Sustainability

 

 

For us, sustainability is an ongoing journey. It is a commitment we make every day through the many decisions we make as a business. Each decision, no matter how small, contributes towards an economy and society which values people, animals and nature.

We realise we have a long way to go and we face new challenges every day, but we will continue working on our commitment to be a responsible fashion business focused on designing and making products which maintain their quality and relevance over time.

 

PEOPLE

We have a responsibility to ensure that we work with manufacturers and suppliers who share our values and treat their workers fairly and with respect. We have worked hard to build strong relationships with our factories and suppliers in Europe and South Korea, and we visit regularly in order to maintain our confidence in their work practices and manufacturing quality.

Our manufacturing partners are required to sign our Supplier Code of Conduct which outlines the ethical and environmental standards we expect to be upheld throughout the supply chain. Read our Supplier Code of Conduct here

 

ANIMAL WELFARE

We use luxury materials like wool, alpaca, silk and leather within our collections because of their quality, longevity and the fact that they require very little water and energy use in caring for them. Whilst we are not a vegetarian brand, we are committed to upholding the best animal welfare standards and as such there are certain materials or fibres we do not use because they pose a significant risk.

We do not use:

  • Fur
  • Exotic skins
  • Angora
  • Down or feathers that are not certified by the Responsible Down Standard or Traceable Down Standard
  • Merino wool that is not certified mulesing free

 

MATERIALS & PROCESSES 

Sustainability starts with making conscious decisions to create products that last a long time both in their craftsmanship and design. We are not interested in creating products that promote a short lived trend. For every product we make we carefully consider the aesthetic, quality, functionality and sustainability attributes of the materials we source, and we have been working hard to build the right network of suppliers which can support our goal to source and develop environmentally preferred materials - which include:

  • GOTS certified organic cotton
  • Recycled cotton 
  • GOTS certified organic linen
  • Recycled linen
  • GOTS certified organic silk
  • Hemp
  • Recycled cashmere certified by GRS
  • Recycled wool 
  • Wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard
  • Alpaca which is traced back to the farm
  • Lenzing tencel and lyocell
  • Naia 
  • Certified Responsibly-sourced Viscose
  • Recycled polyester 
  • Leather from tanneries rated gold, silver or bronze by the Leather Working Group

 

We will continue to source more of our preferred materials whilst using less materials like virgin polyester and conventional cotton, however there are some materials and processes we have completely eliminated because of their demonstrable impact.

We do not use:

  • Acrylic fur 
  • PVC
  • Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs are used in some waterproof coatings and contaminate waterways)
  • Sandblasting (Sometimes used in denim treatment and is hazardous to human health)

We source materials certified by Oeko-tex 100 wherever possible and all of our prints are screen printed with water based inks, a low impact alternative to conventional plastisol inks. We also carry out tests on materials and finishings to ensure they meet the chemical standards outlined in our Code of Conduct. 

 

PACKAGING 

With an aim to reduce waste, we keep all of our packaging to a minimum. When necessary we use recycled or Certified Responsibly-sourced paper or cardboard and in an effort to eliminate single use plastic from our supply chain we have switched our conventional garment polybags to a compostable alternative. 

We've partnered with Canopy, an NGO dedicated to protecting the world's forests by supporting businesses with innovative solutions and better sourcing practices. Read our full commitment to protect forests through our paper, packaging and fabric choices here

 

GARMENT CARE

You can help your garments last longer and reduce their environmental impact by caring from them properly. We encourage our customers to:

  • Wash your clothes less (spot clean wherever possible)
  • Wash on low temperatures (on 30 degrees or less)
  • Avoid tumble drying
  • Iron less (hang your clothes to dry)
  • Only dry clean when absolutely necessary and use an eco-friendly service
  • Repair and keep your garments (please contact us if you have any questions)

 

We hope that you cherish your Rejina Pyo products for a long long time, and if the time comes you wish to part ways with one of your pieces we encourage you to 

  • Gift or swap with a sibling, parent or friend (hopefully they will love it as much as you did)
  • Sell it on a leading luxury resale platform such as the Vestiaire Collective or TheRealReal