Turning green: An update on Royce’s Sustainability Pledge

The textile and clothing industry has a huge impact on the environment – from the manufacturing process, the product materials and packaging used, the delivery stage, plus general office and warehouse use – everything has consequences. At Royce, we are committed to becoming a sustainable business, to reduce our carbon footprint and lead by example within our industry.

To demonstrate, we launched our Sustainability Pledge in 2019 setting clear targets that we would meet by 2020 and by 2025. Some changes are easy, some are much harder – there is no such thing as a simple “green” answer! But we’re up for the challenge and are busy researching fabric alternatives, eco packaging and alternative ways of doing business.

Want to know how we’re getting on?

Target: 20% of our range to be sustainable by 2025

We’ve set a target for at least a fifth of our styles to be made from recycled or natural and organic fabrics by 2025. (A product must contain a minimum of 50% sustainable material for it to be classed as sustainable). In 2020 we launched our first organic cotton bra, Eden, which is now joined by the organic cotton bra Fearne that launched earlier this month. Our design team are always on the lookout for new and innovative sustainable fabrics that could work for Royce bras – demand is there and technology is improving so watch this space for news on the fabulous fabrics of the future.

Shop Fearne

Care labels

Our care labels are now made from recycled polyester – the recycled yarns from post-consumer plastic waste such as clear plastic water bottles and polybags. Recycling this waste keeps it from ending up in landfill. While we don’t know where this specific post-consumer waste comes from, we know it is GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified, a global standard which scrutinises supply chains.

Packaging

You’ve probably noticed that your new Royce lingerie is delivered to you in smart recycled cardboard boxes (which can be recycled again). The issue we’re still grappling with are the polybags that keep your lingerie clean and damage-free from factory, to warehouse, to you. We’re currently looking for a supplier of biodegradable bags with a shelf-life of 24 months (we’re not a fast fashion brand, our timeless products need a decent length of protection in storage).

It’s a challenge as there are pros and cons to the sustainable alternatives:

• Recycled Polyethylene: This is a material which is sourced from pre-consumer plastic waste. However, it’s not bio-degradable so even though it reuses waste it still creates waste.
• Green PE Sugar Cane: This is a plastic produced from sugarcane ethanol, a renewable raw material. Green PE is recyclable in the same chain used for recycling traditional polyethylene from fossil sources. However, Green PE is not biodegradable so the CO2 captured by the product remains fixed throughout the life cycle of the plastic.
• Cornstarch: This is a biodegradable plastic made from natural plant materials. Unfortunately, it only has a shelf-life of 12 months so wouldn’t protect our stock for the two years we need.

Bra wash bags

These are now available to buy on the website. We recommend hand-washing your bras but we understand that it’s not always possible. Washing them in a machine can cause wear and tear, and snag other garments if the hooks get caught. By using a bra wash bag, you’ll not only protect your bra and extend its life, but you’ll also ensure your other items don’t get damaged. It’s win-win! Check out our previous blog post on how to make your bra last longer for more washing tips.

Shop bra wash bags

Hangers

Currently, we supply plastic hangers to our trade customers. We are currently working on sourcing a more sustainable option, like wooden hangers. In the meantime, we’re sharing ideas with our trade customers on how to re-use plastic hangers.

Office

The lights in our Banbury office and warehouse are being upgraded to LED throughout, and we will be insulating our ceiling to make the building more energy efficient. We recently received quotes to have solar panels installed on the office and warehouse roofs – if we decide to install it gives us an extra reason to be joyful for sunny days ahead!

So that’s where we are – taking steps, both big and small, but ultimately making good progress on our journey to becoming a more sustainable business. For full details see our Sustainability Pledge at https://www.royce-lingerie.co.uk/sustainability-pledge