Cotton

Cotton is the most used fabric on Earth, accounting for over half of the world’s fibre needs. However, the use of conventional cotton has a negative impact on the planet through high water usage. It also uses more pesticides than any other crop.

Where we can, we use organic cotton. This creates healthy soil that locks in carbon and emits up to 46% fewer greenhouse gases than conventional cotton. Meanwhile, it requires up to 91% less water and doesn’t use harmful pesticides that leach into the environment. Its fibres are longer and stronger than conventional cotton so your clothes last longer. Our cotton is free from exploitation and we don’t source from Xinjiang, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.

Organic cotton only represents 1% of the total amount of cotton grown on the planet and therefore it’s in high demand. When we can’t secure organic cotton, we support the use of transitional. This is grown by farmers who are in the process of switching from traditional cotton farming methods to organic. The goal of transitional cotton is to create a more sustainable industry that benefits from both the environment and the people involved in its production.

We use cotton which falls into one of the following certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Cotton Standard 100 (OCS100), Fairtrade (by Flocert), Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and the BCI (Better Cotton Initiative).

We’re also working closely with our suppliers in Greece to utilise their supply of fully traceable, cotton which:

Uses blockchain to track its production

Originates from non-GMO cotton seeds

Promotes sustainable farming practices

Controls the use of water sources

In spring/summer 2023, 99% of our cotton was either organic, transitional or low impact (BCI/Greek) in comparison to 73% of cotton in 2022.

Recycled materials

Where we use synthetic fabrics, we seek out recycled fibres to reduce the creation of new materials from crude oil. Recycled polyester is obtained by melting down existing plastics and spinning it into a fibre. This gives a second life to material that’s not biodegradable and would otherwise inevitably end up in landfill or the ocean.

In 2023, 73% of our polyester was recycled, up from 55% in 2022. 100% of our athleisure range was made from recycled plastic bottles. A large mix of our swimwear collection is made using ECONYL® Regenerated Polyamide and REPREVE® Recycled Polyester, giving a second life to waste such as fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring and plastic bottles. This can be recycled indefinitely without losing its quality and also reduces the climate impact of Nylon by up to 90% compared to its conventional alternative.

We work with certifications including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS). Where we can, we’re reducing the use of blended synthetic materials, making our products easier to recycle.

Viscose

Up from 77% in 2022, over 82% of the viscose used in our 2023 collection was responsible and sourced from well-managed forests, minimising water usage and ensuring traceability back to its origin. We’re working on the remaining 18% which is predominantly still blended with responsible viscose. Our use of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ and Livaeco™Birla Cellulose has allowed us to create clothing with a lower carbon and water footprint than traditional viscose.

Denim

Whenever possible we use organic cotton to produce our denim garments. In additional to the benefits explained above we also use the Jeanologia’s Environmental Impact Measure (EIM) system to guide our Denim finishing practices. EIM helps us assess whether our efforts are leading to the desired reduction of environmental impact. EIM assesses:

• Water consumption

• Energy consumption

• Chemical product used

• Worker health

We also laser our NC Logo directly onto our jeans, using less fabric. We do not allow any non-functioning rivet or buttons.

We continue to work with our supplier Chottani, to improve our Denim offering.

Linen

SS23 saw the introduction of linen into our fabric mix. Linen is a natural fibre derived from the flax plant which grows quickly with little to no fertilisers or pesticides and has low water impact. When grown using responsible farming practices, flax naturally produces optimum soil quality. We accept linen that has been accredited to either Masters of Linen™ or European Flax™. Linen fabric is breathable, durable and has unique thermo-regulating properties meaning its wearable in both the summer and winter.

Merino Wool

We introduced merino wool into our fabric mix to offer an alternative option to knitted synthetics which are originally derived from fossil fuels and don’t biodegrade.

Wool is a natural fibre which is durable, breathable and biodegradable. Wool is also odor-resistant, which means it doesn’t need to be washed as often as other fibre, saving water and energy.

100% of the wool we use is certified to the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) which aims to improve the welfare of the sheep and the land they graze on. Farmers must meet specific animal welfare, land management and social requirements to qualify for RWS certification.