Möve – from terry towelling manufacturer to upscale interior design brand with a focus on design & sustainability

In the segment of upscale bathroom and home culture, the traditional brand MÖVE has successfully positioned itself as the market leader in the field of design-oriented terry goods: the German family-owned company specialises in everything that embellishes the bathroom & home and contributes to personal well-being: soft towels and bath mats, comfortable bathrobes and homewear for women, men and children, high-quality bed linen, beautiful accessories and scented candles. Founded in 1927, the textile brand focuses on origin, quality and innovation. In addition to elegant and contemporary design, product development clearly focuses on durability and natural materials.

Tradition

MÖVE was founded in 1927 as a terry brand. This is still the core competence of the company today. Terry goods from MÖVE are manufactured exclusively in Germany, Made in Germany – according to German standards. All Möve products are of high quality, modern and with a very high design standard.

Innovations

MÖVE was one of the first companies to introduce terry towelling in Germany. Further innovations followed continuously over the decades.

From 2020 onwards, MÖVE will focus primarily on sustainability and design. The highlight is the organic collection MÖVE WELLBEING, which scores points not only for its natural look, but above all for its particularly sustainable materials and production. The series was produced in harmony with nature with an ecologically tiny footprint. The materials used are organic cotton and European linen from sustainable cultivation, and production is completely C02-neutral through the use of 100% solar energy.

In the MÖVE ATHLEISURE collection, inspired by retro sports and lifestyle, MÖVE uses a functional cotton/polyester fibre. In addition to an extra soft feel, this fibre has many other valuable properties. It is light, particularly absorbent and dries quickly – attributes that are particularly advantageous for sports but also in your own four walls.

Linen also continues to be in vogue – at MÖVE as a high-quality cotton/linen blend that has been used in the MÖVE SPA and MÖVE EDEN collections for many years. The new trend collection MÖVE BOHEME, an unconventional theme in a stylish pattern mix, was also made from this yarn mix. The special blend gives the products their special character; the linen content gives them their natural look and the pithy feel, the simultaneous softness comes from the high cotton content.

The high-tech yarn Spinair is made of cotton with PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) in the core, which is washed out after the weaving process. The result is a yarn with many voids that is extremely light but very voluminous. It is more absorbent than conventional cotton, dries faster and feels cosy and soft. MÖVE uses it successfully for its MÖVE LOFT series and the MÖVE WELLNESS collection.

For some years now, MÖVE has been using viscose made from bamboo pulp for its MÖVE BAMBOO LUXE collection. The products made from this rapidly renewable raw material are silky soft to the touch and shiny in appearance. As of 2019, the collection has undergone a comprehensive relaunch in terms of quality, weight and feel. The high-quality feel of the cloths is thus still satisfied – with improved drying time at the same time. Furthermore, the properties of the viscose fibre used – antibacterial, air and moisture circulating or a very high water absorption capacity – make the collection something very special.

Time and again, MÖVE also experiments with different material mixes: e.g. viscose and linen – always mixed with a main proportion of cotton. This composition is used, for example, in the current MÖVE BROOKLYN collection. The high-contrast graphic motifs of the jacquard programme are particularly well accentuated by the use of the special boucle yarn with 10% viscose and 5% linen.

The MÖVE PIQUEE collection, on the other hand, is made of a particularly light, summery fabric, waffle pique. Thanks to a special weaving technique, the square relief pattern is particularly pronounced and the products absorb a lot of moisture at the same time. Not to forget the light massage effect of the material.

Technology

MÖVE is constantly investing in innovative production methods and new technologies. In 2016, for example, 30 state-of-the-art weaving machines were purchased with a significantly higher performance level and approx. 15% energy savings compared to the old technology.

The company has a unique digital textile printing facility with which terry and velour goods can be produced in brilliant colours and individual designs – including through-printing. Two new environmentally friendly dyeing systems save more than 5% water and energy compared to the old technology.

Sustainability & environmental protection

With extensive investments (total volume: approx. 20 million euros since 2008), MÖVE has promoted sustainability and environmental protection at the production site in Großschönau/ Oberlausitz in recent years. In total, this has led to a considerable reduction in energy consumption of almost 1,000 MWh/year and a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of over 400 t.

Through this environmental and energy-efficient investment policy, MÖVE is making a significant contribution to ensuring that the flora and fauna at the production site in the Zittau Mountains in the Upper Lusatia region are also protected and preserved for future generations.

Furthermore, since October 2017, MÖVE has been cooperating with the company Pfandtaschen, which also focuses on sustainability and resource conservation by introducing a deposit system for certified cotton carrier bags.