Saturday the 11th of March, I was invited to the launch of COSH! conscious shopping route through the Dutch city of Rotterdam.
What is COSH!?
Before I discuss the event and the stores I visited I will introduce you to COSH!.
COSH! is an initiative that was created in 2018 by entrepreneur Niki de Schryver. She developed the online platform to help consumers in their search for sustainable and ethical clothes. COSH! helps consumers make better, more conscious clothes on where to shop.
The platform assesses the supply chain of different brands and looks at whether they are greenwashing or not. Every supply chain and brand is assessed based on 265 aspects in 7 categories: working conditions, ecological materials, circular economy, short chain, animal friendliness, transparency, and the ‘slow fashion’ business model. The assessments of the brands can be found on www.cosh.eco.
COSH! is continuously growing and it recently merged with the Catalan platform Ethical Time. Since the beginning, the platform has received multiple subsidies and prizes. And not without reason. The platform covers around 80 percent of the Belgium sustainable fashion market and is also making its way into the Dutch and Spanish markets.
My day with COSH!
The launch of the platform took place at a very interesting location called BlueCity
BlueCity is an old, abandoned swimming pool in the center of Rotterdam. This old pool has been transformed into a circular hub where sustainable, circular, and conscious entrepreneurs can work together and create circular products. For example, one of the organizations that is located in BlueCity is “rotterzwam”. This is a company that grows mushrooms from the byproducts of coffee in order to reduce waste.
As you can see this location fitted the launch perfectly.
When everyone arrived we first had a delicious vegan breakfast where I was able to socialize and talk with many amazing people who are also involved in the sustainable fashion industry.
After breakfast, it was time for the inspirational talk. Here different women, involved in sustainable fashion, were able to share their experiences.
For instance, one of the women started her own brand, Eversom. This brand sells bags and accessories made from old firehoses. How cool!
The founder of COSH!, Niki, ended the talk by introducing the conscious shopping route and talked a bit about the platform and what her reason was for creating COSH!.
Conscious Shopping In Rotterdam
Then it was time to discover the conscious shopping route in Rotterdam. While I really wanted to visit all 44 stores, I did not have enough time (so weird, I know).
Let’s take a look at the 5 stores that I did have time to visit.
Hendrikus
Hendrikus is a very cute vintage store located in the Pannekoekenstraat in Rotterdam. Here you can find many high-end designer pieces of high quality. The store has a wide range of prices and you can definitely find some affordable pieces there, however, there are also a lot of pieces that are on the pricier side. The store is definitely worth a visit. And by the way, the aesthetics are amazing.
- Read their assessment on COSH!: Hendrikus
Vinnie Vintage
Vinnie Vintages is, as you might be able to guess by the name, a vintage store. The owner’s preference is for the 80s, 90s, and 00s. All the items are of high quality and include many designer pieces. The price range differs, but you will be able to find many affordable pieces here. And one thing that I absolutely loved is the range of sizes. Additionally, the store also has some cool vintage furniture pieces that are up for sale.
- Read their assessment on COSH!: Vinnie Vintage
Very Cherry
Very Cherry has a colorful vintage-inspired collection. The production is completely located in Europe and the manufacturers must therefore comply with the laws and regulations in Europe. This means that the products are made under ethical working conditions and the store is completely Fairtrade. Next to this, Very Cherry uses many different sustainable materials and fabrics, all GOTS and Oeko-Tex certified.
I love the colorful vintage feel of the store.
- Read their assessment on COSH!: Very Cherry
Xzota
If you are looking for some new jewelry then Xzota is the store for you. Xzota is a handmade ethical jewelry store. The owner is an Indonesian woman living in the Netherlands, and all jewelry is made in her hometown by local goldsmiths in Bali. For the designs, only high-quality and recycled materials are used. This store was so cute.
- Read their assessment on COSH!: Xzota
Oska
When your mom asks to visit a store you never say no. Oska has a huge collection made from sustainable materials. Their clothes are made from natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool, hemp, and lyocell. All of course GOTS-certified. These materials give the clothes a very soft feel. Oska also has a ReFashion collection where you can find items from a previous collection for a lower price. Additionally, Oska upcycles waste materials and uses them to create unique items. The collections are made in Europe and China.
- Read their assessment on COSH!: OSKA
Thank you!
I would like to thank Niki and the COSH! team for the amazing day, and the hard work that was put into it!
If you ever visit Rotterdam, take a look at the COSH! website to find the shopping guide.
Not coming to Rotterdam any time soon? No worries, you can also find shopping guides for other cities like Antwerp and Amsterdam!
Want to see more of COSH!? Take a look at their Instagram @cosh.eco.
