SH*TS GIVEN
Let’s start with the fact we are not perfect (aside from our robes) but our commitment to always becoming more sustainable is unwavering. Between us, as a start up we’re pretty damn proud of what we’re doing so far.
OUR ROBES.
Our robes are 100% GOTS certified organic cotton. Incredibly, less that 1% of all cotton produced globally is truly organic. We are proud to be part of the trail blazers.
Our robes are lovingly made in our ethical factory in Huzhou, China. We have visited the factory and have a close relationship with the team there in charge of our manufacturing our products. Transparency is everything to us.
Why is GOTS organic cotton better?
The Environment
The GOTS certification ensures that the cotton is grown free of harmful chemicals from pesticides. Conventional cotton farming is one of the biggest contributors to environmental stress. 16% of all the pesticides sold in the world are used on conventional cotton, which is why it's been called the 'world's dirtiest crop'. As well as killing the pests they're aimed at, these chemicals can harm other wildlife and can impact the cotton workers health.
The People
We care about the all the people working on VANDY. GOTS mandates fair remuneration for all workers and child labour is banned. The positive flow on effect for workers under the GOTS certification is huge.
Beware of greenwashing: if a garment is labelled organic cotton and does not have GOTS certification, it's NOT the same. GOTS is the gold standard because it ensures every stage of the process has met the stringent standards.
The Robe
Our choice of material means your robe is more durable, and softer on your skin. And also it’s biodegradable (not that you’ll be requiring that for years) Ultimately you’ve got yourself a healthier robe.
Once you know all this, how can you choose anything but GOTS?? It’s transparent just like we like things to be.
You can read all the reasons why GOTS is best HERE
Our partner factory
It absolutely astounds me that virtually no businesses mention the factories who make their products. We are so proud to partner with our small ethical factory in Huzhou China, and to show you exactly how, where and by whom our robes are lovingly being sewn.
Run by our friends Wallace, June, Stella and Ann we have personally visited the factory to make sure it's aligned with our VANDY name. It’s just so bloody important to us that you have the opportunity to see all parts of our process. No secrets around here.
OUR PACKAGING
VANDY mailers & garment bags
Our HERO packaging mailers will be exciting to see on your doorstep! But what are they made of? Well…. they ‘re a home-compostable shipping mailer and made from 70-80% PBAT (a co-polymer that is completely compostable - read more about it here) and 20-30% PLA (which is a fancy way of saying cornstarch).
And we use a HERO compostable garment bag for extra protection when shipping!
How to compost them
To compost our packaging at home, it’s best to remove any labels, cut them up and place in your compost bin as “brown” materials. These will completely break down within 90-120 days in a home-compostable environment - sometimes even sooner!
These can also be sent to composting facilities to be properly broken down and composted. If you are in Australia, please CLICK HEREto find a composter near you.
What’s the difference between compostable and biodegradable?
A biodegradable product simply breaks down into smaller micro-plastics which still contaminate the environment. Certified home-compostable products break down as if they were never there, and can also be safely eaten by worms.
What happens if they end up in landfill?
The packaging will still break down (with no waste and no methane production) in landfill.
It takes about 2 years to break down in landfill. In contrast, traditional plastic bags take 400 years or more to break down and release deadly methane gas into the atmosphere.
