Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of each and every step we take at Smitten Organic.

Whether it’s designing of our clothes, selecting the right raw materials or the production process itself, we continuously strive to be aware of their impact on our planet.

Here is how we look at different aspects leading to a sustainable business.

 

 

Our Mission

Textile is one of the most labor-oriented market with many social and environmental issues. Our aim is to operate a responsible and sustainable business by challenging all the issues, in line with the UN SDG 20301.

“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity”1

Our initial steps to start the dialogue in our sustainable business are:

  • a decent work environment
  • gender equality
  • no child & forced labor
  • the usage of high-quality organic cotton
  • reducing carbon footprint at every stage of our production processes
  • designing our product in such a way that you can use it for longer.

 

Care for the Planet

We design our product using high-quality organic cotton , which not only care for the planet but also for the end consumer.

 

 Smitten Organic - care for the planet

 

The fashion industry is one of the largest polluting industries. Every process in the product development affects the environment if not handled carefully, starting from the crop till the end consumer and ultimately the landfill. We must transform this industry in order to address climate change and care for the planet.

Why organic cotton :

  • It eliminates pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and is basically free from toxic chemicals.
  • The water consumption is very low compared to conventional cotton.
  • It does not allow Genetically Modified (GM) seeds.
  • It increases soil fertility.
  • It gives a fair price and labor practice to the farmers.

“Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities, and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow. The greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are driving climate change and continue to rise.”2

 

Care for the People

Before we started designing our product, we  visited many suppliers. We wanted to ensure that their ethics and the social responsibility, transparency, vision, and  expertise  matches our standards.

 

Smitten Organic - Care for the people

 

Fashion reflects who we are, our culture, economy, society and our personality as an individual. When it comes to Social responsibility, the Fashion industry , is the second biggest worldwide economic activity and labor-oriented market and majority of them are women in developing countries.

 

Social responsibility

The fashion industry has the biggest supply chain than any industry. From the farmer who grows the cotton crop till the customer at the end of the chain. We believe in equality and respect and we want to leave a positive impact for everyone in the supply chain. Hence we commit to the UN SDG- Decent Work and Economic Goal:

“Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the environment. Job opportunities and decent working conditions are also required for the whole working age population.”  3

Manufacturing base

India became our first base because of one of the high source of organic material with many design options . Knowing the country, the language, its resources and the culture is beneficial.

We have sourced 98% of our manufacturing from India and  2% comes from Europe.

Supplier social standard

Our suppliers, who are based in India and in Europe, share their love for apparel with our philosophy to contribute to a sustainable world.

We are also building up two craft-based community to promote woman artisans to get the fair access of social and economic opportunities.

Supplier audits

Our suppliers are socially compliant. We have also made many visits to ensure that there are no unethical practices, such as child labor, women exploitation, forced labor, overwork and unsafe working conditions.

 

Your Impact

As a consumer, we have an important impact on the climate and we can actually make a positive contribution to a happier and healthier planet.

 

Smitten Organic - Your impact

 

Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources.4

Here are a few things we can do to make an impact: 

Say no to plastic

Not only to plastic bags but also to plastic fabrics which release small particles, every time they go in the wash. If they are not filtered from the aquatic system, they end up in the food chain.

 Follow slow fashion

Buy less and  choose well.  High-quality garments last longer. Use garments that  are designed to have a longer life cycle. The life cycle can be extended by passing the garment on. Better this than having it end up in the landfill, which is another source of pollution.

Wash at a lower temperature

Even for infant clothing washing at 30 degrees Celsius is recommended. If the garment is stained, try to hand wash to remove the stain before washing it in a machine. This helps to save energy.

Repair, recycle,  upcycle, donate and follow circle economy

Our garments are interchangeable and mix and match quite well. We also sell a repair patch, so for a small damage or stains try to use those patches.

If you are not using the garment any longer, please donate or resell to a second-hand shop and if it is completely unwearable, please change it to a cute memory blanket or deposit to a textile recycle bin.

Sustainable buying

We, as a consumer, have a strong influence on building the sustainable world while buying. We can make a difference while making an informed purchase. Buy from sustainable sources, by this way you can exercise pressure on brands to adopt the sustainable practices.

 

Smitten Organic is part of DER GRÜNE PUNKT (The Green Dot, Germany) for recycling and reuse. Der Grüne Punkt

As our customer base in Germany is growing, Smitten Organic joined the German recycling system for packaging material. 

The Green Dot is a registered trademark of The Green Dot - Dual System Germany GmbH (DSD) and stands for a functioning circular economy, i.e. the consistent use of recyclables from waste. With the ongoing development of recycling, the Green Dot is increasingly adding value and raw materials to recovery and new benefits. This protects finite resources, the climate and the environment.

Smitten Organic commits to these principals and will be continuously working on creative and modern ways to make ensure reuse and recycling.

1 United Nation - Sustainable Development Goal 2030 www.undp.org
2UN Sustainable Development Goal 13-Cimate Change: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
3 UN Sustainable Development Goal 8-Decent Work and Economic Goal |Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.
4 UN Sustainable Development Goal 12-Responsible consumption & production|Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.