Sointula is a quirky pant, just like the origin of its name. Sointula, which means 'place of harmony' in Finnish, is an isolated small village on Malcolm Island just off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. It was founded as a Finnish settlement in 1901, with the intent of growing a utopian socialist society. The society eventually disbanded, but its descendants still live in the the slow-paced bohemian village that remains today.  

For the trouser, we wanted to develop a jean with our signature colour blocking and waved motifs. We sketched a utilitarian-style denim trouser that would be juxtaposed with playful printed panels on the waistband and lower leg. This lower leg panel is rather unique, having a waved seam connecting the panel to the rest of the pant.

An early sketch of Sointula.

We chose a circular form from collaborating artist Jamie House's ceramic and glass paint experiments, which Jamie described as a "galaxy". We liked how it could be repeated to create a funky alternative 'polkadot' pattern to be placed on the panels of the pant.

Jamie scanned the chemical experiment, now named One=All, and interspaced it with his personal art motifs on a navy canvas. It was then digitally printed onto 100% organic cotton drill and placed on select panels of the pant - the waistband and waved panels at the bottom of the legs.

Test print variations for Sointula's printed panels.

Our printing and fabric supplier sources from REACH-compliant mills, which means they must maintain a certain standard in terms of child labour, ecological impact, and responsibility.

Sointula was manufactured at our local small-batch production studio in East London. They specialize in high-end production, working with many emerging designers and brands in the city. Each pant was made by hand in-studio by their talented seamstresses and cutters.

You can buy the slow fashion Sointula Denim Trouser here.