COST TRANSPARENCY, WITH BARENGO

COST TRANSPARENCY IS ABOUT SAYING THE TRUTH ON PRODUCTION

We always hear about transparency in supply chains, which is extremely important to understand where our clothes come from, who has participated in the making of them, from the extraction of raw materials, to the making of auxiliary materials and pieces. However, we hear less about cost transparency, which is an even more radical concept. 

How much money is going to the people who contribute to the making of fashion? How is the price tag distributed across the supply chain? Consumers aren’t used to asking such questions, as brands believe they might not want to pay for a piece if they knew how much the factory was paid. However, shouldn’t more expensive items simply mean higher quality, and more expensive materials and processes? 

As we have been asking ourselves the best way to bring this topic to our readers, we were at Denim PV in Milan and met the perfect person to interview for the article. A few days later, Virginia was in Federico Barengo’s workshop, asking open questions on cost transparency. 

A CONVERSATION WITH FEDERICO BARENGO OF GARMENT WORKSHOP

What if we knew exactly what went into the clothes we wear? Not just the design and fabric, but the hands that made them, the hours behind them, and the price tag that reflects it all?

Federico Barengo, the mind behind Garment Workshop, believes we deserve that kind of honesty. And he's applying the same mindset to what he wears and produces. 

“I wouldn’t produce something if it’s not the quality and price that I would like to wear and buy.” —Federico Barengo

Born and raised in Rome, trained as an architect, and seasoned by years working with Tomorrow LTD, Federico decided to carve his own path. In 2021, he launched Garment Workshop: a label rooted in slow, thoughtful production, where cost transparency is his belief system.

COST TRANSPARENCY: MORE THAN NUMBERS

The very first post from Garment Workshop was about cost transparency. It wasn’t polished marketing, it was a breakdown of fabrics, of labor, of embroidery and of packaging.

But it didn’t stop there.

Federico points out that the costs we don’t see (sampling, travel, taxes, development, and even paying his own team) make up a huge part of the reality most brands never share. “People often say: are you crazy, revealing all your secrets?” he laughs. But for him, this isn’t about giving away trade secrets. It’s about creating a deeper understanding of what goes into a well-made garment.

And it’s working, because consumers are thanking him for it, and are getting educated on fashion production thanks to his transparency! 

THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF TRANSPARENCY

Cost transparency isn’t always a comfortable conversation. When people see a 3x markup, their instinct might be to think they’re being ripped off, however, Federico explains: “Most people don’t realise how much it takes to keep a small brand running; paying for sustainable and high quality ateliers for production, fair wages, covering rent, funding R&D, and still trying to be sustainable.”

Sometimes suppliers aren’t used to receiving costing transparency questions about materials, but Federico has to explain that he isn’t asking those questions to lower prices, but because he wants to share with the wider world how production transparency and cost transparency are inseparable. 

Knowing who made something and how it was made should go hand-in-hand with what it costs to make it.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF ASPIRATIONAL

In a world of curated Instagram feeds and polished fashion campaigns, Federico’s approach is raw, sometimes literally. His videos show factories, artisans at work, and the real process behind every piece.

That choice has its limits, as people are more used to seeing their dream clothes worn by models in idyllic locations. However, Federico has got inspiration and support from the denim community, where authenticity matters more than aspirational aesthetics.

“With raw denim, people care about the product, not the campaign,” he says.

That’s why Garment Workshop continues to work with partners like ACM, Candiani, NextPrinting, Tonello, and Sei Laser, names of the top fabric and machinery suppliers, that only customers who care about how their jeans are made know.

HOW TO HANDLE THE "SUSTAINABILITY IS TOO EXPENSIVE" MYTH

If you've ever said, “I can’t afford sustainability,” Federico has a counterpoint: “We’re all full of clothes already.”

He explains that the real issue isn’t price, it’s perception. Most people think buying 10 cheap things a month is normal, but if they bought one quality piece instead, that is worn tens and tens of times, the cost would likely even out. This is the concept of ‘price per wear.’

We did a small exercise together calculating the price difference for organic cotton on a piece of jeans. According to Textile Exchange, organic cotton typically costs 20-30% more than conventional cotton. But when you calculate that into a pair of jeans, the difference is about 1€, barely noticeable one could say. Still, some brands might charge 50€ more for the “organic” version. So, where’s the rest of that margin going? 

Usually, not back into the supply chain. Not into better wages or regenerative practices. Most of it gets funneled into marketing, brand prestige, and the cycle of selling more.. 

That’s why cost transparency matters. Not to make us feel bad about our choices, but to help us make informed ones. It’s about pausing before that impulse buy and asking, Who made this? How was it made? What am I really paying for?

SHIFTING THE POWER BACK TO MAKERS

For Federico, transparency isn’t just about informing consumers, it’s about elevating artisans.

“Consumers are tricked into thinking brands do the work,” he says. “But it’s a complete lie.”

By revealing the true value of skilled labor, he’s not just educating customers, he’s honoring the people behind the pieces. And in doing so, he’s helping to re-center the narrative around craftsmanship, not branding.

In a world that still celebrates speed and scale, Garment Workshop offers a quieter, deeper vision: one where clothes are made thoughtfully, priced honestly, and worn proudly.

As Federico reminds us, this is a slow journey. But with every cost breakdown, every behind-the-scenes video, and every conversation started, we take one step closer to a fashion system that respects both the product and the people.

And honestly, that’s the kind of transparency we need more of! 

CONCLUSIONS 

What brand would feel comfortable publishing an unfair distribution of profits, where consumers were paying for cheap polyester processed in unfair conditions? Transparency would only come after a major improvement in the fashion industry towards a more balanced payment system.

There isn’t sustainability if there isn’t a fair distribution of profits. We dream of a world where all brands were fairly paying their materials, processes, and people, and beyond publishing a sustainability report, they would also publish the percentage of the price tag going to each supply chain step. 

Thank you Barengo for sharing your thoughts with us! 

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Want to see how a garment is really made? Head over to Garment Workshop to explore more. And as always, stay curious, conscious, and kind. 

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