Frequently asked questions

HUMANO BY EPOCH

Humano (”human” in portuguese) is a clothing brand focused on celebrating the wonderful complexities that make us all human, by turning real stories of real people into unique pieces that you can wear. It is an untold story of a friend, a neighbor or a stranger. Humano is humane, personal and imperfect. It’s made by humans for humans.

Epoch is a project created with the purpose of documenting and sharing real stories of real people. Through the form of a short documentary, each film explores a unique and intimate story of a specific person. The idea is simply letting the stories speak for themselves, nothing else. Encouraging more listening and less talking.

These stories are available on YouTube or in our page The Humans

Hey! I’m Mário and I’m the person behind Epoch and Humano. I love to learn people’s backgrounds and their stories, hence why I started these projects. I’m very new into the fashion industry, so I still have a lot to learn! However, I’m very excited, as I believe these projects may have a great impact on the world.

I’m glad you’ve asked! It’s a small company called WeBlogYou. Fred and Raquel, founders of WeBlogYou, were incredible at every step of the way. They went the extra mile to help me build this brand and I cannot thank them enough. Everything you see – the logo, website, brand colors & illustrations – they were the ones making it happen! Here is their instagram in case you want to check out their work: instagram.com/weblogyou

RESPONSIBILITY

It’s really hard to define what ”being sustainable” means. Sustainability is a very complex topic and it must take into account a variety of problems: water and electricity use, gas emissions, working conditions, pollution, waste, natural resources… To say we are sustainable would mean that we would have control over all these issues and found an appropriate solution for each one of them. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Every step of the production has an impact on the planet. We are a very small brand, so we’ve barely had any chance to have a significant impact, but we don’t consider ourselves as sustainable. We feel, however, responsible for our actions. That means that we’re constantly learning and weighing the pros and cons of each decision, while we try to come up with the best solutions.

The main fabric of our clothes is 100% GOTS certified organic cotton1 . However, we believe that part of being a responsible company, means that we should aim for transparency and acknowledgement when it comes to our own imperfections. There’s a lot that goes into making a t-shirt. That’s why, in the description of every piece, you can read about every single component of our products – from sewing threads, to embroidery and dyes. Yes… Even the ones we’re not so proud of! We believe that you have the right to know exactly what you’re buying is made from. By doing this we’re also making ourselves accountable, in order to make sure we keep trying to find better solutions for each component of each piece.
Compared to conventional cotton, the production of organic cotton uses 91% less water for irrigation, 62% less energy and emits 46% less greenhouse gases2. Furthermore, organic cotton farming does not allow the use of GMO seeds or toxic chemicals. This means that the health of workers, soils and ecosystem is properly preserved and protected3. We are aware that organic cotton is not the perfect solution. There is the argument that, because organic cotton seeds are not genetically modified, its production is less efficient, requiring more land and water to produce it. However, adding organic matter to the soil significantly improves the water retention of the soil, making it less reliant on irrigation4. In fact, 95% of the water used in organic farming systems is rain-fed2. Once again, we’re not sure we could consider organic cotton as a sustainable material, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
The dyes we use in our clothes are Oeko-Tex5 and GOTS certified. This means they are non-toxic and free of harmful substances for human health.
Our packaging is 100% recyclable. Our cardboard box is FSC6 mix certified, and our tape/stickers are made of 100% Recycled FSC certified content, printed with soy-based inks. Our clothes were supposed to come from the factory in recycled poly bags, but we rejected those. Instead, we use recyclable tissue paper to wrap our products.

We’re all aware that textile overproduction is a common problem of the fashion industry. Everything we make produces waste and has an environmental impact along the supply chain. Therefore, we chose to produce all our pieces in small batches. By producing in minimal quantities we can reduce the amount of potential waste. At the same time, the pattern cutting software is programmed to reduce as much as offcuts as possible. However, as you can imagine, it can’t optimize to use 100% of the fabric, which leads to waste. For now, all of our waste is going to a recycling facility.

From the beginning, our focus was always to create high quality pieces of clothing that last, while ensuring that its production would happen under fair working conditions, in socially responsible factories. Hence why we chose to produce everything in our home country, Portugal. However, that has a price, and we pride ourselves to not take shortcuts in this matter. We prefer to pay more in manufacturing costs and guarantee that we work with trustworthy suppliers, instead of looking for cheaper alternatives with questionable work ethics. We believe that you can only assess the fair value of your clothes if you know about it’s true cost. Therefore, in each product page you’ll be able to see exactly how much we pay for the productions of each one of our products.

