OUR GOAL IS TO USE 88% MATERIALS THAT ARE MORE SUSTAINABLE IN OUR COLLECTIONS BY 2025

Just Brands is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, as cotton is our most widely used raw material and we can achieve scalable impact on the supply chain with BCI. BCI is a non-profit organization that helps cotton growers to embrace more environmentally friendly and socially and economically sustainable farming methods. By the end of 2020, BCI aims to support five million cotton growers with the transition to smarter cultivation techniques – which is 30% of the world’s cotton production. Because the BCI approach is scalable and holistic, it has become one of the biggest contributors to better cotton farming.

BCI relies on a mass balance chain, where Better Cotton is blended with other types of cotton during the process from the field to the finished product. Mass balance is a recognized way to promote sustainability and works just like the system used for renewable electricity, which is available through the electricity grid: if you buy renewable energy, you contribute to the growth of cleaner energy production.

From a sustainability perspective, it is important that improvements are made in the cotton fields. This is in the interest of farmers and the local environment. The mass balance system encourages suppliers to use more Better Cotton as it does not require physical separation in the production chain. Better Cotton cannot be physically traced to product level. Just Brands aims to source 100% of its cotton as Better Cotton by 2025. For more information, visit BetterCotton.org

Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which leads to better soil conditions, lower greenhouse gas emissions, greater biodiversity and the better health of cotton growers.

The production of organic cotton also requires on average much less energy and water compared to regular cotton. Organic cotton is not genetically modified. The crop is certified by third parties and the fibers are kept separate in the production chain.

Recycled pre-consumer cotton

The recycled cotton used by the manufacturers of Just Brands is so-called post-industrial cotton: the cutting waste that is released during the cutting and making-up of clothing. This therefore concerns the waste stream of unused, new cotton. Through mechanical recycling, this cutting waste is reduced to loose cotton fibers. For sturdiness, a percentage of new material is added. Then yarn is spun again.

Recycled post-consumer cotton

This cotton comes from clothing that has been worn by consumers and then returned. The clothing is sorted by type of material and color. Subsequently, all buttons and labels, etc. are removed and the clothing is cleaned and fiberized. During this fiberization process, the fabric is broken down, leaving fibers behind. To guarantee the quality of the new fabric, it is important that the used fibers are mixed with new fibers. From these fibers, new fabrics are made.

Polyester is a fiber made from oil. The production of new polyester therefore has a negative impact on the environment. Some forms of polyester are biodegradable, but most are not. The main sustainable variant of polyester that we use for our Just Brands products is recycled polyester, which is made from used PET bottles. New polyester yarn is spun from these melted down bottles.

Elastane is a fiber made from oil. The production of new elastane therefore has a negative impact on the environment. Elastane has great elasticity and is often added to fabric for stretch and therefore more comfort. An alternative is recycled elastane, which we get from used clothing.

The recycled wool we use in our clothing comes from clothing returned by consumers who have worn it. The clothing is sorted by type of material and color. The clothing is then stripped of all buttons and labels, etc., cleaned and fiberized. During this fiberization process, the fabric is broken down, leaving fibers behind. To guarantee the quality of the new fabric, it is important that the used fibers are mixed with new fibers. From these fibers, new fabrics are made.

This is a fiber made from the cellulose from the wood pulp of the eucalyptus tree. Not only is the wood obtained from forests with the FSC certification mark, the fiber is also produced using environmentally friendly processes, so without harmful chemicals. For Tencel-certified Lyocell, the entire process is a completely closed loop: no waste remains.

Linen, made from the flax plant, is naturally sustainable because it requires far less land than the cultivation of the same amount of cotton. It grows naturally with a minimum need for pesticides, weed killers or chemical fertilizers. In addition, no additional irrigation is required, as rainwater is sufficient for the flax plants to grow.

This plant is the fastest growing in the world, requiring minimal land to cultivate it: it can be harvested up to 6 times a year. In addition, bamboo is easy to grow because it only needs sunlight. No additional water and no pesticides and chemicals at all are required.

Chemicals are used to process the bamboo fiber and make it suitable for spinning. However, this fiber is much easier to dye than cotton, so less water and dye are needed.

Viscose is also called a semi-natural fiber. This is because viscose is made from natural wood fibers, but the processing of this natural raw material is a chemical one. The sustainable variant of these fabrics are those in which the base material is obtained from forests that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC ensures that trees are grown sustainably.

For new wool material, there is 'The Responsible Wool Standard' certification mark, which guarantees that the wool comes from farms that manage their land well and treat sheep responsibly.