If you are anything like us, you are probably obsessed with the je ne sais quoi of Parisian style. Appearing effortless yet stylish? How do they do it? Well, we’ve got some good news for you: French brand Sézane is making it easier for us mere mortals! Founded in 2013 by Morgane Sézalory, the brand has become a favorite for its effortlessly chic French-girl aesthetic and sophisticated designs. Most importantly, it is also renowned for its commitment to sustainability. Let’s dive into this and find out how sustainable Sézane is.
Transparency
Transparency is the first thing to look at when assessing whether a brand is sustainable or not, as it allows consumers to make informed decisions and to trust (or not) the brand’s commitment to ethical practices.
As a starting point, Sézane is B Corp certified, which means it adheres to rigorous social and environmental standards and that it undergoes annual audits which, naturally, improves transparency. The brand has also chosen to become a “mission-led company” by including in their by-laws the mission to “continuously improv[e] our processes by being an actor of change on a societal and environmental level.”
According to Sézane’s website, “more than 2/3 of [its] models are produced in Europe, the rest all over the world, depending on the origin of raw materials, expertise, working conditions and production capacities.” The brand provides insights into its supply chain, including some of the countries where products are manufactured (such as India, Portugal, China, Bulgaria and Italy) and some of the conditions under which they are produced. However, a full supplier list and a detailed supplier map is not available in its website. It is probable that this is a strategic decision to keep certain information from competitors, so we reached out to Sézane’s sustainability team to see if we could get access to them for the purposes of writing this post only. To this date we have not received any feedback (we will update this article when (and if) received).
The brand also publishes Sustainability Reports (latest one from 2022) which cover aspects like reducing carbon emissions, using eco-friendly materials, and supporting fair trade practices (we will get into each one of these below). A thing that is worth mentioning is that the brand has not published a Sustainability Report for the year 2023 (or at least not to this date). Instead, the 2022 Sustainability Report refers to “objectives for the coming years”, a quite vague statement.
When it comes to traceability, Sézane proudly achieved 100% in Tier 1 of the production chain (parts assembling), an achievement worth celebrating! However, the situation with Tier 2 (manufacture of the final material) and Tier 3 (transformation of raw materials) is somewhat different. If we look at its 2020 Sustainability Report, the brand aimed for 100% traceability in Tier 2 and 70% in Tier 3 by 2022. Unfortunately, the 2022 Sustainability Report reveals that these ambitious targets were not fully met, reaching only 95% in Tier 2 and 55% in Tier 3. Don’t get us wrong, these are not bad numbers if we compare them to other brands, but they do indicate that there is certainly room for improvement in this area.
Overall, Sézane shows a good level of transparency as it shares information about its supply chain, production practices, and sustainability initiatives through its website and sustainability reports.
Workers
According to the brand’s website and sustainability reports, Sézane is committed to responsible sourcing and fair treatment of workers. When it comes to their ateliers, “the modernity of the workshops is an essential element in our choices, in order to guarantee the best working conditions for employees”. All ateliers are audited to ensure they adhere to Sézane’s Code of Ethics and respect certain standards. These audits are performed by independent auditors and two members of the Sézane team, ensuring compliance with legal working conditions and prohibiting illegal, forced, or child labor. The brand ranks their ateliers in four categories based on the audit results, ‘A’ being the best and ‘D’ the worst. According to their latest Sustainability Report, nearly half of their ateliers are included in the ‘A’ category and none in the ‘D’ category.
Since it is not publicly available, we have requested Sézane’s sustainability team the Code of Ethics to which ateliers need to adhere, in order to assess how strict and comprehensive it is. To this date we have not received it and we have not been able to assess whether the brand ensures workers in its supply chain receive a living wage.
Looking forward, Sézane is setting up support projects to improve the working conditions at their workshops. As such, the brand has launched Worker Voices program, and in 2022 six workshops benefited from implementing pilot actions ranging from creating an on-site canteen to launching a project to promoting gender equality in the workplace.
Overall, Sézane seems to be committed to the fair treatment of workers. However, without access to their Code of Ethics, it is challenging to fully evaluate the extent of the brand’s commitment to ethical labor practices.
2022 Scandal
While Sézane has made good progress and is quite ahead of other brands in terms of workers protections, the 2022 scandal that took place in Mexico is a big stain that must not be overlooked. In early 2022, the brand’s creative team had an old Indigenous Mexican woman dance while wearing Sézane clothes. This episode revealed a distressing example of cultural insensitivity and exploitation, and was aggravated by the fact that the woman was only paid 200 Mexican pesos (approximately USD 10). The brand later apologized and has not been involved in any scandals of the like so far.
