Sustainability Strategy Check-in | Edition 01

UPDATE - ACTIONABLE STEPS FORWARD

• Materials matter. We are shifting from BCI to organically grown cotton. As of SS22 one of our brands’ collections will be made with only organic cotton. For two of our other brands we will have seasonal capsules in organic cotton. If we look to our current season, SS21 we have started introducing Levi’s legwear and bodywear selected styles in organic cotton and we keep extending the offer season after season.
• Track n’ Trace is not only for your Amazon packages. In an effort to lower our inbound and outbound CO2 shipment emissions we are in the beginning stages of tracking where we currently stand. Working with Sustainalize; we are setting KPI’s and defining how to measure this in a correct way so we can act accordingly. With our aim to report in 2021 on the results of our CO2 emissions of 2020, a new dashboard will provide us with a visualisation of the KPI’s we defined to track and the outcomes we will continue to trace.
• A big priority of our Sourcing Department this year is to start mapping out our supply chain. We have started with our Tier 2 suppliers and are planning on having the biggest Tier 2 factories assessed (on both social and environmental). Eventually, our goal is to have total visibility and transparency in our supply chain. TBH, given the resources needed to map an organisation’s entire supply chain, this will most likely not happen in the near future.
• In guiding our sustainability journey, we are using the Higg BRM. It identifies hot spots and opportunities for improvement in environmental and social sustainability along our global value chain. It assesses the life cycle stages of a product as it goes through a company’s operations to identify risks and impacts. Based on the results of this assessment, we will create action lists and targets.

CELEBRATE - PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS

• Our seasonal PUMA swimwear outer fabrics are made from 100% sustainable materials with our men’s woven collection items constructed from PES recycled REPREVE. Our women’s knitted pieces are nearly there as well. Being constructed with 80% recycled nylon from MIPAN regen, Hyosung.
• Warehouses are ‘ware’ the magic happens! Our warehouse in Tilburg, NL has a ‘very good’ status from BREAAM. Using solar energy, we are powering the entire building - even in the never sunny Netherlands! Next to this, all separated carton, metal, wood and plastic in our warehouse is 100% recycled.
• We became proud members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition in 2020, and together with our suppliers we are using the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module on seven key areas; environmental management, energy, water, waste, wastewater and air & chemical management. There is much more to say here, but not enough space. If you want to know more about our scores, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

CULTIVATE - CONSCIOUSLY CURIOUS

• If we are being honest, we are finding the certification and standards process for products to be difficult. This is due to; several levels and tiers involved, the difficulty in tracing actions through the entire value chain, etc. This has not stopped us though. We are currently using GOTS, BCI, OEKO-TEX, ZDHC, & Blue Sign for some of our products, while continuing to look into more.
• Bring on the plant-based dyeing. For a few seasons now we have been using this technique for some of our Levi’s socks. Extracted from multiple plants and herbs like turmeric, acorn shells and log wood, this process uses ecological auxiliaries, like mineral-driven oxygen bleaching and plant-based smoothening softeners instead of traditional chemical ones. All working on reducing water usage and reducing toxic wastewater. You can see a bit into the process via one of our yarn suppliers IndieDye® - Natural Color.
• We are currently diving into 3D design, seeing what’s out there and what’s possible. From technical changes, colour changes to packaging updates, everything could be updated in the system without having to produce an actual sample. Less waste. Faster turnarounds. A real win-win.
• Together with our stichd family, we are exploring how to use our ERP system to enhance our sustainability performance. We launched a digital post-it collaborative board for our employees to share their sustainability ideas on how we can improve our company processes. We will use this to enable business transformation such as being a paperless organization. Emphasizing the collaborative and bottom-up approach in moving stichd forward.

That’s the name of our game, and making a positive impact is our endgame. We’ll be back with a new report towards the end of ’21. Until then, keep impacting!

Downloadable version available here.