Fair
"Products made in a fair way, that is to say that the producers and workers who participated in the making of the products received a decent salary and have good working conditions." Brands are committed to respecting human rights. "
Organic
The raw material plays an important role in the environmental impact linked to the production of everyday products, in particular textiles and beauty products. Products made from natural elements are among the products to be favored to pollute less. But what is it exactly? For textile products, natural materials are ecological fibers of animal or plant origin. The best known are cotton, linen, hemp, wool, silk, jute etc. For cosmetic products, these are simply ingredients of natural origin.
To meet this criterion, textile products must be made of at least 70% natural materials; and cosmetic products must contain a minimum of 95% ingredients of natural origin. In either case, the products must not contain any chemical or toxic substance.
Vegan
Beyond food, veganism goes beyond the contours of the plate and is now invited in our bathrooms and our cupboards. The term vegan designates a way of life based on the refusal of animal exploitation of any source of suffering for them. The followers of the vegan movement do not consume any material of animal origin. For textile products, among the materials not consumed by vegan we find wool, silk, leather or of course fur. For cosmetic products, in addition to not containing any material of animal origin, they should not be tested on animals.
To meet this criterion, the products must not contain any material of animal origin. They are 100% cruelty-free.
Local Manufacturing
Producing locally has significant ecological and social benefits, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by limiting the transport of products, or even preserving local know-how. This considerably reduces a brand's carbon footprint and therefore its negative impact on the environment since it pollutes much less.
To meet this criterion, a brand must carry out all of its production steps in the same region, from creation to manufacture of the finished product.
Recycled
Recycling is a virtuous process which represents a real alternative to overproduction. Indeed, this helps fight against the depletion of natural resources since there is no new material to produce. Recycling and recovery therefore considerably reduce the environmental impact of a production process thanks to the energy savings achieved. In textiles, the most commonly used recycled materials are polyester (made from recycling plastic bottles), nylon (made from old fishing nets, for example) or even cotton and wool. Jewelry can also be produced from recycled metals. Upcycling is the action of recovering and transforming materials or products that we no longer use and which are sometimes even intended to be discarded, in order to create other more useful and often better quality products. Thus, what should have become waste ultimately becomes a value-added resource. This process is perfectly in line with a zero-waste approach, since it considerably reduces waste. Scraps of fabric, for example, are often used in an upcyling process.
To meet this criterion, textile products must be made of at least 70% recycled or upcycled materials; and jewelry must contain a minimum of 90% recycled metals. In either case, the products obviously do not contain any chemical or toxic substances.
Environmentally friendly
In addition to offering ethical products made in a fair way from ecological materials, some brands go even further in their environmental commitment and implement various actions throughout their production process, allowing to further reduce their impact on the environment. environment and reduce their ecological footprint. Among these actions, we find for example the reduction of waste, the use of recycled and recyclable packaging, short circuit production, vegetable tanning or without chromium, the reprocessing of waste water, vegetable dyes, savings in water and energy, etc.
To meet this criterion, a brand must justify its actions and prove what initiative (s) it puts in place throughout its production process to further reduce its environmental footprint.
Social
Products that meet the “Social commitment” criterion meet one or more of the following characteristics:
- Solidarity approach: the brand works with people in difficulty, often far from the job market (for example in a precarious or disabled situation).
- Charitable approach: the brand undertakes to donate part of its turnover or its profit to one or more charitable organizations or cause of general interest.
- “One for One” approach: for each item sold, the brand undertakes to offer an equivalent item to a person in need, or to take positive action. For example: planting a tree or distributing products to associations are actions that are part of this approach.
To meet this criterion, a brand must be part of at least one of these initiatives.