Donating to charities can turn into an overwhelming challenge. We wanted Humano to do good, but we weren’t exactly sure where to start. There are so many issues in the world, and so many different charities, that it becomes almost paralyzing when deciding which one to choose. How do we know which causes to support? How do we know that what we donate will have a significant impact? We want to make sure the money we contribute with actually makes a difference. So we put as much time into learning about the effectiveness of our donations as we do into making our products. Therefore, we choose our charities based on the research of reputable institutions in the field of the Effective Altruism Movement7, such as: GiveWell8, Giving What We Can9, Animal Charity Evaluators10, Founders Pledge11 and The Life You Can Save12. Each of these recommends a list of the most high-impact, cost-effective charities, backed by rigorous research and evidence. If you ever wanted to donate to a charity, but weren’t sure where to start, we highly recommend you to check these institutions.

To put it simply, Effective Altruism is focused on using high-quality evidence and careful reasoning to figure how to do the most good in the world. By identifying the most promising problems and by researching the effectiveness of each charity, institutions such as GiveWell are able to identify the charities that save or improve lives the most per dollar.

That’s great! We recommend you start with watching Peter Singer’s and William MacAskill’s Ted Talks. These two philosophers are both notable figures within the effective altruism movement.

To learn about the high-impact charities we’re donating, please clique here.

We wish we could offer you a solution for the end life of your clothes, but we’re just starting, so it might take a while to manage that. Meanwhile, please consider giving them to a friend, donating to a charity or reselling for another person to take care of it and use it as much as you have.

OUR PRODUCTS & SIZING

We pride ourselves on being able to produce all of our products in our home country, Portugal. Because every supplier is so close to home, we’re able to pay them regular visits, meet their workers and learn what it takes for each piece to be made. There is a lot of people involved in the manufacturing process of our clothing. So we want to give them the credit they deserve. We want to make sure that you know who’s behind your clothes and what it takes for each piece to be made. You can meet our suppliers here.

Our pieces are designed for a relaxed fit. On each product page you’ll be able to check the detailed measurements of our clothes by clicking on ”Size Guide”.

We design our clothes considering a unisex fit. This means that, no matter your gender, our clothes will fit you just as well.

If one of our products is out of stock, please subscribe to our newsletter so you get notified once it’s available to buy again.

ORDERS & SHIPPING

We ship all of your orders from northern Portugal, near Porto.

Yes, we do. We ship worldwide from Portugal. We highly recommend you to use an address where there is someone available to receive the package during the day, as we can’t schedule a specific delivery time for the parcel. For rates and more information please check our Shipping Information.

Unfortunately, we are unable to deliver to the countries listed below:

  • Belarus
  • Catar
  • República Central Africana
  • Coreia do Norte
  • Cuba
  • Guiné
  • Iémen
  • Irão
  • Mali
  • Nauro
  • S.Tomé e Príncipe
  • Síria
  • Somália
  • Sudão
  • Tokelau
  • Trindad e Tobago

We want you to get your piece of Humano as soon as possible, but delays may occur. We’re currently a company of one, so your order may take 2-3 business days to process. Once your order is processed and shipped, we’ll send you an email with a tracking number, so you can check the status and follow your package.

For shipping rates and more information please check our Shipping Information.

Within the European Union – All taxes and duties are included in the final price, meaning no hidden fees.

Outside of the European Union – You may be subject to local import taxes and duties once your package reaches your Country. We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they might be, as these charges are imposed directly by the destination country and vary between countries. Therefore, we’re unable to cover any additional costs with taxes, duties or customs charges.

Depending where you live, we offer free shipping on orders above a certain price:

Portugal > 80€

Spain > 100€

European Union> 150€

Norway, Switzerland, UK & North America (USA & Canada)  > 200€

Rest of Europe > 250€

Rest of the World > 250€

The estimated time for delivery depends on the shipment address, and it may vary in peak seasons. Usually these are the estimated times for each zone:

Portugal 1-2 Business Days

Spain 2-3 Business Days

European Union 2-7 Business Days

United Kingdom 2-7 Business Days

Rest of Europe 2-7 Business Days

North America (USA & Canada) 2-7 Business Days

Rest of the World 2-9 Business Days

Once your order is processed and shipped, we’ll send you an email with a tracking number, so you can check the status and follow your package.

Please e-mail us at care@humanobyepoch.com as quickly as possible. If your order hasn’t been shipped yet, we’ll do our best to change it for you. Once an order is processed and shipped, we are unable to make any changes.

Please email us at care@humanobyepoch.com as quickly as possible, we will do our best to update the shipping address before the order is processed.

