Upcycled, made-to-order garments handcrafted in Arnhem from antique textiles and surplus fabrics.
Hul le Kes is a Dutch fashion label founded by designer Sjaak Hullekes and entrepreneur Sebastiaan Kramer, with all garments handcrafted in their Manufacturing Studio in Arnhem. The brand's central principle is what it calls "the beauty of imperfection": clothing that embraces the irregularities of materials and the individuality of their wearers, rather than chasing seasonal trends.
Over 95% of Hul le Kes' materials are sourced from post-consumer and post-production waste, including antique linens, vintage textiles and surplus fabrics. These are transformed into shirts, tunics, dresses, trousers, skirts, jackets and coats, many of them made-to-order to limit overproduction. Sizing is inclusive and gender-fluid, and every main-collection piece arrives with a Garment Passport detailing the materials, makers and history behind it.
Alongside the label, the brand runs a Recovery Studio that combines fashion and well-being, offering therapeutic craftwork to people recovering from mental health challenges. In-house services such as natural dyeing, hand-mending, Boro and Jogakbo extend the life of garments. In the upcycled womenswear and slow fashion category, Hul le Kes stands out for combining serious craft, social purpose and a quiet, lived-in aesthetic.
Hul le Kes is a real outlier. Founded by Sjaak Hullekes and Sebastiaan Kramer in Arnhem, the brand turns antique linens, vintage textiles and surplus fabrics into gender-fluid garments that are largely made-to-order. Over 95% of the materials are post-consumer or post-production waste. Each piece comes with a Garment Passport tracing its origins and the hands that made it. Just as compelling is the Recovery Studio, where people recovering from mental health challenges work with textiles as a form of therapeutic craft.
