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Production
Strategy for Aritzia
CURRENTLY:
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In terms of practices implemented throughout the production processes, Aritzia has made various steps to drive environmental sustainability throughout its manufacturing supply chain.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS:
• Higg Index To monitor the environmental performance of its supply chain partners, Aritzia adopted the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) in 2018, an industry tool created by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The Higg FEM is a self-assessment tool used by suppliers to report on their environmental management and performance against seven key areas: energy management systems, water, effluent, chemicals, energy, emissions and waste.By 2020 independant Higg FEM self-assessment had been completed at strategic facilites, which make up over 60 per cent of Aritzia’s finished goods apparel factories11 .
MATERIAL SOURCING:
• Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Aritzia joined the Better Cotton Initiative in 2017. The initiative upholds the following principles12: •Minimize the use of harmful pesticides and preserve fibre qaulity •Care for water and land stewardship •Enhance biodiveristy and responsible land use
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS) Every step of Aritzia’s supply chain, down to the farm has been inspected by an accredited independent certification body that upholds the RDS’s strict requirements - ensuring Aritzia’s down is sourced from geese who receive adequate food, shelter, space and fresh water and who are never live-plucked13 .
APPAREL GOODS FINISHING:
• GreenScreen® Certification Aritzia’s Italian denim manufacturers, use a bio-based softener that’s GreenScreen® certified, paired with laser technology, that reduces the use of water and harmful chemicals in distressing and finishing denim14 .
Manual for a Sustainable Approach
PRODUCTION
Strategy for Aritzia
OPPORTUNITIES:
The main opportunites Aritzia faces in optimizing its efforts in achiving environmental sustainability across its manufacturing supply chain have to do not only with individual certifications, but with considering the big picture. Metrics matter and combined with radical transparency, Aritzia’s efforts can be validated and maximized. To achive this, Aritzia should focus on: • Public transparency with declaring where the company stands in terms of quanitative and qualitative Higg Index results (year over year)
• Consumer transparency in regards to the environmental impact of every garment/SKU
• Adopting, even if only for one in-house brand, the Cradle to Cradle strategy15
HIGG INDEX RESULTS
• With sustainability, the most pivotal factor is transparency. Declaring Aritzia’s Higg Index results either annually, or quarterly (with its financial statements to the public shareholders), the company will provide insight not only to the relevant stakeholders, but to consumers. Transparency with achieved sustainbility milestones, as well as areas where the company fell short are paramount. • This will indirectly increase the value of the products itself, as consumers and shareholders would be able to better understand how their money is impacting the company’s sustainability performance.
GARMENT IMPACT SCALE
• To reinforce the idea of radical transparency, Aritzia should take it a step further. The company should develop a comprehensive environmental impact disclosure system, that communicates the environmental impact of each and every product, through both labeling and its website. • This would allow for greater transparency surrounding sustainability, would speak to the importance sustainability holds within Aritzia’s business and would also work to educate the consumer.
CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFIED™ (C2C)
• The C2C Certified Products Program targets safe chemistry; by going deeper into the supply chain, and integrating “design for next use” into the chemistry itself. C2C promotes the idea of separating the biological and technical resource loops, as the next step in reinforcing sustainbility within the production system16 . • By separating these two resource loops Aritzia will be able to support efforts in recycling and repurposing post-consumer clothing waste.
PRODUCTION
TRANSPARENCY WITH SUSTAINABILITY REPORT Business case: H&M
Industry Trends
• H&M has spent the last two decades restructuring its operations towards achieving greater sustainbility and showing consumers that the pillars of this process rely on transparency. For that reason H&M has released an annual Sustainability Report since 2001, as well as reports in accordance with GRI Standards: Core Option since 201617 .
GARMENT IMPACT SCALE Business case: REFORMATION • RefScale is a tool that tracks Reformation’s environmental footprint by adding up the pounds of carbon dioxide emitted, gallons of water used, and pounds of waste generated. The whole equa- tion follows the lifecycle of their clothes —every thing from growing textile fibers and making fabric, dyeing, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, garment care, and recycling.This information is on every product page of their website aiming to educate and empower consumers18 . SEPARATING RESOURCE LOOPS THROUGH CRADLE TO CRADLE Business case: A.BCH • A.BCH’s Courtney Holm decided when she started her brand that resource circularity will be pivotal to achieving sustainability. For this reason she has chosen for her products to remain within the bilogical system stream, by eliminating all matrieal blends and ensuring every single part of a garment is biodegradable, down to the trims and notions. This method of design and production helps to consider the product end-of-life19 .