J.CREW LAYS OUT SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
J.Crew has launched “Re-imagined by J.Crew,” an initiative to realize specific corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability goals focused on products, supply chain, the planet, and third-party partnerships.
Developed in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a universal language for corporate responsibility and framework for businesses to take action against the biggest challenges facing our world today, J.Crew’s new sustainability initiatives are intended to be a force for change in the retail landscape through enhanced responsible business practices, product innovation, and industry partnerships.
“We know there are many areas of sustainability that are in our power to impact positively, including tackling issues deeper in our supply chain and supporting the industry’s transition to circularity,” said J.Crew Group CEO, Libby Wadle. “By activating our employees, partnering with our stakeholders, and listening to our customers, we are developing strategies to address the issues that will have the biggest impact on our products, supply chain, and the apparel industry.”
As the J.Crew brand continues to evolve, its commitment to CSR, including supporting factory workers, reducing the brand’s environmental footprint, and providing opportunities for associates to give back, remains a key priority. J.Crew’s Re-imagined goals to achieve sustainability include to sustainably-source 100 percent of key fibers, including 100 percent cotton, by 2025. Also, by 2025, the retailer said over 90 percent of its cashmere and chino collections will be produced in Fair Trade Certified facilities. Plus, by 2025, 100 percent of plastic and paper used for packaging will be sustainably sourced, which includes a commitment to eliminate virgin plastic from all packaging, and by 2030, J.Crew operations will be 100 percent carbon neutral.
To further its CSR efforts in line with its “Re-imagined by J.Crew” initiative, J.Crew is partnering with various groups to integrate sustainability plans to reduce its environmental impact. The brand is collaborating with supply chain partners to decrease its greenhouse gas impact throughout its global supply chain and has committed to setting a science-based target with the SBTi by the end of 2021, as well as participating in the CanopyStyle initiative, a collaboration of the fashion industry to help conserve the world’s remaining Ancient and Endangered Forests and forward innovative next-generation solutions.
Earlier this year, J.Crew advanced its sustainability goals when it announced that 100 percent of all cashmere sweaters and non-apparel pieces from the spring 2021 collection and onward would be produced using The Good Cashmere Standard (GCS) certified cashmere. The GCS was developed by the Aid by Trade Foundation, a nonprofit organization aiming to improve the welfare of cashmere goats, the lives of farmers and farming communities, and the environment in which they live. Through its partnership with The GCS, J.Crew is not only able to guarantee a sustainable cashmere supply chain, but also provide full traceability for certified cashmere pieces. J.Crew also announced its partnership with the Sustainable Fibre Alliance to empower women herders in Mongolia to improve their economic and social standing.