Our approach begins with design, material choice, long-term production partnerships and an emphasis on quality and durability. We primarily work with natural fibres, selected with consideration for their origin, properties and the processes involved in their cultivation and production. We create pieces intended to be cared for, repaired and worn for a long time.

Our approach is founded on six key principles, which guide our decisions across the business.

Rooted in a materials-first philosophy, aiayu creates timeless wardrobe essentials and homeware designed beyond seasonal trends. Each piece is thoughtfully made by skilled artisans, with close attention to the fibres and their origins.

aiayu works with natural fibres and nature’s own colour palette, with an emphasis on undyed materials. Each aiayu piece is thoughtfully crafted from carefully selected fibres chosen for their distinctive character, feel and performance,  

An aiayu piece is more than a garment; it carries a story. It reflects a considered relationship between craft and material, brought to life through skilled craftsmanship and made to be cherished. Trusting in these materials, we let their inherent qualities inspire our designs.

Natural materials are at the heart of aiayu. We focus on high-quality pieces made predominantly from natural fibres, complemented by carefully considered recycled materials where they offer a meaningful alternative. The materials we use are sourced from both animal and plant origin, adding a diverse range of distinct textures, warmth, and durability in our products, creating pieces that feel as exquisite as they perform. Our preferred materials range from llama-, sartuul-, yak-, highland and merino wool to cashmere, organic cotton, linen and silk.

Where possible, we source fibres close to their place of origin and work with producers who hold specialist knowledge of the materials they grow, raise, and process. Material composition is considered from the beginning of the design process, and where possible, our styles are made from pure, unblended, mono-materials, creating better recyclability options that enable fibre-to-fibre recycling. In line with this, aiayu prioritises including pure, undyed fibres as part of our collections, showing them in their raw, natural hues and colour palette, and allowing the fibres to guide our design decisions from the beginning.

For wool, cotton, and silk, we also work with recycled fabrics and yarns, including recycled silk and recycled cotton, allowing existing fibres to become part of new garments. For certain raw fibres, we spin the yarns with recycled synthetic materials to reinforce durability while keeping the finished garments light and comfortable to wear.

Long-term relationships with our production partners are central to the way we work. We collaborate closely with specialised manufacturers and skilled artisans, building partnerships based on continuity, close dialogue and mutual respect.

Many of these relationships extend over several years: nearly half of our production partnerships date back more than 12 years, while some of our longest-standing partnerships date back to aiayu’s beginnings in 2005. In Bolivia, for example, we have worked with the same partner for more than 20 years, collaborating closely on sourcing, processing and knitting of our llama wool pieces.

We believe that maintaining close, long-term partnerships gives us a deeper understanding of how and where our pieces are made, while allowing knowledge and expertise to develop over time. We work closely with our production partners to map and understand working conditions across our supply chain, and we are continuously working to strengthen this understanding as part of our long-term partnerships.

Craftsmanship is an integral part of aiayu and in the communities where many of our pieces are made, where local artisans preserve traditions and traditional skills are celebrated, nurtured, and passed down through generations - from hand-knitting in Bolivia and handloom weaving in Nepal to fine tailoring in Southern Europe, and specialised, technical outerwear in Eastern Europe.  We honour the knowledge, skill, and dedication that make each piece unique. 

Some of these relationships date back to our beginning in 2005, allowing us to continue working with specialist techniques and local material knowledge over time. 

Our designs evolve around these traditional skills, bringing craftsmanship into contemporary pieces to help sustain demand for specialist artisans while honouring the unique character, cultural heritage, and sense of place and origin inherent in each material and technique. 

We design with durability in mind – focusing on quality, natural materials and pieces intended to remain part of a wardrobe for years. With only two collections released each year, we work with longer development and production timelines, allowing time and attention to material selection, pattern making and fitting, sewing and finishing.

Material and fit choices are considered with continued wear in mind. Before a collection launches, products go through internal wear testing across design and quality teams, alongside independent third-party testing to verify technical performance and durability.

To support the continued use of our pieces, we offer a repair service to extend the lifespan of our products, including mending seams and holes, replacing buttons, restoring fabric surfaces and adding decorative mended patches. We also provide care guidance and have created an aiayu repair kit with essential tools, threads, patches and buttons, encouraging simple mending and repairs at home – and inviting customers to cherish signs of wear as a unique hallmark of their pieces.

Our approach to design favours simple, enduring silhouettes over rapidly changing trends, using durable materials to maintain long-term value, so that the pieces can be worn, cared for and repaired over time.

Repair service
Repair kit

At aiayu, we work with two third-party certifications that apply to selected products and materials. Read more about each certification and its requirements below.

Products carrying the GOTS certification contain certified organically grown natural fibres and meet environmental and social criteria set by the Global Organic Textile Standard throughout the textile supply chain – from fibre processing to manufacturing, packaging and labelling.

GOTS-certified products contain a minimum of 70% certified organic natural fibres, grown according to recognised organic farming standards. Throughout textile production, GOTS also sets requirements for chemical inputs, wastewater treatment and environmental management.

The standard includes human rights and social criteria covering areas such as working conditions, child and forced labour, non-discrimination and employment practices. Certification also provides traceability throughout the certified textile supply chain.

You can see whether an aiayu piece is GOTS-certified under Material, care and certificates on the product page or on the garment’s care label.

For products carrying the RWS certification, the Responsible Wool Standard verifies wool from certified farms against requirements for animal welfare and land management. The standard also provides chain-of-custody requirements to trace certified wool through the supply chain.

Products certified to the Responsible Wool Standard contain wool from farms, verifies wool animal welfare and land management requirements and tracks it from farm to final product through the supply chain. 

You can see whether an aiayu piece is RWS-certified under Material, care and certificates on the product page or on the garment’s care label.