Founded in 2016, Girlfriend Collective's first goal was to be as transparent as possible and it remains one of the most important values for them. Girlfriend Collective's factory is SA8000 certified, which promises that their operations comply with very strict regulations. This American brand uses re-nylon that comes from recycled bottles and fishing nets taken from the sea.
Girlfriend Collective's high-waisted, compressive leggings are made primarily from recycled plastic that was once destined for landfills. Not that you'd notice, the leggings have serious mainstream appeal, with the added benefit of being good for the environment. Girlfriend Collective seems to have mastered athletic apparel that is sustainable, inclusive in size, and fashionable, making it one of the best eco-friendly fitness brands on the market.
Girlfriend Collective also makes sure that each of their garments is so beautiful and comfortable to wear that it won't sit in the back of your wardrobe. The brand believes in ethical manufacturing and recycled materials. Old water bottles and fishing nets are their main raw materials. They choose every part of their process with care, from the raw materials to their partners' facilities.
Inclusivity has always been a hallmark of the Girlfriend Collective brand: the clothes come in 12 sizes, ranging from XXS to 6X based on chest, waist and hip measurements, and its marketing regularly features a refreshing mix of colour and body diversity. But this is the first GC clothing collection to expand beyond the brand's usual female demographic to include shoppers of all genders.
Sustainability is also a priority for the company; Girlfriend Collective considers itself a 'slow fashion' brand, using a small batch manufacturing process to reduce waste, and this 'For All' line is no exception. The fabrics used for the clothes are made from recycled materials: think old fabric, water bottles and reused polyester. Items such as jogger trousers and hoodies are made from a combination of organic cotton and Texloop® recycled cotton.
Recycled materials from Taiwan
Girlfriend Collective's first goal is to be as transparent as possible. They have carefully chosen every part of the process, from the raw materials to the facilities and their partners. By using recycled material such as recycled plastic bottles (for polyester) and fishing nets (for recycled nylon), Girlfriend helps clean up our oceans, recycle that waste and eliminate the need for raw materials such as crude oil, which are traditionally used in nylon production.
All Girlfriend polyester textiles are made from recycled materials at its Taiwan facility that specializes in high quality, eco-friendly textiles. From certified recycling and processing centers, material from post-consumer bottles and fishing nets is sent to the manufacturing faculty, where the chips are consumed into pellets and ultimately into a coarse quality yarn. The finished yarn is then sent to the weaving mill and finally to a dyehouse in Taiwan.
Girlfriend Collective's first goal is to be as transparent as possible. They have carefully chosen every part of the process, from the raw materials to the facilities and their partners. The brand’s materials are certified Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®, which is the world’s leader in testing fabrics to regulate harmful substances. STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification guarantees the legal conformity of tested textile products. It also certifies that a product awarded STANDARD 100 has been reliably tested for harmful substances.
Transparent Supply Chain
Girlfriend's SA8000 certified factory in Vietnam pays living wages, provides fair working hours and safe conditions, allows unionisation and does not use forced or child labour. The GF team visits the factory regularly. SA8000 is a voluntary certification which was created by an American organization called Social Accountability International (SAI), with the purpose of promoting better working conditions. The SA8000 certification is based on international agreements on labour conditions, which include issues such as social justice, workers' rights, etc. Some of the largest agricultural exporters of bananas, pineapples, tobacco, wine, canned fruits and processed coffee are SA8000 certified.
SA8000 certification basically establishes minimum conditions to achieve a safe and healthy working environment; freedom of association and collective bargaining; and a company strategy to address labor-related social issues. In addition, it contains rules regarding working hours, wages, anti-discrimination and combating child and forced labour. The standard overlaps with Fair Trade certification. The difference is that Fair Trade is predominantly used for farming, while SA8000 is a fair labor certification for factory conditions.
Empowering Ethical Practices at the Vietnam Facility
The brand’s Danish partners opened the Vietnam facility in 2005, bringing with them values that have made them last so long. These include ensuring that all employees are treated with respect and paid a fair and living wage. The facility is run by a Vietnamese woman named Hien. Before working in the garment industry, she worked for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Through UNDP, she worked for the reform of agricultural and rural development in Vietnam, helping rural farmers by organizing and building infrastructure projects and giving them access to new technologies.
An SA8000 certification guarantees a lot of really important things, including no forced or child labour, safe working conditions and the right to unionise. These standards should be where all factories are, and Girlfriend Collective sees it as a perfect platform to build on. Girlfriend Collective ensures that all workers receive fair wages, provides free lunch (and dinner for those working night shifts) instead of just a canteen, and guided breaks for exercise, because no one likes to stare at a desk all day. While health care is often deducted from wages, Girlfriend Collective decided to provide free medical check-ups every 6 months at the factory for every employee, as well as health insurance.