READY TO WEAR
Approximately 70% of a garment’s environmental footprint takes place in the production phase, and it is also during this phase that the opportunity for reducing its footprint is the greatest. Based on this we have defined two main priorities for our ready-to-wear line; designing for longevity and accelerating the use of sustainably sourced materials.
We are committed to sourcing high quality materials with the lowest possible environmental impact. In 2021 76% of our ready-to-wear products were made using sustainably sourced materials. Our goal is to reach 90% by 2023.
To track our progress we have established a tool for sourcing materials. We sought knowledge from industry standards, textile experts and best practices to create the Low Impact Material Index. The index is divided into four categories: recommended, satisfactory, discouraged, and avoid, and we define a material as low impact when placed in either the recommended or satisfactory column. This indicates that at least 80% of the main material composition is third-party certified or proven to have a lower environmental impact compared to its conventional counterparts.
Look for the low impact tag when shopping at tomwoodproject.com to shop our low impact products and to read more about how they are made.
Circular Initiatives: Deadstock Materials
We have introduced deadstock fabrics to our ready-to-wear collections as a means to reduce textile waste and to make sure already existing fabrics are being repurposed and kept out of landfill. We use carefully selected deadstock wool from a family-owned company in the recognized Biella province in Northern Italy, known for their superior quality yarns and spinning techniques.
LOW IMPACT DENIM
We are passionate about denim, but we are also aware of the large amount of natural resources that goes into making a single pair of jeans. We launched our first Low Impact Denim collection in 2020, and all our denim is produced in Italy using 100% certified organic cotton.
Through our Low Impact Denim collections we are investing in partnerships with innovators and factories who have the necessary technology and who share our desire to innovate and change. We work with jeans manufacturer Blueline, denim fabric suppliers Candiani and Evlox, and the finishing technology experts in Jeanologia to create our Low Impact Denim collections. The process of garment making is complex and below we highlight the most important ones for us.
| GOTS certified organic cotton All our Low Impact Denim is made with organic cotton. This ensures that our denim meets strict environmental and social standards from field to finished product. |
No Harmful Chemicals |
| Water conservation Water consumption is one of the biggest environmental issues related to the process of producing denim. By using different water saving techniques such as dry ozone treatment, handmade scrapings and stone washing with natural enzymes we are able to make high-quality garments with an authentic look and a lower environmental impact. |
Natural Trims |
Low Impact packaging
Our Low Impact Denim are packaged in poly bags made out of 100% recycled plastic which uses fewer natural resources and less energy than traditional, non-recycled plastic.
Environmental Impact Measuring (EIM) – powered by Jeanologia ®
EIM is a measurement tool developed by the Spanish denim experts Jeanologia ®, that can assess the environmental impact of garment finishing processes by measuring key factors like water and energy consumption, the use of chemicals and the health and safety of workers. Based on these calculations, the garment is given a score of 0-100, 0-33 indicating low impact, 34-66 medium impact and 67-100 high impact. Tom Wood’s Low Impact Denim collection has received an EIM score of 0-33, indicating that the process of making the jeans has had a low impact on the environment. By measuring the current impact, it is easier for brands to identify areas of improvement, define actions and monitor them to become more sustainable.
LOW IMPACT JERSEY
Our Low Impact Jersey collections are made with 100% certified organic cotton and manufactured in Portugal. The collections consist of classic wardrobe staples such as t-shirts, rib jersey, hoodies and sweatshirts.
Based on findings from the 2020 material baseline evaluation cotton was the most prevalent fibre in our collections, and traditional cotton production is known to be water and chemical intensive. In 2020 we made the transition to organic cotton for all our jersey, resulting in our low impact jersey collection being made with 100% certified organic cotton.
Organic cotton
Cultivating organic cotton requires less water and energy, but even more importantly it sustains the health of the soil, ecosystems and people by using natural processes rather than artificial ones. Organic farming does not allow the use of toxic chemicals or GMOs. Instead, it combines tradition and innovation to benefit the shared environment, thereby promoting a better quality of life for everyone involved.
