B Corp companies are companies that are committed to measuring and considering their environmental and social performance with the same attention traditionally paid to economic results, and that believe in business as a positive force that is committed to producing value for the biosphere and society.
In keeping with our company's philosophy, which has always placed quality, fairness, and product durability at the centre of our business, we are pleased to announce that Slowear is now officially certified as a B Corp company.
From the sustainable life cycle of beloved products to employee financial security, the certification process encompasses five key areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers.
GOVERNANCE
At Slowear, we define ourselves not only as a clothing brand, but rather as proposing a new cultural lifestyle model based on quality, responsibility and living well.
As of 2022, Slowear has changed its bylaws to become a Benefit Corporation.
As a Benefit Corporation, the company intends to pursue, in addition to its own profit, purposes of common benefit for the environment, the territory and people.
This translates into 5 areas of focus: the progressive adoption of a conscious business model based on measurability; the constant improvement of the sustainability profile of products; the development and adoption of a sustainable supply chain model, engaging all suppliers in paths of improvement; the evolution towards a 0-emissions economy and ecological transition; the commitment to valuing the people who work in the company.
WORKERS AND COMMUNITY
We care about our network of workers and collaborators; it is also and above all thanks to them that we have achieved these important goals.
For this reason, we promote initiatives that help work-life balance, through flexible working hours and remote working; we support health and prevention through supplementary health insurance; we guarantee our employees in all countries in which we operate higher-than-average standards of living (audit by B-Lab Italia, source livingwage-org).
In addition, we consider diversity as the greatest source of innovation and we define ourselves as great supporters of inclusivity – whether in terms of gender, age, or geographical factors. For this reason, we organise training courses on the subject, in order to become promoters of an inclusive and respectful language. And we also require the same commitment from all our suppliers, through the signing of our Code of Ethics.
Finally, we collaborate with charities and become promoters of upcycling initiatives and collaborations.
ENVIRONMENT
We are aware of how our business and sector impact the environment, resources and animals. This is why we have worked to make our product more sustainable.
In recent years, we have committed ourselves to progressively increasing the certifications of our products. It is a process that might seem simple, but that has a considerable impact on business choices, especially for medium-sized companies.
To date, all our wools are Mulesing Free and Caregora certified, a certification that confirms that animals are not subject to violent practices. As for treatments, we make use of OEKO-TEX and ZDHC certifications; for materials of the following: RWS, GOTS, BCI (Better Cotton Initiative), OCS, FSC, GRS.
We are also promoters of a significant reduction in the use of plastic. This is why in our company offices we use water fountains and compostable tools. In addition, the packaging of our products is also made of paper or recycled nylon.
CUSTOMERS
It has always been important for us to include customers in our change processes, to raise their awareness of the importance of certain issues and at the same time to inspire their considerations and reflections. From the surveys carried out, we found that 95% of the base involved choose our products because they are looking for lasting quality and timeless style.
In addition, we also try to create a kind of price culture in our customers. High quality standards, research and choice of specific raw materials, responsible treatments of the garments and respected labour require an economic investment that necessarily translates into a specific price for the customer. Our promise is to create a product that aligns its cost with its quality.
For further insights you can consult our Impact Reports, which analyze in detail the issues addressed here and show the progression of our change.
This is an important milestone for us but not an arrival. Rather a milestone that further motivates us in our daily work.