OUR PROGRESS
BEING REALISTIC & TRANSPARENT
Can fashion be truly sustainable? It’s a question that sparks much debate. To be fully sustainable, we should only buy new clothes when the old are worn out. To be fashionable, we want to follow the trends and update our wardrobes seasonally. Our goal is to be as sustainable as possible while still being fashionable, and to do this we’ve set some key performance goals along the way.
First and foremost, we are committed to being honest and transparent. There is enough greenwashing in this world and we don’t want any part in that. Instead, we are committed to sharing both our successes and failures with you.
The fashion supply chain is complex (see our supply chain map here), with many factors to consider and much work required to challenge the less sustainable practices in places. Changing the way the industry works involves changing cultural mindsets, refusing to be limited by current boundaries and challenging traditions. Change won’t happen overnight, which is why we are in this for the long run.
VILDNIS' sustainable foundation is based on a concept called the ‘triple bottom line’. This means we measure our performance on the following three pillars: people, planet and profit. We will always share our annual targets and progress so you can follow the changes as they happen.
Each year we publish our short and long-term targets, so you know exactly what we’re working towards and how you can help to make a difference simply by choosing VILDNIS. You can find targets for our second year as well as our long and short-term targets below. Our annual reports are published in July each year.
Planet (environmental)
| LONG-TERM GOAL | WHAT IS INCLUDED? | SHORT-TERM GOAL 2020/2021 |
| All products to be designed for 100% recyclability | All product components; fabric, lining, thread and trims | 80% of products designed for recyclability |
| 100% of fabrics to be environmentally friendly (fabrics from MADE-BY.org category A&B only) | Main fabrics, lining fabrics. Takes fabric blends into consideration e.g. use of elastane | 100% of main fabrics and 100% of lining fabrics from A+B category (need to define according to HIGGS Index) |
| 100% of fabrics to be certified or branded | Main fabrics, lining fabrics | 100% of main fabrics to be either certified (organic or recycled) or branded |
| 100% of trims to be environmentally friendly (recycled, organic, eco-friendly) | Thread, buttons, zips, poppers, drawstrings, aglets, eyelets, rivets | Zips to be 'eco-friendly' |
| All dyestuff used to dye fabric fully compliant with REACH legislation | Chemicals used for dyeing, printing, finishing | All fabrics to be dyed compliant with REACH legislation |
| All dye stuffs and inks to be Oekotex certified | Dye and ink used for dyeing and printing of fabric | All print inks to be Oekotex certified |
| Print methods to be environmentally friendly (minimal energy & water usage) | Print method | All prints are digital |
| Dye methods to be environmentally friendly (minimal energy and water usage) | Dye method | N/A |
| Fabric finishing methods to be environmentally friendly | Antipilling, softening, anti shrinkage, print finishing, membranes, denim treatments, enzyme wash | All denim to be finished using watersaving G2, E-flow and lazer technology from Jeanologia |
| All labelling to be made of environmentally friendly materials (recycled, organic) | Hangtag, hangtag string/kimball, hangtag sticker, main label, care label | Hangtag, hangtag string and main label made from recycled/organic materials |
| All packaging to be made of environmentally friendly materials (recycled, biodegradable) | Polybags (supplier to warehouse), cartons, tissue paper, brand sticker, brand insert, returns form, mailing bag | Cartons, tissue paper, brand sticker, brand insert, returns form, mailing bag made from recycled materials. 50% of polybags to be made from recycled materials. |
| All factories to have an environmental policy | Recycling, energy usage (light bulbs etc) | Manufacturers having a recycling policy |
| All factories to hold an environmental certification | All links in supply chain up to - and including - manufacturers to hold the same certification | N/A |
| All couriers to be carbon neutral and have an environmental policy | Couriers from suppliers to office and from warehouse to customers | All couriers have an environmental policy. All courier journeys to be carbon offset |
| Transport mode to be most environmentally friendly (sea, road) and all transport carbon neutral | Transport from factories to warehouse | Offset all carbon usage for transport by air. 100% transport by road from European suppliers. |
| Minimise number of returns from customers | Number of returns from customers measured against number of orders | Stay below 20% returns rate (normal online retail returns rate between 25-40%) |
| Environmentally friendly office policy | Paperless, recycling, energy usage (light bulbs etc), folders | Recycle all paper & cartons. 100% of lightbulbs low energy, 100% of folders made from recycled material. Mobile phones charged via solar panels. |
| All support to charity go to initiatives preventing climate change and preserving nature | Profits from events and selected products | Profits from selected promotions to go to Rainforest Alliance. |
| Offer our customers a garment recycling service | Collections of worn garments | N/A |
People (social)
| LONG-TERM GOAL | WHAT IS INCLUDED? | SHORT-TERM GOAL 2020/2021 |
| Full visibility of the entire supply chain | Manufacturers (sewing/knitting), Subcontractors sewing, Dye Houses, Print Houses, Fabric Mills, Yarn Mills, Transporters, Couriers, Warehouse, Packaging suppliers | Overview to include manufacturers, fabric mills, print and dye houses |
| All workers in the supply chain to have good working conditions and be treated fairly | Annual factory audits, certifications | Manufacturers adhering to VILDNIS' ethical code of conduct. All manufacturers having passed an external audit such as, or equivalent to, SMETA |
| All workers in the supply chain to be paid a living wage | All wages throughout the supply chain | All workers to be paid above the national minimum wage. Skilled workers in manufacturing link being paid living wage |
| Support and encourage diversity amongst workers and equal remuneration of men and women | Wages throughout supply chain, percentage of men vs women | Discuss equality in workforce with manufacturers. |
| All fabrics/yarns containing animal fibres to be certified, guaranteeing that no animals were harmed in the process | Wool, merino wool, cashmere, alpaca, silk (peace silk), organic leather. No angora, lambswool or fur in the collection | If using animal fibres in the collection, use only non-mulesing certified and/or recycled fibres |
| Models used for imagery a size 10 to promote a healthy body image | Photo shoot models, fit models | Photo shoot model at least a size 8-10. Fit model a size 10/S |
| Models looking natural in imagery e.g. no retouching of body shapes | Photo shoot models | No retouching of model's body shape |
Profit (economic)
| LONG-TERM GOAL | WHAT IS INCLUDED? | SHORT-TERM GOAL 2020/2021 |
| Business to be profitable | N/A | |
| Business to grow organically | No outside investment | |
| Founders maintain share majority | Founders maintaining 75% of shares | |
| Investment only accepted from individuals who share our vision & values | N/A | |
| Business to create jobs | Head office | Offering regular work to at least 5 freelancers |
| Business paying corporate tax in countries it operates in | Fully compliant with UK tax regulations | |
| Suppliers paid fair prices for their products and services | Suppliers paid fair prices for products | |
| Customers offered an affordable product and value for money | Price within mid-level price range, quality to be of a high standard (fabric and workmanship) | Offer our customers realistic prices to maintain a viable business |
| Aspire to avoid promotions and sales to maintain a permanent affordable price point and discourage overconsumption | Promotions, sales | Limit the number of promotions and avoid participating in events that encourage over-consumption such as Black Friday |
ANNUAL REPORTING ONLINE
We work very hard to meet all our targets, but it’s inevitable that sometimes things don't go to plan – and sometimes they go much better than planned! That’s why we publish our annual reports online, sharing our progress and results in all three pillars of our bottom line: people, planet and profit.
Please find links to our reports below:
VILDNIS - Triple Bottom Line Report Y3 - 2019/2020