THE BRAND
A thirty-year-old knitwear house, still run by the designer who founded it — from Bali, one sweater at a time.
1992 · BALI
In 1992, Colombian-born designer Paola Buendía went backpacking through Indonesia — she'd just spent a year doing grassroots environmental work and was burned out. A short stopover in Bali turned into a life.
"I was blown away by the nature, the sense of freedom, and the possibilities," she says. "I also realized fashion could be more than a passion — it could be the work of my life." Bali has been home, and the workshop, ever since.
HOW IT'S MADE
Wooden Ships runs on lean, made-to-order production: the workshop knits exactly what's been ordered and nothing more. No inventory built on what might sell, no end-of-season dumping.
Because there's no rush to churn out stock, there's time to make each sweater properly — which is why the return rate is a fraction of the industry's. As Paola puts it, Wooden Ships is the "comfort food" of fashion: relaxed, slouchy, and made to be kept.
GIVING BACK
Paola spent a year doing grassroots environmental work before Bali, and that never left the brand. In 2014 Wooden Ships joined a rainforest program that helped protect 700 of the world's last endangered Bornean orangutans, and it still supports orangutan protection in Indonesia.
It donates regularly to EarthJustice, Sea Shepherd International, the International Rescue Committee, Amazon Watch, WildAid, the Environmental Defense Fund, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation, Health in Harmony and more.
At the Bali factory, a training program has brought women into machine knitting, a job traditionally done by men; today more than 60% of the knitters are women. About 85% of the energy comes from solar, and yarn scraps are donated locally to stuff pillows and dolls.
Who doesn't love a cozy sweater? It's primal.
Paola Buendía, founder & designer
Started by Paola Buendía after a backpacking trip to Bali, where she still lives and works.
Made-to-order — the workshop knits exactly what's been bought.
No rush to build stock means time to make each piece carefully.
Orangutan protection, EarthJustice, Sea Shepherd, IRC, WildAid and more.
The Wooden Ships knits, in stock now.
Shop Wooden Ships →On eligible U.S. orders $125+.
Easy, no-cost returns on eligible U.S. orders.
Available in eligible local areas when offered at checkout.
Choose store pickup when offered at checkout.
