We hear it everywhere don’t we? How sustainable a company is, how environmentally friendly their product is, how much they care for the environment. It is the biggest buzz word in the industry and something that everyone aspires to be, but sometimes it’s difficult to see how a company is working towards sustainability. Now you might have noticed that we are passionate about Wales and the welsh countryside. For us as a childrenswear company, it is important that we are not only creating beautiful garments but doing it responsibly. Safeguarding our children’s future drives us to behave as responsibly and sustainably as we can. It is a fact that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to climate change and we are committed to working differently and setting a better example.
We are an ‘open book’ here at Babi Bw. We thought it would be nice to show you behind the curtain of our company and how we endeavor to think about the environment and our children’s future in all aspects of our business.
The entire start to end process for creating our baby garments is done right here in Wales. From our designs to production, we keep it all local to Wales. This cuts down on the C02 emissions associated with each of our garments and also stays true to something that is close to ours hearts, bringing healthy and sustainable manufacturing back to Wales.
All of the cotton we use is 100% organic. Not only is this vital to ensure that it is super soft and nasty free for your little ones, but it also has the added benefit of being durable and able to withstand the day to day wear and tear of a baby’s adventures. With thoughtful regifting or a donation to the charity shop, our items can have many lives and avoid becoming landfill. (Read some tips for outgrown baby clothes on our blog)
We are proud to say that our cotton meets the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This is an industry leading standard used around the world that guarantees the organic products you bring into your home are healthy and safe for you and the environment. It also ensures that a fair and ethical working environment is provided for those who manufacture them.
GOTS is a credible resource for consumers looking for textiles produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Not only are these fabrics free of dangerous chemicals, the results of the production pose no threat to the environment or the communities in which they are produced. This universal standard assures that no harmful or toxic chemicals are used from harvest to manufacture, including the dyeing, washing, and finishing processes. The standard goes so far as to examine the disposal of waste and wastewater treatment. Strict guidelines have to be met in working conditions too; companies must provide a safe and hygienic environment, with livable wages, appropriate working hours, and absolutely no child labour. We are so proud to have GOTs cotton at the heart of our garments. If you are interested in learning more about GOTs click here: www.global-standard.org.
When it comes to sending your baby gift we have worked hard to ensure that all aspects of our packaging can be reused or recycled. Your clothing is wrapped in tissue paper and placed into a waterproof biodegradable delivery bag made from 100% recycled material. If you choose to have your item gift wrapped our gift box is 100% recyclable.
One of the biggest issues for the fashion industry is material scrap and how these are managed. We are really mindful of this in the making of our items. Our seamstresses are careful with their pattern cutting to ensure we get the most from each of our fabric rolls, but there will always be off cuts. Our ingenious head seamstress came up with the idea of making quilted blankets from these super soft organic pieces and the result was gorgeous. Any remaining off cuts are then taken to the local recycling center which pledges that all items will be reused.
Thinking sustainably runs through Babi Bw down to the little details. Only using wooden hangers in our factory store and stockist, to biodegradable swing tags. We love our planet and think that it’s worth protecting for future generations.