Our story
Our products
Our aim? To create the highest quality, most relaxing casual shirts available in the market for guys and their all important downtime.
Why? Disappointed with traditionally made casual shirts being either too smart, over-designed or lacking high quality natural fibres, we thought guys deserve better when it comes to switching off. Be it a weekend away, date night, dog walk or coffee ritual, you deserve to be at your most relaxed, both physically and mentally.
How? After insightful customer conversations and hours of research and development, we decided to do things differently when it comes to fabrics, fit, collar, cuffs and construction.
In total it has taken two years, two manufacturers, hundreds of fabrics tested, seven cuff samples and multiple collar redesigns.
The result? We have reinvented the casual shirt. Creating a unique style with 14 details which differentiate it from the traditionally made casual shirt. Giving you a supremely soft, original, yet understated casual shirt in which you can take a deep breath, smile and unwind.
Our Customers
Do you love discovering new clothes but not swayed by trends? Appreciative of the premium quality eastern Ethiopian coffee you drink from your favourite coffee spot, to the ambient sound being fed through to your ears by the latest crowd funded tech? Do you like researching and learning something new that you can then share with your equally inquisitive buddies? Do you think about social responsibility? If so, then you may have just discovered something right up your street.
We are passionate about every detail of your clothes, yes. But we’re equally if not more passionate about the guys that wear them and want to positively benefit society around us – believing the route to this is bettering men’s mental health and acknowledging the role equality has to play in this.
We therefore support organisations that are aligned with our ambition of improving men’s mental health, and partner with @calmzone and donate 10% of profits to chosen good causes.
So if you like the sound of what we’re doing, please feel free to read our Journal for more behind the scenes info, share your feedback and ideas on future shirts and charitable donations and if one of our casual shirts takes your fancy, you’re more than welcome to try one of those too.
Meet Alec
Alec created his namesake’s brand to be different from other clothing labels both in product and daily operations. He wanted a shirt that was actually casual and one he wanted to wear on a regular basis, much like you would a t shirt. For this, the key elements were incredible fabrics, made to last construction, comfort, subtle details and a new, contemporary take on the wardrobe staple - the casual shirt.
In terms of daily operations, by taking a Digital First approach, Alec I-K can avoid the apparel industry issues of seasons, over production and subsequent incineration of unsold clothes. By only answering to our customers and ourselves, we have flexibility and control in our production processes and the ability to create exactly what our customers want – not what we tell them. It’s for this reason we invite customers to co-design future products should you wish and have your say on where they are made too.
Where clothes are made raises many questions around ethics and sustainability, which is why we make our clothes ethically and entirely in Portugal – world renowned for their artisanal skills, fair labour ethics and sustainable practices. We also use recycled and biodegradable cardboard for our packaging wherever possible.
Ultimately, Alec wants to benefit society, not only himself and the people that enjoy our clothes. It is for this reason Alec I-K supports organisations that are aligned with his own ambition of improving men’s mental health, a cause close to Alec’s heart due to his own experiences with those close to him. By donating 10% of all profits to chosen good causes, we can increase much needed funding for men’s mental health and openly talk about complex gender situations. Please read our Journal for more information.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is the first charity we have officially partnered with. We donate 5% of all profits to CALM, which fights against the biggest killer of men under 45 years old – suicide. Their goal is a life less miserable – for you, your friends, your family and for all men.