like REFIBRA™/TENCEL™.
• Dedicated: Swedish sustainable apparel brand using GOTS-certified organic cotton and recycled materials with strong B2B corporate merch offering. Comparable to Reet Aus on Northern-European sustainable brand positioning and parallel B2B corporate apparel GTM.
• EcoAlf: Spanish sustainable apparel brand producing garments from recycled materials (plastic bottles, fishing nets, cotton waste). Closely comparable to Reet Aus on upcycling/recycled inputs, B2C + B2B distribution, and verified environmental impact claims.
• Elvis & Kresse: British luxury accessories brand that upcycles decommissioned fire hoses and other industrial waste into bags and accessories. Directly comparable to Reet Aus's industrial-upcycling methodology, branded certification mark, and premium positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Largest scaled sustainable apparel incumbent with Worn Wear repair/resale and recycled-material product lines. Reet Aus competes for the same ESG-driven corporate apparel and conscious-consumer wallet but at a much smaller scale and broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Tonlé: Zero-waste fashion brand that upcycles factory remnant fabrics into apparel. Comparable to Reet Aus on the pre-production textile-waste sourcing model, though operating at smaller scale and primarily in the US/SE Asia market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@reetauscollection
• Facebookfacebook.com/reetaus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reet-aus
• Instagraminstagram.com/reetaus

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reet Aus