At the fashion fair last year, we first met designer Marie Schøyen and Brand Director Jakob Lau, who together established the brand WAY. It was a great pleasure and interesting to hear about the many thoughts and all the choices that lie behind the production of their textiles.

A towel is not just a towel, but a textile that, in sourcing, production and use, takes us in a more sustainable direction. WAY, like us, cuts to the bone in terms of what we actually need. They don't produce a lot of products because they can, but only produce what is necessary.

We started our resort brand WAY in 2020, and launched the brand with one single product; a giant beach towel created for the conscious traveler. We are inspired by old 60s and 70s films from Southern Europe, where freedom, wanderlust and love for vacation and for each other are at the center. In particular, the “La Piscine” film by Jacques Deray from 1969 often sneaks onto our mood boards. A love story that mainly takes place by a pool in a soft 70s universe.

We wanted to crack the code of Scandinavian design in a context that takes place under the southern sun in an exclusive and sustainable way. This summer we are looking towards new horizons and expanding with an exclusive resort wear collection in our signature towel fabric and an exciting upcycling collaboration with the Salvation Army. It is a unisex collection with, among other things, kaftans, shorts, bathrobes, beach shirts and shirt dresses.

FROM ALEXANDER McQUEEN, STELLA McCARTNEY, BOTTEGA VENETA, STINE GOYA, LOUIS VUITTON AND MORE - TIL WAY

We know each other from previous jobs in the fashion industry, where we have worked together for 4 years. Marie is a womenswear designer and has worked for a number of well-known brands over the past 10 years, such as Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and COS. Jakob is an independent brand consultant at LAUDER Communication and has worked for Bottega Veneta, Designers Remix, Stine Goya, Louis Vuitton and others over the past 10 years.

We both share a great passion for changing the way we consume today, because we were “raised” in an industry and in a system that is outdated and outdated. Although we do not consider WAY as a fashion brand, but as a brand that reflects a lifestyle, we can draw on a lot of good experiences from previous jobs, and we can complement each other in the best way with two different backgrounds. 

WE WANT TO CHANGE CONSUMPTION

The vision for WAY is to change the way people consume when they travel. Most people probably know that they pack the wrong things on vacation and end up buying a cheap alternative that is often produced in an unfortunate way. At the same time, these things rarely see the light of day again once the plane has landed home and the suitcase is unpacked again.

We started with the beach towel. We wanted to make a huge, luxurious, high-quality beach towel that you could travel with without taking up too much space, and at the same time avoid using hotel towels that cost the planet 50 million liters of water every day to wash. WAY is meant to be the delicious alternative for those who also want to take better care of the planet and at the same time look smart when they travel.

THE GOOD LIFE WITH RESPONSIBLE CHOICES

WAY actually started because we couldn't find a towel that was big enough to cover an entire beach chair. It may sound banal, but sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference. However, we quickly realized that if we were going to make such a large towel, we had to delve into the quality and develop the quality so that it was also practical to carry without filling an entire beach bag. Today, WAY is much more than just a single beach towel.

Today we are a lifestyle brand that communicates the good life, but also the responsible choice. There is an incredible amount happening right now, and we are experiencing interest from major customers in both Asia, Southern Europe and North America. We are very excited about what this small project suddenly goes towards and develops into. Right now we have a feeling that where we are right now, we may not be in a week. It is a fun, but also challenging journey for us.

PART OF THE FUTURE LIFESTYLE

We're talking a lot about sustainability in society right now. We want to talk more about taking responsibility in those moments when we most want to just forget about the challenges we all face. That's why we want to rethink the way we travel - and especially the way we consume when we go on vacation.

If we are to solve the challenges, we must solve them together. In addition, our Nordic design meets Southern European holiday atmosphere in a clean minimalist look that captures all the experience we have about sustainability in the Nordics mixed with Southern burnt colors and images.

It is unusual for a Danish brand to make things that are intended for sunny summer days, as we don't have many of them in this country. We notice that our customers are excited about this unconventional mix, because our customers care about the environment, but at the same time do not want to compromise on quality, durability and appearance when they are abroad.

ONE TOWEL PROVIDES EDUCATION TO ONE PERSON

We incorporate responsibility into everything we do. WAY's beach towel is a good example of this. In addition to being designed to be taken on vacation to save water when washing hotel towels daily, it is produced by the world's leading towel manufacturer in Portugal, which has some of the industry's most stringent sustainability certifications.

Right now, our quality with organic cotton and recycled cotton is the most responsible on the market. From spinning the threads to extracting the fabrics to the final quality check, everything is done under one roof. And it is close to Denmark, which makes it easier for us to ensure that our employees work under responsible conditions. The towel itself is delivered in a specially designed organic cotton bag instead of plastic bags, which other textiles typically do. That bag can be reused as a small beach bag.

In addition, WAY donates to the organization Take 3 For The Sea, which educates people around the world in a pollution and plastic program to collect trash on beaches around the world. Every time we sell one towel, the organization receives funds to educate one person. We found this very obvious, since our products will typically be used on the beach. The survival of the ocean is crucial to that of humans. That's why we happily donate every time.

WILD WITH YROLÍS SUN LOTION

We have fallen in love with Yrolís Sun Lotion because it can be used on both the face and body. It is non-greasy and dries quickly. On our many photo trips with WAY, we are often outside under a baking sun for many hours on exotic beaches around the world. It is therefore extremely important for us that we are protected from the sun's rays at all times.

We use a lot of sunscreen on our trips, and therefore it is important that the sunscreen is made with good ingredients so that our skin and the sea are not exposed to unnecessary chemicals.

Great product - and a must-have for anyone who travels a lot and spends time in the sun.

TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE A LOT

Yrolí and WAY stand for many of the same values. We both want to make products that are produced responsibly. Like Yrolí, WAY also uses organic raw materials, among other things. We first noticed Yrolí's sunscreen because our peak season is in the summer, and we generally have a high consumption of sunscreen in this small company.

When we met Jette and Trine-Lise from Yrolí at a trade fair earlier this year and learned more about their story, it was natural for us to collaborate. At the same time, we also want to support other smaller brands, as we believe that the big issues in the world should be tackled through collaboration with like-minded people.

Together we can achieve our goals.

Read more about WAY at waycph.com