The idea behind the FAB Talks is to combine refreshing fashion talks in an inspiring environment with business networking in an innovative way, in order to stimulate exciting discussions on the topic of fashion and have open questions answered by experts. The vision is to build an interdisciplinary network and, in the long term, to initiate and implement projects together.

On May 15, 2017, the FAB Talks went into the next round, heading to Hamburg for the first time. In the impressive rooms of the Sturmfreie Bude with a view over the city's rooftops, ABURY and AEG joined forces once again to talk about the care of garments and, in this context, to introduce AEG's Care Label Project in a new city.

The “ART” aspect of the FAB Talks took the form of music this time. Singer Torben Tietz played unplugged after skillfully taking a seat on an AEG washing machine with his guitar, and set the mood with some of his own songs. Afterward, the guests were welcomed by Andrea Bury, CEO of ABURY, and Elisabeth Lokai-Fels, press spokesperson for AEG, who introduced both the Care Label Project and the connection between AEG and ABURY.

The Care Label Project was launched to draw attention to the dramatic effects of outdated care rituals. 90% of garments are disposed of too early, a garment is worn an average of only 7 times, and 50% of a garment's ecological footprint is the responsibility of the consumer. Care labels are outdated and not adapted to new technologies, and many people find traditional labels confusing. That is why AEG introduced the “Don’t Overwash” label, which updates old care habits in three categories: the frequency of washing, washing at high temperatures, and the strain of dry cleaning.

To revolutionize laundry care, AEG teamed up with 14 young brands that tested the “Care Label.” Two of them are ABURY and Tim Labenda, who was to give the first lecture of the evening, followed by Stefan Franke from Woolmark, Gerald Lauber from Hessnatur, and Heike Pinckvoss from AEG.

Summary of the key content from the lectures

1.TIM LABENDA, DESIGNER

Tim Labenda is a brand that stands for natural materials and high quality. For this reason, you have to take care of Tim Labenda's garments, and many people assume that you cannot simply “toss these items into the machine.” Through the collaboration with AEG, however, Tim Labenda was convinced of the opposite.

As a designer of a high-quality clothing brand, Tim Labenda has the requirement that his garments maintain their good quality for a long time. Proper care is very important for this, and that is also the reason why Tim Labenda is part of the Care Label Project. Many people have the false assumption that a high price is justified by high durability. But that is, of course, not always the case. Especially with expensive clothing made of sensitive materials like wool or silk, you have to be careful. Once the customer knows how these materials are structured and how to care for them properly – for example, that there is a wool wash program that washes better than hand washing – this only has advantages for the manufacturer as well: customers are less skeptical about wearing and buying materials that seem complicated, and they break away from outdated care habits passed down to them by their parents or grandparents.

2. STEFAN FRANKE, WOOLMARK COMPANY

The Woolmark Company is a specialist in all things wool, even though they do not supply materials themselves. Rather, it is a service provider that promotes wool worldwide. Behind it are Australian sheep farmers who produce high-quality Merino wool. Woolmark has introduced a label, the “Woolmark” of the same name, which is distinguished by a quality certification program. This trademark is intended above all to eliminate anxieties for the end consumer. A product – which does not necessarily have to consist of wool but can also be responsible for the care of wool – is awarded the label if it consistently provides good quality and does not damage the fiber. AEG's washing machines and dryers, for example, all carry the Woolmark.

It is important that the end consumer always has better technologies available for proper care. And yet, the consumer has the responsibility to protect their wool products. To emphasize this, Stefan Franke showed us a pair of trousers where both legs were made with different wool. Since in many cases wool should be washed in a special hand-wash program, one pant leg came out of the machine completely felted. An important point with which Stefan Franke concluded his lecture was that one can do a lot wrong with hand washing. A hand-wash program on a machine is usually more gentle.

3. GERALD LAUBER, HESSNATUR

After Tim Labenda described his perspective on the topic of care as a designer, we also got an impression from Gerald Lauber, who spoke on behalf of the large company Hessnatur and explained to us some of his pearls of wisdom on the subject of care. Hessnatur stands for fairly and toxin-free produced garments from cultivation to manufacture.

According to Gerald Lauber, care begins with the purchase of a garment and the choice of the appropriate occasion. Some materials are more sensitive than others, so you must of course expect that a cashmere sweater will suffer more quickly if you wear it in the office every day than a cotton sweater. Equally important is the proper way of putting on and taking off your favorite pieces. You should handle the clothing carefully and, for example, not throw it in a crumpled pile.

Often, especially with wool products or other more sensitive materials, it is sufficient not to wash them directly, but to air them out first. This can be done, for example, in the steam in the bathroom while you are showering. Since wool consists of protein fibers, odors regenerate quickly. If small knots (so-called pilling) occur after wearing wool due to friction, these can be treated with wool combs or wool shavers. You also don't need to wash jeans often. If you are unsure about the development of bacteria, you can simply keep the jeans in a bag in the freezer overnight: this kills the bacteria.

Stains should ideally be treated spot-wise. Gerald Lauber recommends the careful application of vegan citrus stain soap or Panama bark extract. Gall soap should only be used on white items, as it can attack the color. When washing, similar colors should be washed together, at low temperatures, and with low-dosed detergent.

After washing, you can stretch garments back into shape while damp, as they are more resilient. This way, you can also get a pair of pants that have become a bit too short back to the right length. If that doesn't help, you can steam iron them. To avoid a cotton sweater shrinking, you can soak it in cold water overnight before washing – this prevents it from shrinking during the wash.

4. HEIKE PINCKVOSS, AEG

Heike Pinckvoss is a product expert and trainer at AEG and, at the conclusion of the FAB Talks, gave us an insight into the technological developments in the manufacturers' care appliances over the last few years. The manufacturers' goal is also to respond to the fact that washing myths and care labels are outdated. This includes, for example, the view that better cleaning takes place at high temperatures, or that you have to wash at 60 degrees just because it says so on the label. During Heike Pinckvoss’ lecture, it quickly became clear that these habits should change.

Washing laundry is an interplay of the most varied components, which is also referred to as the “Sinner's Circle.” This includes, among other things, the mechanics of the machine, the chemistry (detergent), the temperature, the length of the wash cycle, the water hardness, and the aspect of energy saving. Some of these components can be influenced by the manufacturers. Heike Pinkvoss addressed some of them directly.
AEG has responded to the demand for energy efficiency by introducing ÖKOMix technology. This means that detergent is dissolved before it reaches the drum and the laundry. Thus, it is active immediately and is not applied spot-wise. You can also wash at a lower temperature, which in turn saves energy. Colors are also better preserved and fibers are not attacked. Through a refresh program, which works solely with steam, energy is also saved and sensitive products regain their former freshness after being worn.

Another feature of the appliances is the SoftWater technology, which ensures that water is pre-softened before it enters the machines. Hardness deposits in the water make colors look gray, which is why soft water has a better effect on dirt removal. Through the SoftWater technology, less detergent and lower temperatures can be used. The AEG washing machine is the first machine worldwide to have this function.

Heike Pinkvoss concluded her lecture with the verdict that today – after 50 years – the Care Label must be revised through the cooperation of everyone, as technology continues to evolve.

We would like to thank our great partner Dr. Hauschka for their support, as well as Sturmfreie Bude for this unique location!
UNTIL NEXT TIME!