The Bryan van Haughton Sustainability Report:
Our Commitment to a More Sustainable Fashion Industry.
I. Introduction
We are Bryan van Haughton, a sustainable fashion brand committed to reducing our environmental impact and delivering stylish, high-quality garments. As a made-to-order, inventory-free brand, we are dedicated to minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency.
Our sustainability efforts include a pledge to discontinue the use of virgin (non-recycled) polyester fiber in all of our products by 2025. In addition, we have committed 10% of our e-commerce revenue to climate action through Stripe Climate, a platform that supports projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions and fighting climate change.
We also use compostable poly mailers when shipping orders, further reducing our environmental footprint.
In this report, we will provide a detailed overview of our sustainability practices, including our production model, materials, and supply chain. We will also highlight the ways in which we are taking steps to reduce our impact on the environment and support climate action.
II. Sustainability Goals and Practices
At Bryan van Haughton, we are committed to reducing our environmental impact and promoting sustainability in the fashion industry. To achieve this, we have set ambitious goals and implemented various practices to ensure we are doing our part to create a more sustainable future.
Our primary sustainability goal is to discontinue the use of virgin polyester fiber in all our products by 2025. Polyester is a synthetic material that is non-biodegradable and contributes to the proliferation of plastic waste in the environment. We are actively exploring sustainable alternatives to polyester that meet our quality and design standards, such as silk, bamboo, organic cotton and linen, recycled nylon, recycled polyester, Lyocell, and Tencel.
To offset the potential environmental impact of our production and shipping processes, we have committed to donating 10% of our e-commerce revenue to climate action through Stripe Climate. This allows us to support a range of global projects that help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development (more information in section III).
In addition to our specific sustainability goals, we have also implemented various practices throughout our production process to reduce waste and minimize our environmental footprint. We use a made-to-order production model, which means that we only produce items when they are ordered by customers, rather than creating excess inventory. This also allows us to accommodate custom orders and reduce waste from overproduction.
We also use compostable poly mailers when shipping orders, which break down in the environment and minimize the use of non-biodegradable plastics. Finally, we are committed to ongoing research and development to identify new sustainability practices and materials that we can incorporate into our business.
Small Accessories
At the Bryan van Haughton brand, we believe that every piece of fabric deserves a purpose. That is why we have created a line of small accessories from the scraps left behind during the sample development and production of our styles cut from satin, as well as from our in-house selection of deadstock fabric.
Our small accessories currently consist of satin scrunchies, non-medical satin face masks, and satin square scarves made from test fabric for our custom prints. We intend to continue offering these accessories until all available fabric is used. Any fabric scraps collected during each collection's sampling process that are not suitable for the current offering of small accessories are stored in small boxes for later use.
We are committed to finding a purpose for every scrap of fabric and are currently working to create a plan for the use of these boxed scraps. We believe that by utilizing our scraps, we can reduce waste and further minimize our environmental impact.
Deadstock Fabric Use
At Bryan van Haughton, we're committed to reducing our environmental impact and promoting sustainable fashion. That's why we've made a conscious effort to incorporate deadstock materials into our collections. Deadstock refers to unused fabric that would otherwise be discarded and end up in landfills. By repurposing this material, we're not only reducing waste but also creating unique pieces that have a smaller carbon footprint. By using deadstock materials, we're able to reduce our reliance on new, virgin materials and do our part to make the fashion industry more sustainable.
III. Climate Action Commitments
Bryan van Haughton is committed to taking action to reduce its environmental impact and recognizes the critical role that businesses play in addressing climate change. To this end, we have partnered with Stripe Climate, a program that allows businesses to direct a portion of our revenue to fund innovative carbon removal technologies.
Bryan van Haughton commits to dedicating 10% of e-commerce revenue to climate action through Stripe Climate. This commitment is part of our broader efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices in the fashion industry. To date, we have contributed $11.38 which will hopefully increase dramatically over the next 12 months based on sales volume.
As the company scales, we intend to gradually increase our contribution percentage to balance our commitment to sustainability with our financial stability. Beginning with the revenue bracket of $1K-$10K, we will contribute an additional 1% for each $5K in annual sales. For example, at an annual revenue of $15K, our contribution will be 11%, at $20K, our contribution will be 12%, and so on. Our maximum contribution percentage will be capped at 20% for annual revenue above $100K.
In addition to our financial commitment to climate action, Bryan van Haughton is committed to exploring new ways to reduce our environmental impact, from sourcing sustainable materials to implementing more energy-efficient production practices. We recognize that achieving true sustainability requires ongoing effort and innovation, and we are committed to working toward a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.
IV. Transparency and Accountability
At Bryan van Haughton, we value transparency and accountability in all aspects of our business. We believe in providing our customers with the information they need to make informed decisions about the products they purchase and the impact those products have on the environment.
To that end, we are committed to regularly sharing updates on our sustainability goals and practices, as well as our progress toward achieving them. We understand that transparency is essential to building trust with our customers and driving meaningful change in the fashion industry.
In addition to our sustainability report, we will also be sharing updates on our website and social media channels, including information on our supply chain and production processes, as well as any new sustainability initiatives we undertake.
V. Conclusion and Next Steps
In this report, we have highlighted our commitment to sustainability and climate action. We have discussed our goal to discontinue the use of virgin (non-recycled) polyester fiber in all products by 2025, as well as our production model that is made-to-order and inventory-free. We have also discussed our commitment to climate action, including our 10% e-commerce revenue donation to Stripe Climate.
We have taken steps to reduce waste by using compostable poly mailers when shipping orders and repurposing fabric scraps to create small accessories. We have also emphasized transparency and accountability by sharing our sustainability goals, practices, and commitments.
Moving forward, we will continue to explore ways to improve our sustainability efforts. One area of focus will be the use of fabric scraps stored from each collection's sampling process, and we are working to develop a plan for the use of these scraps in a sustainable manner, in addition to our current process of producing our line of small accessories.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond the actions listed in this report. We are actively pursuing industry sustainability certifications and working to source OEKO-TEX-certified fabrics for future collections as we increase our internal revenue. We are dedicated to continuing to improve our sustainability practices and will provide updates on our progress in future reports.
We recognize that there is always room for improvement and that sustainability is an ongoing journey. As such, we welcome feedback and input from our customers and stakeholders on how we can continue to improve our practices and reduce our environmental impact. Together, we can create a more sustainable and equitable fashion industry!