Founded in 1983, American retailer J. Crew offers affordable and cheerful apparel for men, women, and children. J. Crew started as a catalog retailer in 1983, and six years later opened its first shop in New York. Since 2011, the group has been in the hands of the funds TPG Capital and Leonard Green&Partners, which bought it for $3 billion.
Last year, the brand launched an ambitious sustainability program amidst the backlash that the company wasn’t doing enough to address vague labor conditions and material sourcing.
J.Crew Group is integrating sustainability throughout its supply chain. The specialty apparel retailer plans to launch "Re-imagined by J. Crew," which is an initiative to achieve specific sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals focused on products, supply chain, and third-party partnerships. Developed in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the program includes the following objectives:
For example, J. Crew intends for 100% of key fibers to be sustainably sourced, including 100% cotton by 2025. J. Crew plans to produce 90% of its cashmere and chino collections in Fairtrade Certified facilities. In addition, J. Crew expects to sustainably source 100% of the plastic and paper used for packaging.
This goal includes a commitment to eliminate virgin plastic from all packaging and, by 2030, J. Crew aims for 100% carbon neutral operations.
J. Crew is also partnering with various groups to integrate sustainability plans to reduce its environmental impact. This includes collaborating with supply chain partners to decrease the impact of greenhouse gases throughout its global supply chain; as well as participating in the CanopyStyle initiative, a fashion industry collaboration to help conserve the world's remaining ancient and endangered forests.
In early 2021, J. Crew announced that 100% of all cashmere jumpers and non-apparel pieces in the spring 2021 collection and beyond would be produced using cashmere certified to The Good Cashmere Standard (GCS). The GCS was developed by the Aid by Trade Foundation, a a non-profit organization that aims 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 GCS, J. Crew will provide full traceability for certified cashmere pieces. The company is also partnering with Sustainable Fiber Alliance to empower women herders in Mongolia to improve their economic and social position.
Latest News from J. Crew
The US fashion retailer went into receivership last May following the impact of the coronavirus. J. Crew received the green light for its restructuring plan after the pandemic. The US fashion retailer has drawn up a new roadmap to turn around its business and emerge from insolvency.
The company plans to capitalize $1.6 billion of its debt. In addition, the group has signed a $400 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing agreement with existing creditors Anchorage Capital, GSO Capital Partners, and Davidson Kempner Capital Management, among others.
"The confirmation of our reorganization plan is another important milestone in our journey to transform our business to drive J.Crew's long-term sustainable growth and further promote Madewell's growth momentum," said Jan Singer, the company's chief executive officer, in a statement.
In 2019, Madewell and the J.Crew Group announced an ongoing partnership with Fair Trade USA to get factories certified in ethical working conditions.