- All our store bags are made from 100% recycled and recyclable paper, and we also sell re-usable canvas shoppers as an alternative.
- 93% of our online orders are despatched in 50% recycled and recyclable plastic mail bags (the rest come in recycled cardboard boxes) and our despatch notes are made from 100% recycled paper which can also be recycled.
- All our stock is delivered to stores in second-hand cardboard boxes.
- Each member of the head office team is issued with a 'Sustainable Starter Pack' upon enrolment, promoting sustainability in everyday life and including a re-fillable water bottle, a desk plant for air quality and a pen and pad made from recycled paper.
- We're on track to becoming a paperless office, making it easier to work without printing through the introduction of TV screens and laptops that can be used in meetings.
- There are a number of recycling points around head office for everything from plastic containers to coffee cups.
THREE C'S FOR THE SEA.
The British coast is who we are. Born in the back of a windsurfing shop in Salcombe, our shores have been a constant source of inspiration to us for over 25 years and serve as a daily reminder to do better by our planet. We believe that together small changes create a big ripple effect - and we're making them all over the business, from switching all our carrier bags to 100% recycled and recyclable paper, to sourcing sustainable cotton. Together, we can change the tide.
CHANGE
By 2025, we're committing to the following:
PROGRESS SO FAR:
In 2020 we made a pledge to grow sustainably, for the British coast and beyond. We're proud to have already made some significant headway.
Collection
We believe that clothes should be about so much more than 'just clothes'. They should be yours to cherish for years to come. We search the world for the best quality materials possible to ensure they last and last. In fact, we regularly hear from customers who still have their original 1993 rugby shirts.
Our clothes are made to be carried through life with you. This idea of storytelling, which comes through time and well-loved wear, still remains in every stitch over 25 years later.
We're committed to making a greater percentage of our products using environmentally friendly and organic fabrics. This year we're focusing on finding more sustainable production methods and supporting responsibly sourced cotton. In the meantime, we've been making more conscious choices throughout the collection where we can, reducing wastage as well as costs by ordering large quantities of products at a time. We also keep transportation emissions to a minimum by shipping as much of our range by boat as possible.
Our favourite sustainably sourced materials currently include:
- Organic cotton
- Recycled polyester
- Bamboo
- LENZING™ ECOVERO™
- Tencel™ Lyocell
- Dupont™ Sorona®
- FCS certified paper & cardboard
And there's more reasons to smile...
408,000
LITRES OF WATER SAVED
Our Ocean Polo saves fresh water through the use of recycled and more sustainable dye processes. It's also made from 100% organic cotton with £1 of every sale going to the Marine Conservation Society.
250,000
coastal wildflowers spread
To celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2021, we gave out a packet of forget-me-nots with every purchase. Native to sand dunes, these wildflowers help conserve coastal ecosystems and provide natural havens of biodiversity. We encouraged customers to plant them at their local beach.
64,300
plastic bottles recycled
Our collection of umbrellas and packable tote bags gives 500ml post-consumer plastic bottles a new life, saving them from the ocean or landfill. We transform them into pellets and make recycled polyester out of them.
SUSTAINABLE STYLES
Charity
£141,221+
donated to do good
We try give back as much as we can. Since 2020, we've totted up a grand total of over £141,221 for causes that sit close to our hearts. We care deeply about ocean conservation, supporting it through national awareness-driving campaigns and money-raising activations. On top of this, we also raised £50,000 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. On this note, we'd like to say a big thank you to our loyal customers - none of it would have been possible without your support!
'We've been taking meaningful steps to reduce the impact we have on the environment throughout our supply chain. As a brand with such a strong connection to the coast, and as a company generally, we see it as our duty to do business as responsibly as possible.'
- David Butler, CEO
We know this is just a drop in the ocean but together we can create waves.
More Good Stuff
Life & StyleHow to Look After Your DenimEveryone needs a great pair of jeans in their wardrobe. The foundation of an effortlessly stylish outfit, once...Continue readingLife & StyleHow To Host Your Own Beach CleanTips on how to clean up our coastlines, written in partnership with Oceanographic Magazine.Continue readingLife & StyleForget-Me-NotsA guide for growing yours.Continue reading