DILLING’s unmatched tradition

Discover this family company

which carries honesty in it’s very core.

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Hi there design junkies,

Do you know DILLING? If not, you definitely should! And today we will introduce this brand to you. DILLING is a clothing brand which goes under the philosophy that every good relationship starts with honesty, openness, and last but not least, curiosity. Sounds good, right?

DILLING started out in 1916 as a tiny family business, when Mr. Andreas Bertelsen walked from house to house selling the wool underwear that his wife, Mrs. Mine Bertelsen, made herself. Since then, the company has passed through the caring hands of four generations of Bertelsens and became what it is today.

They were the first underwear producer in Denmark to gain Nordic Swan Ecolabel certification and are extremely open about their ethical and clean production process. For them, sustainability is more than just a trend. It is an attitude that is consistent in all of their choices. 

DILLING is a merino wool company that offers several wool types while still having an eye for lasting quality and sustainability makes DILLING stand out compared to other wool fabricants. More concrete, DILLING offers different styles of merino wool which the customer can choose between, making it hard to pick a favorite.

They have for example merino wool that is either organic, exclusive, silky, made in rib, fleece, or a thicker quality like Terry. A dream come true to encounter a dedicated merino wool company like DILLING that can fulfill your desired dreams of being warm all year round in particular in the winter months.

DILLING genuinely cares about where their materials come from and how they are produced. These natural materials are both sustainable and comfortable to wear. In addition to natural materials, DILLING also offers a material named ECONYL®, which is a nylon yarn made from waste such as fishing nets abandoned in the ocean. How incredible is that?

Another reason why DILLING is a brand we adore is that they don't use harmful any chemicals in their wool products, which ensures the benefits of the wool remains. You may question how fabric production can be completely free of external compounds. The reason for this is DILLING’s dyehouse only uses the purest dyeing agents, meaning no harmful chemicals or heavy metals enter their production line.

For this reason, the only thing that separates the different wool types is the treatment of the wool, the thickness of the wool fibers, and the knitting technique. With this in mind, DILLING detaches themselves from other wool brands as they offer unique and high-quality designs in merino wool.

We are so amazed by DILLING’s history and their compromise with the consumers and our planet that we could not pass the opportunity to make a little interview with Morten Dilling, the CEO of Dilling.

Hello Morten, what would you consider to be DILLING’s main value and why?

Passion for wool production since 1916. For more than 35 years, we have worked passionately with a sustainable and transparent production. Since 2010, we have sold our products exclusively online, directly from manufacturer to end consumer to offer high quality products at affordable prices with an honest focus on environmental, clean production.

DILLING’s history is built on family traditions. How does that reflect on the company's way of functioning?

We focus on the long-term perspective. In 1985, when we started our clean production in our dyehouse, the market did not require or demand a clean production. But we were certain that we were right. When we started to sell our products directly to the end consumers in 2010, many stakeholders did not understand that we deliberately chose not to sell through middlemen such as shops, agents, etc. But the performance over the last years has illustrated that this was the perfect business model for our company. 

Because we are a family owned business, we also perceive our entire company and our 300 employees as human beings and family members. No one in our organization is just a number, everyone plays an important part in creating a great and sustainable product and offering an excellent service.

How do you keep the quality control of your materials to make sure they come from sustainable sources?

We buy certified raw materials (GOTS) and we have a strong relationship with our suppliers because of frequent visits. Our wool is bought from Argentina where there is no mulesing, because the fly does not live there. 

What is the biggest challenge of running a sustainable brand?

The biggest challenge is the fact that the production becomes more expensive and, in the short term, it is difficult to optimize profit. In addition, we have had to start with producing very low quantities, which is far from ideal in a production.

It all started with underwear, but now DILLING has a huge product range. Do you intend to expand it more?

Yes, when it makes sense. Our passion is merino wool so it is still possible to extend our product range. 

What is DILLING’s main goal for the future? Any new project coming soon?

We are present in 9 markets, and we would like even more people in each market to become part of our family. At the same time, we try to be ambitious and expand to other markets. Currently, we are in the lucky position to receive a lot of positive reviews, so we would like even more people to experience our concept and products. 

Last questions, what is your morning routine?

My morning routine is to spend time with my girlfriend and our two daughters. Because the day is busy, I always try to focus and prioritize mornings and late afternoons with my family.

 What is your favorite city in the world? Why?

Our own capital here in Denmark, Copenhagen, where I have lived for 10 years, is wonderful and a place that has always felt like home to me.

You can learn more about DILLING and discover all the amazing sustainable products they have to offer at their website: https://uk.dilling.com/

Get 20% off with the promo code DESIGNHUNGER20 (offer valid until the 31.12.2020 - except on sale)

If you enjoyed this article, you should check out our interview with Sofia Bártolo the founder behind Sömmer Jewelry.