CERTIFIED ORGANIC CLOTHING

We use 100% organic cotton to make our clothes, apart from our collection of knitwear which is made up of a variety of materials including cotton, merino & lambswool.

Conventional cotton is one of the most widely grown crops in the world and one of the most chemical-­intensive. These highly toxic chemicals have a tremendous impact on the earth’s air, water, soil, and the health of people in cotton-growing areas.

In contrast, organic cotton is grown without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides or defoliants, using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. It also uses a staggering 91% less water than conventional cotton, which usually comes from rainwater rather than irrigation. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility and build biologically diverse agriculture.

Organic cotton is of a higher quality to standard cotton, so not only is it more durable and will last longer, but it is also softer and kinder to the skin. It is also kinder on the people who produce it.

Where it is necessary, in a limited numbers of our items in our collection, we use a small mix of polyester with organic cotton. But we have opted to used recycled polyester in an effort to be as sustainable as possible and give a second life to a material that’s not biodegradable and would otherwise end up in landfill or the ocean.

CERTIFICATIONS BEHIND YOUR CLOTHES

GLOBAL ORGANIC COTTON TEXTILES STANDARD (GOTS)

GOTS is the Global Organic Textile Standard label - the strictest certification for textiles made from organic fibres. GOTS tracks the entire chain of production from farm to factory: from the harvesting of cotton and the weaving of fibres to the assembly of items and the final product before printing, even including the export of our clothing! It certifies that the cotton is GMO-free, grown without the use of chemicals and processed and dyed without using any banned toxic substances.

GOTS also ensures compliance with the labour standards of the International Labour Organisation throughout the chain of production.

STANDARD 100 OEKO-TEX

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a bit of mouthful, but it’s a big one for us, because it certifies the absence of harmful chemical substances - one of the big problems a heavily polluting fashion industry must solve in an effort to create a more sustainable future. This independent testing and certification system ensures that all raw, semi-finished and finished textile products are processed in a way that prioritises against the use of potentially harmful substances even where they are not (yet) legally banned. We believe it’s important to take a forward-thinking approach to help keep harmful chemicals out of your clothing.

PETA VEGAN APPROVED

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Vegan approved means there are no animal products involved in any part of the creation of the garment. Whether you are a fully-fledged vegan or not, our goal is to create a sustainable collection of clothing and accessories that ensures the ethical treatment of animals.

FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION

The Fair Wear Foundation is a non-profit organisation which supports workers in the garment industry helping them to realise their rights to safe, dignified, properly paid employment. We think the fashion industry has for too long acted without proper care and consideration for the awesome people who go to work every day to make our clothes and so an organisation that works to protect and promote the rights of garment workers around the world takes on legendary status for us.

The basis of the collaboration between Fair Wear and their members is the Code of Labour Practices. The core of this code is made up from eight labour standards derived from the UN’s Declaration on Human Rights. They include: no discrimination in employment, no exploitation of child labour, payment of a living wage and safe and healthy working conditions.

Some garments have been made in facilities powered by green renewable energy. Their carbon footprint has been reduced by around 90% with these calculations certified under the PAS2050 standard.

We use 100% FSC Certified Brown Paper Mailing Bags and our garment bags are a combination of Biodegradable & Compostable and water soluble.

We want you to feel confident that when you buy from Absolutely Bear, you are minimising your impact on the planet.

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