MAKING OF

Ideas & design in process

It is a long and individual process from the very first idea to the final jumper, cardigan or baby hat. If we had the opportunity, we would take you for a couple of days with us to Nepal in one of our manufactories, to let you experience, how our products are getting realized with manual skills & know-how and love to the detail by our production partners. However, the very first brainstorming and idea finding for our collections takes place in Germany and Paris. The best inspiration for our baby- and kids collection we find in everyday life such as traveling, enjoying and exploring nature or during playdates with our kids and their friends. Ideas are kept in sketches, first color ideas are discussed and improved over and over again. Finally, technical sketches with detailed measurement instructions are sent to Nepal to get first prototypes knitted for us.

Work & production in our manufacturies

Our designs are realized with knowhow and many years’ experience in small factories near Kathmandu by our knitters. From the very beginning we stand in close contact with the production management to achieve best results already on the first samples. The prototypes are sent to Germany to get fitted on small kids’ models. Measurement are changed to optimize the fit, color combinations might be changed again or new buttons selected. Until a product finally is perfect, two up to four samples are sent back and forth between Germany and Nepal. We are only then satisfied when can be sure that our customer will be happy too. Before we give our final ok for production, we first ask for a complete size set, because each style and design has its own measurements, shape and fit.

Then the time has finally come: production starts - each time an exciting stage for us. First, all flat parts such as sleeves, front- and back parts are knitted on hand knitting looms. After that the plackets are knitted, which are sewn in a separate step onto the body by special linking machines. A three-dimensional is produced.

Craftsmanship: love for detail & competence

At PAPA LOBSTER we attach importance for nice little details which make our collection unique and that make every single style a favorite item. Thus, our stars on hats, scarfs, cardis and baby blankets for example are stitched by hand one after another onto each single product. One star requires a couple of hours of concentrated and skilled work. Elbow patches, feminine ajour details on skirts and jumpers, little knitted bows or hand stitched plackets on our octobersfest cardis are other details that take time in production. Our collection is no mass production - each single item is handled with love and care according to traditional handicraft. The close and personal contact to our production partners throughout the whole production stage is absolutely important and necessary as it guarantees transparent processes. A good feeling we believe.

After that, button holes are stitched and buttons sewn onto the placket. A first quality check is done on a special light table. Even the smallest mistake is marked with a red thread and returned into production to get repaired. The finishing process is a very delicate one and requires a lot of experience: the whole collection is separated into styles and different colors, as each cashmere color needs a different washing period to finally achieve the same result in terms of handfeel.

Finishing, labeling & quality check

As soon as our products have dried, they get delicately steamed one by one. Again measurements are checked and kept - because also ironing can be done totally wrong. Finally our labels are sewn in and all products are equipped with hangtags, spare buttons and - threads before they are sent to the big and final quality check. If all is 100% correct, each cashmere product gets folded and wrapped in silk paper and a separate little bag to be well protected before it is sent on its long journey to Germany.