European Erfo Label | Part 1

The relationship between Fella Hamilton & European supplier ERFO started 12 years ago, & still continues to blossom to this day. ERFO is a market-leading family-owned German brand that was founded in 1937 by Eduard Schmidt whose desire was to produce highly crafted women’s blouses where women could move with ease. Today, over 80 years later, the company upholds its commitment to crafting wearable fashion for women who embrace their true selves.

The ERFO showroom in Germany

Sharon & David Hamilton met with ERFO’s Export Manager, Tim Egbers, in Germany to view future ranges. They also asked Tim some insightful questions about ERFO’s clothing & long history in the fashion industry.

 Tim Egbers (ERFO Export Manager), Sharon Hamilton & David Hamilton in ERFO showroom looking at future ranges - Sharon is wearing the Maya Ikat Tunic & Suzy Jeans in white

1. Where is the ERFO brand based? 

Our headquarters are located in Nordhorn, Germany, where our passion for fashion and sustainability go hand in hand. In this inspiring environment, our talented designers work to create garments that not only look good, but also meet ethical and environmental standards.

In line with our commitment to sustainability, our company includes the "PURE" and "be yourself" brands. Each of these brands embodies a unique style and offers diverse opportunities for self-expression. At the same time, we continue to pursue our goal of using environmentally conscious production techniques and minimizing the ecological footprint of our products.

2. What is the history of the ERFO brand?

Over 80 years ago, the young Eduard Schmidt found inspiration in the concept of creating blouses that would grant women unparalleled ease of movement. Through a blend of textile expertise and a keen fashion sensibility, this vision was made into reality. The growing ERFOlg evolved into ERFO. In 1977, Eduard's son, Günter Schmidt, assumed leadership and continued the success story including the opening up of international sales markets. Hauke Schmidt, the founder's grandson is now the leader of the third-generation. The core conviction is unchanged: wearable, life-affirming fashion for women who want to be themselves.

3. Where does the team at ERFO design its range? 

We create and design in Germany and manufacture our sample collections in our own production in Lithuania.

4. What are some of the countries where you make the ERFO garments, and what standards do you have for these factories? 

We are looking for long time partnerships. A lot of the companies where our garments are produced, we’ve been working with for over 30 years. The companies we work with know and follow the ERFO quality standards and deliver quality products on time. This positive relationship helps us react to changing market needs - we make customer satisfaction our top priority and produce new colours and styles within a short time frame. 

Example of some of the countries were ERFO clothing is manufactured includes: Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Tunesia, as well as our own production company in Lithuania.

Models wearing Maya Ikat TunicMinnie Shirt in royal blue

5. Is ERFO exclusive to Fella Hamilton in Australia?

Yes, it is. We work worldwide and a few years ago we had several customers in Australia, however we now work with Fella Hamilton exclusively. 

6. What sets ERFO apart from other fashion brands in terms of quality and design? 

ERFO is one of the oldest production companies for women blouses in Germany and having expanded on its tradition over the years, the ERFO brand is well known for its high-quality, reasonable prices and excellent delivery standards, proudly resulting in less than 0.5% returns. 

At ERFO, our female customers can rely on receiving modern and attractive clothing that is in line with current fashion trends. We place great emphasis on high-quality materials, excellent workmanship and unique designs. Our collections are carefully curated to highlight each woman's individual style and personality: feminine, honest, and candid.

7. Can you tell us about any sustainability or ethical practices that ERFO follows in its production process? 

As a family-run business, we are always placing great emphasis on environmental protection and proudly contributing to creating a more sustainable future. Here are some of the ways we do this:

- We ensure that all our parcel shipments are carbon (CO2) neutral.

- We have been committed to the Code of Conduct of the German Fashion and Textile Industry for many years.

- 97% of our collections are manufactured in or close to Europe - this is to make sure short transport routes and less CO2 emissions.

- We support climate protection by planting trees via the Green Forest Fund.

- We create and design in Germany and manufacture our sample collections in our own production in Lithuania.

- We know have worked with all of our manufacturing companies personally for many years.

8. How does ERFO stay up-to-date with the latest fashion trends and consumer preferences? 

We work closely together with our customers. If a customer needs a special article of clothing, we can react quicky and efficiently given our strong working relationships within our supply chain.

Our representatives all over Europe specialise within their markets. So, we receive all information quickly and directly and we can forward this to our design team.

Our designers are in on the ground at fabric fairs and are in touch with all of our suppliers. They are on top of design trends, colours and fashion styles and they decide with the sales team what is interesting for ERFO or what will not sell within our market.