From early development to finished garment, we consider the environmental and social impact of our materials and processes and have developed an internal criteria to guide our decisions about what is best for the earth, our partner communities, and our customers.
We source only 100% natural textiles and fibers like linen, organic cotton, alpaca, and wool with minimal processing and top of line certifications like GOTS and OEKO TEX, and Fair Trade Peru. You wont find any synthetic blends or man made “natural” textiles in our collections. Fabrics like viscose, rayon, modal, and lyocell-tencel are naturally derived from tree pulp, but require the use of chemical solvents in their processing to break down the pulp, so we choose to say no to these textiles.
We source natural trims where we can, like corozo nut buttons and 100% cotton care labels and thread.
We ship our customer's orders using paper based, curbside recyclable and biodegradable materials, and our mailers can be re-used for a return or exchange.
Eliminating plastic completely from our supply chain is an ongoing conversation with our partners, but as we grow as a brand and more options become available, we hope to get as close to 100% as possible.
Our production partners are certified fair trade facilities with third party auditing and a holistic approach that includes growth opportunities, transparency, fair wages and hours, good working conditions, and environmental respect.
Our production partner in India holds a Fair Trade USA Certification and has an internal focus on sustainable brands, practices, and textiles. They founded Project Thrive to create economic opportunities for local artisan communities and empower them to restore and preserve cultural heritage through craft and the revival of regenerative indigenous cotton.
Our production partners in Peru hold a Fair Trade Peru Good Practices Certification which uses third party auditing to evaluate an organization's management of social and environmental aspects. We work with them to source yarns from a local mill that has earned the same certification ensuring safe working conditions and sustainable livelihoods for all farmers and communities involved in our supply chain.
When you purchase a First Rite garment, you help to support a better path forward in the garment industry knowing we have made well considered decisions to produce garments with the most sustainable options available to us.
Your support allows us to continue to partner with businesses and communities that share our values and achieve real progress in their communities. With each garment purchased, we are proud to pass along the benefits of healthier, more responsible garments to you, our customer.
Our garments are designed to be cherished for years to come and as they wear in we encourage they be mended, repaired, or passed along to the next wearer for a second life.
Sustainability is an ongoing process and we are committed to evolving with and seeking out better practices and materials as they emerge.
