RESPONSIBLE REIMA
Materials
The production and processing of materials comprise the majority of our environmental impact – and that’s why the choice of materials is crucial to reducing it.
In recent years, we have made a remarkable shift towards more sustainable materials in all our collections – and we’re constantly looking for even more environmentally friendly alternatives.
Synthetic materials
We use recycled origin materials for a smaller carbon footprint.
Polyester is a durable and versatile material that we use especially in outerwear. It makes up a majority of our total material consumption (72% of consumption by weight in 2022 collections).
Recycled polyester – often made of used PET bottles – has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than virgin polyester. And because we use a lot of polyester, switching to recycled polyester makes a big impact for us. That’s why we are working hard to increase the share of recycled polyester in every collection.
In addition to recycled polyester, we use recycled polyamide. Other synthetic fibers such as elastane and acrylic each account for less than 0.5% of our total material consumption.
Most of our recycled origin fabrics are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified, in order to verify the origins of the raw material and to ensure responsible material production. A growing share of our synthetic fabrics are also bluesign® approved, which means the materials have been produced and processed following the strictest criteria for chemical management.
In Reima brand 2022 apparel collections, already 80% of outdoor styles contain recycled materials. Our goal is to increase this to 100% by 2025. Starting from our autumn/winter 2022 collection, all the synthetic insulation used in Reima apparel is also 100% recycled and bluesign® approved.
Natural materials
We use organic cotton – farmed without toxic chemicals, it is better for the nature and for the farmers.
With natural fibers, such as cotton, we prefer organic. Organic cotton is used without the use of hazardous pesticides or synthetic fertilizers – leaving the soil, air, and water free from contaminates that cause harm, and reducing farmers’ exposure to harmful chemicals.
We use cotton in our softwear products and accessories. Some of our shoe styles also contain cotton in the lining material. In 2022, cotton accounted for 3.5% of our total material usage by weight.
We have consistently increased the use of organic cotton in apparel, and we are happy to stay that in 2023 we are reaching our goal of using 100% organic cotton in Reima clothing and accessories. Most of this cotton is certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard). GOTS ensures not only organic farming, but also that the whole textile supply chain – from field to finished products – meets strict environmental and social criteria.
Animal rights
The wool, down and leather in our products is always responsibly sourced.
Kids love animals, so it only makes sense that we should also protect them from harm. We never use real fur, and we only use animal origin materials from responsible sources.
RESPONSIBLE DOWN STANDARD (RDS)
Down has unmatched insulation capacity, which is why we still use it in our most heavy-duty winter gear. All the down we use is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified, to ensure the humane treatment of ducks and geese. RDS also ensures that all down is the byproduct of food production, so there are no additional environmental impacts from it.
RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD (RWS)
We only use mulesing-free wool, and we are also increasingly using Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool. RWS farmers must meet strict animal welfare, land management and social requirements, to improve the welfare of the sheep as well as the land they graze on. Starting from early autumn 2024, all wool used in Reima brand clothing and accessories will be RWS certified.
CERTIFIED LEATHER
We only use real leather in our footwear when it is functionally the best choice for the style. We don't use leather in our apparel styles. Any leather we use is certified to be a by-product of food production, and treated and dyed in an environmentally friendly manner.
Share of sustainable materials in our collections
In recent years, we have made a remarkable shift towards more sustainable materials. The share of sustainable styles in Reima brand apparel collections has risen from 23% in 2020 to 90% in 2023.
We define a style as sustainable if it fulfills one or more of the following criteria: its main fabric is bluesign® approved or made of recycled synthetics (min. 50% recycled content), or its cotton is 100% organic or wool RWS certified.
It is good to understand that there are several different ways material sustainability can be reported. Our reported sustainability progress focuses on the share of styles because it demonstrates the breadth of sustainability choices made at the design stage of our collections. Additionally, in our reporting we focus on main fabrics because every piece of apparel has a main fabric, so they are comparable across seasons and categories. Internally we also have targets for sustainable wadding and lining materials, and they play an important role as we shift our overall material consumption towards more sustainable materials.