First of all, we’re really sorry for the inconvenience. There are a lot of people involved in making your Humano piece, and so mistakes may happen. Please send us an e-mail at care@humanobyepoch.com within 14 days of receiving it. Please attach a picture of the damage or the wrong item you’ve received, as well as your order number and contact details. Once confirmed, we’ll then inform you on how to process the return.

RETURNS & EXCHANGES

We want you to really love your piece of Humano and wear it with pride. However, we understand that sometimes it might not be or fit exactly as you expected. Please note that we’ll only accept returns or exchanges if the items are in their original condition, unworn and with all original packaging and tags attached.

First: Communicate the Return – Please send us an e-mail at care@humanobyepoch.com within 14 days of receiving your order and tell us your order number and what items you want to return. If you have a specific reason for the return or any other feedback, please let us know, as we’re always looking to improve. We’ll get back to you within 48 hours.

Second: Ship your Humano piece back to us – After getting a confirmation from us, please send your parcel (using a carrier of your preference) to our address at Rua Ponte da Senra, nº 131, 4760-435, Cavalões, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal.

Third: Receive the Refund: Once a package is received, checked and approved, a refund for the order value of the items purchased will be issued and reimbursement will be made available within 14 working days. We do not reimburse the shipping expenses of a returned item.

Please note:

We’ll only accept returns if the items are in their original condition, unworn and with all original packaging and tags attached.

Unless the returned item is defective or incorrect, we are unable to offer free return shipping. We want to offer you the best service possible, but we’re still a very small company. Therefore, the return shipping costs will be at your own expense, as well as any taxes or customs fees for the returning items.

You will be responsible for the items until they have arrived at our warehouse. If the package is lost or damaged in the process, we won’t be able to place an exchange or return. We recommend sending it by registered mail.

First: Communicate the Return – Please send us an e-mail at care@humanobyepoch.com within 14 days of receiving your order and tell us your order number, what items you want to exchange and the desired new size and/or color. We’ll get back to you within 48 hours. If you wish to exchange for a different style, please proceed to return the item for a refund and place a separate order for the new garment.

Second: Ship your Humano piece back to us – After getting a confirmation from us, please send your parcel (using a carrier of your preference) to our address at Rua Ponte da Senra, nº 131, 4760-435, Cavalões, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal.

Third: Receive your new product: Once a package is received, checked and approved, we’ll send you the replacement item within 5 business days. The first exchange in Portugal, of an online purchase, will be free of charge. Otherwise, the shipping costs for the new item will be at your own expense. You will receive a shipping confirmation with your new tracking number by email as soon as it leaves our facilities.

Please note:

You can exchange any items for another color or size as long as we have it in stock. If the product you desire is out of stock by the time your package arrives at our facilities the exchange will be processed as soon as we get the item back in stock. The time for this may vary, but we will keep you informed.

We’ll only accept exchanges if the returned items are in their original condition, unworn and with all original packaging and tags attached.

Unless the returned item is defective or incorrect, we are unable to offer free return shipping. We want to offer you the best service possible, but we’re still a very small company. Therefore, the return shipping costs will be at your own cost, as well as any taxes or customs fees for the returning items.

You will be responsible for the items until they have arrived at our warehouse. If the package is lost or damaged in the process, we won’t be able to place an exchange or return. We recommend sending it by registered mail.

We want to offer you the best service possible, but we’re still a very small company. Therefore, the return shipping costs will be at your own expense, as well as any taxes or customs fees for the returning items.

We always refund orders to their full cost in euros. If you used a card with another currency, the amount you receive may be less or more than what you paid due to fluctuations in the exchange rate. As we cannot predict or control these changes, we do not reimburse losses. The same applies to bank conversion fees.

PAYMENT METHODS

You can pay for your order via:

  • Credit/Debit Card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express)
  • Paypal
  • MB WAY
  • Referência Multibanco

If your payment was declined we recommend that you check the following:

  • Check if you’ve entered your card’s details properly
  • Check whether your card has expired
  • Try completing your order with another payment method.

CARE

In each product page you’ll be able to see the specific garment care instructions under “composition & care”. You can also check our care guide.

STORIES & COLLABORATIONS

First of all, thank you for considering sharing your story. If you have a story you would like to share, please send us an e-mail to stories@humanobyepoch.com, with the subject line titled ”Story Submission” and a brief description of your story in the message field.

If you are a content creator or artist and would like to collaborate, please send us an e-mail to collab@humanobyepoch.com, with your social media URL included in the message field.

