There is a sense of inertia in our industry when it comes to sustainable clothing production. Change is costly, and the market resists additional expenses. And because the cost of social injustice or of environmental exploitation – in a system where economic consideration prevails – are not yet valued costs the way value is perceived in our business and in the price of a piece of garment.

So, persistence – or grit – is essential. Changing the status quo demands that we maintain our high standards. We firmly believe that social and environmental concerns must be valued equally with profitability. While profit should be healthy and ensure our resilience, it shouldn’t be optimized for the mere sake of it.

This year, resistance in terms of profit was not possible, but still, we upheld our standards. As a value-driven organization with a holistic view of our place in the world, we see no alternative. Our journey of learning and making informed decisions aligns with our values, and we will stay on our path of learning and making informed choices, which feels right.

Our current holistic strategy towards a more sustainable business is making an impact throughout the organization. Over the years, we have maintained a strong focus on our choices when it comes to our products and how they are made, but we know that anchoring this strategy in the entire organization gets everyone on board.

Every team member takes pride in participating. For our colleagues in the warehouse, reusing materials has become second nature. Our marketing team ensures that the basis for our tone of voice is that we can document all our claims. The kitchen focuses on zero food waste. Customer service works on consolidating orders to reduce shipments, while our eCommerce team strives to minimize returns.

At the same time, our emphasis on impact measurement helps us understand the true value of our choices. This year, we expanded our ESG data to include CO2 emissions from product transportation – in and out – through collaborating with our transport partners. While we believe our choices are sound, data will confirm this and guide future decisions.