Freedom, authenticity, and responsibility are core values that guide everything we do at Reell. Sometimes, we take unconventional paths to stay true to these values and fulfil our responsibilities as a brand. One example of this is the opening of Green Village, which was a milestone for us. Green Village is a textile factory in northern Pakistan founded by our CEO, Ben Klaassen, and his business partner, Muhammad Nawaz. As such, the factory has a direct connection to Reell.
TWO KEY PRINCIPLES
The founders rooted the concept of ‘Green Village’ in its name:
GREEN
The new two-storey building was built with state-of-the-art construction technology. The double brick wall keeps out heat from the outside and cools down the interior by 7 degrees. Green Village obtains most of its electricity for production from the solar panels on the roof. In addition to the environmental aspect, this power supply means that the operation places little strain on the local power grid and runs largely autonomously.
VILLAGE
The textile industry is Pakistan’s most important branch, and the regions of Karachi, Lahore and Sialkot, in particular, are considered industrial centres. Workers usually move to the big cities for their jobs, where they must pay for pricey lodgings. Green Village is located on the periphery of the village of Koil and offers well-paid work to the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages near their homes. This improves their quality of life, strengthens the family situation, and promotes the local economy.
STEPS OF PRODUCTION
Green Village has been producing our Staple Top collection for several years now. All stages of production take place here, from sourcing the fabric to final packaging, including logistic processes such as sampling and technical processes such as shrinking. The finished products are rechecked before final packaging and prepared for dispatch to Germany.
WORKING AT GREEN VILLAGE
Green Village is constantly growing, employing around 35 skilled textile workers and planning to hire more. As for Reell, ethical values and respect also play an essential role in the factory’s business; for example, daily prayer in the in-house prayer room is firmly integrated into the working day. Ben also regularly visits the factory and Nawaz to evaluate the Status Quo. The overall goal is to optimise and improve Green Village wherever possible.