Environment
Materials
Sézane uses eco-friendly materials in three-quarters of its collections, this includes organic cotton, recycled polyester, and responsibly sourced wool. The brand’s use of eco-friendly materials is supported by certifications like GOTS, Oeko-Tex, FSC, Lenzing™ Ecovero™, and RWS/RMS, ensuring high standards for organic content, absence of harmful chemicals, sustainable sourcing, and animal welfare.
Carbon emissions
On the carbon emissions front, we have noticed some vagueness in Sézane’s statements. The brand calculates its carbon emissions annually and is working on reducing the carbon footprint of its garments. What stands out is the lack of a specific greenhouse gas emission reduction target. According to its website “on average, over the last few seasons, we have reduced the average carbon footprint of a Sézane garment by up to 20%”. What does “last few seasons” mean? The latest Sustainability Report provides more clarity when mentioning that “in the space of one year, we have reduced the average carbon intensity of a Sézane piece by 17.2%”.
While this is a nice milestone, without a specific reduction target or a base number to which we can compare such reduction, Sézane’s ability to effectively address and measure its carbon footprint remains limited. Only mentioning that they will “continue to reduce the carbon footprint of a Sézane garment” is simply not good enough.
The same vagueness is algo seen when detailing the steps the brand is implementing to reduce their carbon emissions. An example is packaging: the brand mentions that all of its parcels are manufactured in France using cardboard from sustainably managed forests and recycled cardboard and that it is “increasing [its] efforts to reduce the amount of packaging and plastic in [its] parcels”. Promising? Sure, but without a concrete reduction target there is no certainty on what such statement really means.
Other actions
Below are some other examples of actions Sézane is taking to reduce its environmental impact:
- Modernization of its logistics warehouse, which has increased efficiency and reduced packaging-related emissions by 25% in 2022.
- All permanent boutiques and digital services are powered by renewable energy, and the brand supports decarbonization initiatives at supplier factories.
- In 2022, all Scope 1 and 2 emissions and all upstream and downstream freight from 2021 were offset.
Quality and Craftsmanship
While Sézane is not a slow fashion brand, it is certainly not a fast fashion brand like giants Zara and H&M, which release new items weekly (or even daily!). Instead, Sézane releases large seasonal collections four times a year and smaller capsule collections monthly. The brand’s products are designed to be timeless and durable, reducing the ‘need’ (or pressure) for frequent replacements and thereby minimizing waste. Also, to promote the longevity of their clothes, Sézane offers repair services, having repaired over 2,000 pieces in 2022 alone!
Since its creation, Sézane has striven to offer its customers high-quality, affordable-quality items. The quality of its products is generally fair for the price: its knitwear stands out for their exceptional quality, and its shirts, for their attention to detail. However, some customers have raised concerns about areas for improvement, namely, mixed fabrics can sometimes pose issues, and bottoms sometimes are not properly sewn and lack adequate tension. It is also worth noticing that the composition of the same item can vary by color, as seen with the Tyler Trousers in Powder Pink made from Viscose ECOVERO™ LENZING, polyester and elastane, and in Zini print, made from linen and cotton. Keep this in mind when shopping!
Philanthropic Programs
Sézane has in place some philanthropic activities showing its commitment to making a positive impact beyond fashion:
- Sézane’s philanthropic program, DEMAIN (meaning ‘tomorrow’ in French), supports concrete actions in favour of fair access to education, culture and equal opportunities. According to its website, since its creation, DEMAIN has raised and distributed over €7 million to support 45,000 children, teenagers, and adults across 300 projects (school kits, healthcare, summer vacation, access to sports…).
- On the first Wednesday of every month, Sézane donates 100% of the net sales profits from a pink creation and 10% of the revenue from the current ‘Sézane Denim’ line to DEMAIN. DEMAIN then redistributes these funds to associations working for women’s health. In the UK, DEMAIN supports The Pink Ribbon Foundation, a grant-making trust with a mission to provide financial support to charities worldwide that help those suffering from the disease and advance breast cancer detection and treatment.
Final thoughts: On the right track
So, how sustainable is Sézane? Although there is room for improvement, for example, by setting clear emissions reduction targets and being less vague in their Sustainability Reports, Sézane sets a positive example for the fashion industry. It demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability through its transparency, fair treatment of workers, environmental efforts, and emphasis on quality. What’s more, its philanthropic programs and B Corp certification further highlight its dedication to ethical practices and social responsibility.
If you’re looking for clothes that are stylish, good quality, and from a brand that is actively working towards more ethical production, Sézane is a solid choice.
Sézane is “ON THE RIGHT TRACK” *
*Here is more information on how The Pomelade rates.
What do you think about Sézane? Have you ever shopped anything from them? If not, would you? Let us know in the comments below!
