What We're Made Of

With the data we collected in our life cycle study, we developed a method for our designers to quantify – with precision – how new designs impact the environment when those designs are still ideas. Armed with this new knowledge, our designers can make better choices from the very beginning to create the most fashionable styles with a smaller carbon footprint, using less water, and minimizing the environmental impact.

Another benefit of our research is that we’re able to share more information about the environmental impact of our products with you, the consumer, and the factories that make our products. This adds a whole new level of transparency. For you, this means more power to shop with your values. For our suppliers, the information provides an opportunity to continue partnering with us on ongoing improvements in environmental performance.

As part of our commitment to transparency, we measured the environmental impact of making 11 of our products. The impact of each was assessed in the following categories, which environmental scientists and life cycle experts use to calculate overall environmental impact.

• Contribution to climate change– Quantifies amount of  green house gas emissions.
• Energy use– Quantifies how much energy is used in production
• Renewable energy use– Percent of energy use from renewable sources
• Water consumption– Shows water usage, measured in cubic meters
• Land occupation – Amount of land needed to produce a product
• Qualified sustainably grown fiber content– A content analysis of fibers grown under a recognized cultivation program to address areas of sustainability
• Waste generation – Surveys the primary solid waste content during production and finishing
• Materials efficiency– How much of the primary materials end up in the final product
• Recycled content– Assesses the amount of materials used from post-consumer recycled sources
• Land transformation– Amount of land transformed from its original state by production
• Eutrophication – Measures impact of harmful nutrients discharged to freshwater bodies

As much as possible, we strive to use the actual, primary data on environmental impact rather than industry averages or proxy indicators.  We do this to obtain the most accurate measure possible of environmental impact.

We’ve started with 11 products and the goal of mining primary, original data from those products to share with consumers, other companies and third party organizations. Our hope is that this transparency will eventually be used as a consumer tool to compare products, and, ultimately, influence sustainability practices across the apparel industry. Consumers can expect to see this data for our entire collection in the coming years.

See resulting environmental impact information from our first 11 products here. For more detailed information about our product assessments, download our study.