  1. References

    1. Global Organic Textile Standard, The Standard. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.global-standard.org/the-standard
    2. Textile Exchange (2014). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Organic Cotton Fiber – A Global Average
    3. Textile Exchange, What Is Organic Cotton. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from http://aboutorganiccotton.org/#:~:text=No toxic chemicals are used,insecticides and 7% of pesticides)
    4. Textile Exchange, Organic Cotton Farming System. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from http://aboutorganiccotton.org/organic-farming-system/
    5. Oeko-Tex, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX, Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/standard-100-by-oeko-tex
    6. FSC, CERTIFICATION, Retrieved February 20, 2021, from https://us.fsc.org/en-us/certification
    7. Effective Altruism, Introduction to Effective Altruism, Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.effectivealtruism.org/articles/introduction-to-effective-altruism/
    8. GiveWell, https://www.givewell.org/
    9. Giving What We Can, https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/
    10. Animal Charity Evaluators, https://animalcharityevaluators.org/
    11. Founders Pledge, https://founderspledge.com/
    12. The Life You Can Save, https://www.thelifeyoucansave.org/

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BE A PART OF HUMANO

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HERE'S WHAT TO DO TO PROPER TAKE CARE OF YOUR CLOTHES

Admittedly, many of us wash our clothes after each wear. However, with some items, that’s not really necessary to do. Most of the times, if your piece is not dirty, it just needs to be shaken out and aired to be good for another day. This not only helps reducing the environmental footprint, but it also helps maintaining the quality of your garments for longer. The more you wash it, the quicker your piece will lose its color and overall quality.

Washing at low temperatures is great not only for your clothes, but also for the environment. We suggest machine washing at maximum 30ºC. This helps preserving the color of your pieces, as well as preventing them from losing their shape. Washing at higher temperatures might damage and shrink the fabrics.

In each product page you can see the specific garment care instructions and recommendations. These aren’t just a formality. Because our fabrics are not synthetic, they need to be maintained with care. The garment care instructions are intended to help you keep the quality of your pieces for longer.

Before running your washing machine, make sure you’ve accumulated enough clothes to fill it up. This will significantly reduce the consumption of water and energy over time. However, be careful to not overfill it, as it can lead to poorly washed items and even damage them due to friction.

Before washing, please sort your garments by color. We recommend separate them in three categories: whites, light colored and dark. This can prevent dye transfer problems during washing.

Wash all of your colored garments inside out and follow all the garment care instructions.

When cleaning stains, please avoid the use of solutions with bleach, as this can alter the color of the fabric.

Avoid drying your clothes in direct and bright sun light for long periods of time, as this can accelerate color fading over time.

The longer you wait, the harder it will be to treat stains. These are easier to remove when they haven’t set into the fabric.

Tumble dryers have a significant impact on the environment, as these use a lot of energy. Not only that, but dryers can also damage your clothes and alter their shape. If you can, skip the dryer completely. However, we understand that’s not always possible. If you’re using a dryer, use a low heat setting. The higher the heat, the higher the risk of shrinking.

Most of the times, air drying is the best option. Not only does it have zero impact, but it also helps maintaining the quality of your clothes for longer. In this case, if possible, avoid long exposure of your garments to direct and bright sunlight, as this can lead to fading of the colors over time.

As soon as you finish washing your clothes, we recommend gently shake them to remove some wrinkles and hang them properly to dry. By doing this, you’re ensuring that there will only be minimal wrinkles before ironing, which makes the entire process much easier. Sometimes, this process might be enough and you can skip ironing entirely.

We recommend steaming instead of ironing, as it’s less aggressive for the fabric fibers. However, there will be some items that do need some ironing.

If you’re ironing garments made of cotton, make sure they’re slightly damp prior to ironing, or use the steam setting on the iron. This will make the fibers smoother and the process of ironing much easier.

We recommend ironing all of our clothes at low/medium temperatures, inside out. This will help avoid any possible damage in outer side of the fabric. Finally, please avoid ironing directly on the print or embroidery, as this can damage it over time.

If you can, reduce the consumption of clothes that contain any type of plastic in their composition, such as: polyester, nylon, elastane or acrylic. Every time you wash these fabrics, microplastics are released into the water systems and consequently into the aquatic ecosystem. This happens because a lot of these microplastics are just too small to be filtered by the current waste treatment plants. By entering into oceans and rivers, they pose a potential danger not only for the environment and the marine life, but also for our own health, as we can ingest them through food and water. All of our pieces are made of 100% organic cotton. However we also need to consider the labels, sewing threads, embroideries or other embellishments, which can be made with synthetic fibers. We care about every single component of our pieces, and so we believe that we should inform you the best we can about them. Unfortunately, some of our sewing threads and embroidery are made of polyester. We recommend always using a Guppy Friend washing bag, as it collects the microplastics that are released from garments in the wash and prevents them from entering in the water supply systems.

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