RESPONSIBILITY IN FASHION

BY MALENE BIRGER takes a holistic approach to responsibility in fashion. We prioritise beauty and longevity in design, and aim for a lower-impact output across the business. We consider both the versatility and timelessness of our collections to extend the lifecycle of our products and reduce raw material use. This includes paying careful attention to each phase in the product journey, from the fibres and materials used in our products’ creation, to the care instructions that will extend their efficacy, to their capacity for recycling when they eventually reach the end of their lives. We are dedicated to measuring our impact so that we can continue to make positive changes to our business, and to the industry at large.

OUR APPROACH

We recognise that bringing new products into the world is never going to be sustainable, in the truest definition of the word. But, since 2020, we have established several internal design principles to help achieve our goal of a lower-impact, circular approach as part of a wider audit of our responsibility philosophy. These principles include:

- Establishing our “Preferred Fibres” list, an internal tool we use to make decisions on the materials we use in collections, and which is available to view on our website.

- Moving away from conventional and synthetic materials that come from fossil-fuel-derived resources produced through chemical processes in order to work with natural fibres derived from renewable resources, and which are biodegradable when grown and manufactured under the right conditions.

- Where synthetic compositions are necessary for function – for example, stretch or waterproof properties – we endeavour to use recycled fibres where possible.

- Establishing the “Essentials” collection, a core collection of futureproof pieces that retain their aesthetic value and can be sold (and worn) year over year, helping to reduce excessive production and promote responsible consumption.

- Reducing our collection sizes from roughly 600 options to roughly 100, with a view to refining our offer even further, helping to reduce excessive production.

- Eschewing fleeting fashion trends in order to develop products that are season-less, versatile, and physically and emotionally durable, and that are executed in high-quality materials and a predominantly timeless, neutral colour palette.

- Auditing our internal processes and measuring our impact, with actions including an annual Communication on Progress (CoP) report according to United Nations Global Compact guidelines, and an annual greenhouse-gas emissions report.

- Collaborating with third-party organisations and certification systems to ensure transparency in our supply chain.

OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

We are committed to supply chain accountability, which we aim to achieve by creating long-term partnerships with our suppliers. All our main suppliers are audited on an annual basis, and all agree to adhere to our production agreement, our code of conduct, and our policies pertaining to animal welfare, anti-corruption, anti-slavery, anti-child labour and ethical sourcing, in addition to complying with national law and regulatory standards. To continue to improve the social performance of our supply chain, BY MALENE BIRGER is a member of the Amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI). More information about the BSCI platform can be found here.

We are committed to minimising the use of harmful chemicals in our production process. We conduct risk assessments on all collections and sample-test key products with a view to gaining greater visibility into the environmental impacts of our manufacturing process. We work with third-party companies including Bureau Veritas as well as local laboratories managed by the Eurofins network.

SOURCING

In order to ensure that we are observing best practices when it comes to sourcing materials, we have initiated membership and collaboration with the following organisations: Textile Exchange, Leather Working Group, Ethical Trade Denmark, Federation of Danish Fashion and Textile, The Danish Fashion Ethical Charter. We are aligned with the United Nations Global Compact and are committed to incorporating the Ten Principles into strategies, policies and procedures.

MATERIALS

We consider materials based on the intended use of a product while at the same time striving to maintain a holistic approach to circularity. We are committed to working with natural fibres derived from renewable sources – which are biodegradable when manufactured under the right conditions – over fuel-based inorganic or synthetic materials where possible. By 2030, we aim for 100% of the materials we use to be third-party certified, recycled, fast-renewing and/or biodegradable. We continue to conduct research into man-made innovations that promote circularity with a view to incorporating them into our supply chain in the future.

PREFERRED MATERIALS

Our “Preferred Fibres” list is an internal classification tool we use to sort fibres from best to better, and includes those that we deem acceptable and those that we will eventually phase out. Fibres that are third-party certified, recycled (generally possessing a lower carbon footprint), fast-renewing (promoting regenerative agricultural practices) and biodegradable (reducing pollution and providing a more sustainable end of life) score highest. This a work in progress, and will be continuously refined as we move towards becoming a more responsible brand.

Below are fibres that we are currently using, others that we may use or plan to use in time, and others that we plan to phase out by 2025. Fibres are categorised into four sections:

A Best Fibres – Fibres that are certified, recycled, fast-renewing and/or biodegradable, as well as responsible man-made innovations.

B Better Fibres – Fibres that are certified or traceable, and that have a lower impact in terms of ethical and environmental concerns.

C Acceptable Fibres – Fibres that are conventional, and conform to basic environmental and ethical standards

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D Substandard Fibres – Fibres that we aim to urgently phase out as quickly as possible, due to respective concerns over chemical usage, water usage, and animal welfare.

STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS

We are committed to working with third-party organisations to certify our materials and to promote best practice in issues ranging from animal welfare protection to chain of custody to land health preservation. In 2021 By Malene Birger became a certified brand sourcing wool and mohair from farms certified to the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS).

RESPONSIBLE WOOL AND MOHAIR STANDARD

The Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Mohair Standard are two standards which verify animal welfare and land management requirements, and track wool and mohair from source to final product. All Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Mohair Standard certified products are identifiable by the above label.

CONTACT

For specific queries about any of our responsibility initiatives, please contact CSR@bymalenebirger.com