Our Social & Environmental Commitments
We make kids fashion that is fair to people and kind to our planet.
Fair to people
Our aim is to improve the lives of workers in the fashion industry, by creating decent workplaces in countries with fragile labour protection.
The more jobs that offer a living wage and safe working conditions, the less people will need to endure modern slavery conditions.
We contribute to the protection of human rights and recognize the right to collective bargaining. We do not tolerate forced labour, child labour or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability or age.
Kind to our planet
We go through great lengths to find sustainable alternatives to traditional fashion practices, and apply this approach in all aspects of our business.
We produce small quantities, so we avoid overproduction and waste. We use organic and GOTS-certified fabrics, avoid polyester and plastic, and are creative with upcycled materials. To deliver our products to our customers, we use reusable or compostable packaging.
Why does it matter?
The fashion industry is the second-most polluting industry, and the largest employer of modern slaves globally.
We believe that fashion can be fun and sustainable at the same time. We believe that fashion should be fun for everyone involved, including the farmer who harvests the cotton, the seamstress who lovingly sews the hems, the children who wear them, and the adults who wash and keep them in good condition.
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
In 2016, the United Nations launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change.
Implementing the SDGs by 2030, we will achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
The Extra Smile contributes to the SDGs, in particular: no poverty (goal 1), gender equality (5), decent work and economic growth (8), reduced inequalities (10) and responsible consumption and production (12).
We believe that we can contribute most to SDG 12, responsible consumption and production of the kids fashion we produce and sell.
Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000. However, millions of people still do not earn enough money to make ends meet.
The global fashion industry is notorious for low pay, which helps perpetuate global poverty. From farmers to garment workers to retail workers, millions of people are struggling to support themselves and their families on what they are paid to produce and sell the textiles and clothing we wear.
The legal minimum wage in most garment-producing countries is rarely enough for a worker to live on.
According to IndustriALL global union, over 90 percent of workers in the global garment industry have no possibility to negotiate their wages or their working conditions.
How does The Extra Smile contribute to SDG 1?
- We purchase GOTS-certified fabrics, which guarantee fair working conditions across the supply chain, from harvest, to spinning, weaving and dyeing.
- We work with small workshops in Cambodia (Fairsew and Pour Un Sourire d’Enfant), which ensure a safe working environment and pay a decent living wage.
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Of the 75 million people who work in the global fashion industry, about 80 percent are women. Many are subject to exploitation and verbal and physical abuse. They often work in unsafe conditions, without basic healthcare and with very little pay.
Textile and garment factories take advantage of a large pool of young, female workers, often from rural areas, who can be employed at low wages. This model has persisted from the early days of the Industrial Revolution through to present day developing economies.
According to CARE International, nearly one in three women working in garment factories reported experiencing sexually harassing behaviour in the workplace over the last 12 months (March 2017).
The ongoing marginalisation of women at work has prevented them from developing their full potential and impeded inclusive and sustainable development. However, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that happy, healthy, protected and empowered women are good for business and ultimately good for the world.
How does The Extra Smile contribute to SDG 5?
- We make a conscious effort to contract services from women-led businesses.
- In our promotional materials, we steer away from gender stereotypes.
Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
Decent work puts people at the heart of the development agenda and drives sustainable development.
The fashion industry is one of the biggest supporters of modern slavery and child labour. By consistently driving down the cost of clothing, fashion brands perpetuate a situation where workers earn extremely low pay, meaning that parents have few other options but to send their children to work.
Considering that the vast majority of garment workers are women and working mothers, ensuring a living wage for the people that make our clothes is key to keeping children out of work.
How does The Extra Smile contribute to SDG 8?
- We carefully select our suppliers and check that their employees receive a living wage, work in a safe environment.
- We contribute to the protection of human rights and recognize the right to collective bargaining.
- We do not tolerate forced labour, child labour or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability or age.
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Economic growth is not suf?cient to reduce poverty if it is not inclusive and if it does not involve the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental.
Many of the garment producing countries are characterised by high levels of inequality and low income by capita.
How does The Extra Smile contribute to SDG 10?
- We conduct sustainable business with our suppliers in Cambodia and India, paying a fair price for supplies and services.
- We contribute to the protection of human rights and recognize the right to collective bargaining.
- We do not tolerate forced labour, child labour or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability or age.
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Should the global population reach 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets will be required to provide the natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles.
If annual clothing sales continue to grow at the current rate, they will reach 160 million tonnes by 2050. In order to make these garments, most of which will end up being either incinerated or in a landfill within the year of production, we will use 300 million tonnes of non-renewable materials that our planet simply cannot produce.
Since sustainable consumption and production aims at “doing more and better with less,” net welfare gains from economic activities can increase by reducing resource use, degradation and pollution along the whole life cycle, while increasing quality of life.
How does The Extra Smile contribute to SDG 12?
- We go through great lengths to find sustainable alternatives to traditional fashion practices, and apply this approach in all aspects of our business.
- We produce small quantities to avoid overproduction and waste.
- We use organic and GOTS-certified fabrics, avoid polyester and plastic, and are creative with upcycled materials.
- To deliver our products to our customers, we use reusable or compostable packaging.
- We encourage our customers to buy less, buy better, wear longer, never throw away.
- We share the information on our supply chain with our customers.
Our commitments
- We will develop a platform that facilitates the purchase and sale of our second-hand clothes by 2021.
- We will collaborate with a network of repair and second-hand shops in the areas where our customers live, by 2021.
- We will phase out all plastic and polyester by 2025.
