Our Supply Chain
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OUR SUPPLY CHAIN.
We are constantly looking to increase our sustainability and quality. Our new Collection is no different. The slogan "Made in the North" represents our customers pride in being from the North but a huge amount of the production time spent on our finished garments actually takes place in the North of England. We will continue to do as much of the process as we can in the UK and as new suppliers and manufacturers open up to us will move more processes to the UK.
FIRST LEVEL – PRINTERS AND GARMENT FINISHERS.
COUNTRIES:
- All of our garments are printed and finished in an ISO9001 certified factory based in the North East of England. The factory is powered by 100% renewable energy. Anything from design, embroidery, screen printing, sewing on labels and neck tags is done right here in the UK.
SECOND LEVEL – GARMENT SUPPLIERS.
The majority of our garments are made outside of the UK. This allows us to order smaller quantities of high quality garments which we can brand in the UK. This also helps us keep the prices down for our customers.
COUNTRIES:
- 40% of our business is in China.
- 60% of our business is in Bangladesh.
FACTORIES:
We have 100% traceability of all our garment suppliers
- Our supply chain is composed of sixteen factories in total with nine key factories.
- 100% of our garment factories have been visited and audited and are with whom we have the highest degree of transparency and engagement.
THIRD LEVEL – FABRIC SUPPLIERS & DYE HOUSES.
We have 100% traceability of all our fabric sources.
- 60% of our business is with vertical suppliers who knit and dye their own fabrics.
- 20% of our fabric is through one knitting source and one dye house in China.
- 20% is through a number of specialist fabric sources, all traceable.
FOURTH LEVEL – YARN SPINNERS.
We have 100% transparency of this group of suppliers.
- 32% of our business is with one Spinner in Bangladesh.
- 20% is with one spinner in China.
- The balance of all spinners are traceable.
FIFTH LEVEL – RAW COTTON.
- We have 95% traceability of our cotton agents.
- We have two key agents in Bangladesh supplying up to 35% of our cotton.
- One supplier in China who supplies 20% of our total cotton - Of which 100% is Chinese cotton.
- One agent in Bangladesh with whom we are buying traceable Australian cotton.
- Two suppliers in Bangladesh who are part of our Organic Cotton Program.
SIXTH LEVEL – COTTON FARMS.
- Our raw cotton originates from China, Australia, India, Brazil, USA, and Africa.
- Chinese cotton makes up 40% of our production.
- 30% of our cotton originates from Australia –Australian Cotton is specified for the purity of the cotton needed for light colours, and for its sustainability which is requlated by Cotton Australia.
- BCI (Better Cotton Initiative). Our supplier is currently working on a program to become a member of BCI early 2019. This will ensure we are moving closer to our goal of 100% sustainable cotton.
- Approximately 5% of our products are now using traceable GOT Licensed Organic Cotton. Our suppliers are planning to increase this % in response to customer demand. Ultimately, Organic Cotton is the most sustainable product and therefore our preferred material. However, it's recognise that there is a need to educate customers further as to the benefits and hopefully encourage more customers to order products from our organic range.
- Scientific Origin Testing. In addition to moving to more sustainable cotton, it's recognises that testing is now essential at yarn form to ensure no corruption is happening at the spinning mills, where cotton from various origins is often blended. Our suppliers are now in the process of rolling out a testing program with Oritain, who is a scientific origin testing company. Despite brands claiming to ban Uzbekistan cotton, no brand can guarantee this without some testing, to ensure they know origin of the cotton in their products.