Known for its trendy and delicate designs, Reformation is a pioneer in the sustainable fashion movement. The brand makes significant efforts to reduce its environmental impact putting, in its own words, “sustainability at the core of everything [they] do”.
What is it that Reformation does that makes it such a forerunner in the sustainability front? Are we in danger of being greenwashed? Let’s find out!
The Reformation approach
Launched more than a decade ago as a brand selling reworked vintage items, Reformation has evolved into a one-of-a-kind specimen. The brand is known for having a tangible approach to sustainability despite not being slow fashion but something like fast fashion. What does this “approach” consist of?
1. Sustainability Report
Sustainability reports detail a company’s environmental, social, and economic performance, including sustainability strategy, goals, and progress toward those goals. By looking at those reports stakeholders (i.e., investors, customers, employees, and the general public) can know how a business manages its social and environmental impact and can also identify which areas need improvement.
It is a standard practice to issue sustainability reports annually, yet profits are issued in quarterly earnings reports! For Reformation “companies should be accountable for more than just profits,” so it has started issuing quarterly sustainability reports. This is a great nod to transparency, an essential ingredient of sustainability and business ethics. Yo can access Reformation’s Sustainability Report for Q4 2022 here.
2. Materials
Reformation knows that fabrics determine up to 2/3 of the environmental impact of clothes, so most of its products are made with materials that have less environmental impact than ‘traditional’ ones, namely, recycled polyester, TENCEL Lyocell, organic cotton, and linen. In fact, one of Reformation’s goals is to have 100% of its fabrics made from recycled, regenerative or renewable materials by 2025. Using these kinds of materials allows the brand to use less water, energy and chemicals, and to reduce their waste generation (you can learn more about these sustainable materials in The Pomelade’s previous posts on recycled polyester, TENCEL, organic cotton, and linen).
When it comes to dyeing, the brand has a Restricted Substance List against which it tests all of its products to confirm there are no hazardous substances in them and to ensure they are safe and comply with international laws. The mentioned list is based on the AFIRM Group industry level standards.
3. Supply chain
According to Reformation’s latest Sustainability Report, the brand works with partners who share its values of accountability, transparency, and sustainability throughout their supply chain. Reformation manufactures many of its products in their own factory (over 50% of cutting and sewing is done in Los Angeles, US), and the remaining are produced by responsible manufacturing partners either in the US or abroad. The brand audits its factories on a regular basis to ensure compliance with their standards and use a color-coded rating system for their supplier audits. Their goal is to maintain a “Green” or “Yellow” rating for 95% or more of Tier 1 facilities (finished goods assemblers and contractors). While some of their suppliers are in the Orange tier, the brand explains it is working with them to find solutions so they can maintain relationships and influence better practices.
Reformation discloses detailed information about its manufacturing processes and supply chain, including information on the factories it works with and their environmental impact (you can access the list here). The brand also has a Code of Conduct that establishes labor practices in its supply chain, such as fair wages, safe working conditions, and the absence of forced labor.
4. People
Reformation has taken steps to promote ethical practices in its operations and supply chain. For starters, over three-quarters of its management team are women or people from underrepresented populations. The brand has also recently updated its benefits package for hourly employees, increased holiday and vacation time for hourly team members, and provided volunteer time off for all employees. It also provides health benefits to all full-time employees including the manufacturing team.
To ensure fair labor conditions and fundamental labor rights Reformation requires all its direct cut, sew, and finish manufacturing partners to adhere to their Code of Conduct. Some highlights are that child labor and forced labor are prohibited; health and safety protection measures must be implemented; and local legal minimum wage requirements must be met or exceeded. Reformation’s Code of Conduct references the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct, which is based on International Labor Organization (ILO) standards and internationally accepted good labor practices.
5. Carbon footprint
Although Reformation’s products have been 100% carbon-neutral since 2015, it has now teamed up with the non-profit organization Climate Neutral to make it official. This certification means the brand partners with Climate Neutral each year to measure its carbon emissions, offset 100% of its footprint, and works on reducing its emissions. Reformation has also set a goal of becoming climate positive by 2025. The key part here is that the brand is working with science-based reduction targets, meaning that they are in line with the level of decarbonization required to keep the global temperature increase below 1.5°C compared to that of pre-industrial temperatures, as described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
6. RefScale
To show that Reformation doesn’t just weight the “price tag, but all the costs in creating fashion”, it came up with RefScale, a system that tracks the carbon and water footprint of their products. The brand shares this information on every product page of their website, telling consumers exactly the environmental impact of each garment. “This way we all get to see the total cost of fashion so you can make empowered choices, and we can keep creating better solutions when it comes to making clothes.”
7. Circularity
Reformation recycles, composts organic wastes and/or donates its textile scraps whenever possible to achieve zero waste (it recycles about 75% of all its garbage and is working to reach over 85%). It also gives customers the choice to recycle their clothes in exchange of credits in its stores through the RefCycling program. Likewise, the brand has teamed up with thredUP and customers will get Ref Credit for everything they sell through that app.
8. Animal Welfare
Reformation is not an overachiever when it comes to animal welfare, yet, they are off to a good start. The brand does not use fur, exotic skins, or angora in its products, and it sources materials like wool and leather from suppliers who adhere to animal welfare guidelines.
Final thoughts
Although some have accused the brand of greenwashing, or making exaggerated claims about its sustainability practices, I am positive that Reformation’s commitment to sustainability is its strongest suit. The brand has made significant efforts to be more and more sustainable, aiming to become more transparent and accountable to ensure that it is truly living up to its commitments. Yet, it is important to note that no brand can be 100% sustainable. There is always room for improvement, and Reformation recognized this by constantly setting new sustainability goals.
Last but not least, compared to other brands, Reformation clothing can be relatively expensive so while their commitment to sustainability is admirable, the cost may be prohibitive for many. Whether or not Reformation clothing is worthwhile is a matter of personal values and preferences. If you are willing to pay “extra” for environmentally friendly clothing, Reformation may be a good option for you.
What do you think about Reformation? Have you, or would you consider buying clothes from them? Let us know in the comments below!
