Sustainability Map
Our goal is to be sustainable throughout each step of the working process. We believe without transparency in communication and accountability, this is not possible. After all, without you, we don’t exist. As consumers, you have the right to know and we need your full support on how and why we choose to operate the way we do. We have broken down each step of our working process. Don’t worry- you won’t be reading a book but a summary.
Sourcing
We first look to textile waste to source what we need without compromising quality and style to reduce waste, water and carbon footprint. Then we move onto new materials upholding the highest standards for sustainability. We make our decisions based on the most sustainable and appropriate options available. Sustainability is at the core of every decision we make, starting from sourcing, because fashion should never come at the cost of our environment. You can follow the journey of each product including where the material is from on each product page.
We believe in choosing natural fibers over synthetic fibers like polyester. This includes our main, size and care labels which, oftentimes, are overlooked. We consciously source natural fibers with the most sustainable option available keeping our consumers and environment in mind.
The production of polyester uses harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, resulting in significant water and air pollution. Furthermore, synthetic garments are the biggest source of microplastic pollution in the oceans because every time synthetic garments like polyester gets washed, it releases thousands of bits of plastic into the ocean. Polyester is a non-biodegradable fabric which means, it does not decompose for unto 200 years depending on conditions at the end of its life cycle.
Manufacturing
Our “Made in US” standards:
100% of workers involved in the line of manufacturing are over the age of 18 unlike much of the overseas manufacturing. Oftentimes they are well over the legal age as we work with highly skilled professionals, which requires years of experience to become a skilled expert. This is not the case outside of US as many of us have heard about child labor issues in other parts of the world. As for adult workers, we and/or any of our partnering manufacturers do not tolerate forced labor and/or modern day slavery.
Living Wage - We not only strictly abide by US labor laws, including min wage, but believe our workers deserve a minimum of living wage. We ensure all of our production workers, including our partner manufacturer, are paid living wage at minimum.
Safe and Fair Working Conditions - In addition to controls and regulations in place by the US government, improving the environment of our factory is an ongoing priority. We openly communicate and share the same priorities and goals for the workers with our partner manufacturers.
Guaranteed Quality of Goods- We uphold and take pride in the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship as we closely monitor and inspect our local production contrary to most foreign imports.
Impact on Local economy - We provide jobs not only for today but also for the future generations because the more money that is invested in buying US made products, the more will get put back into manufacturing US made goods.
Environmental Impact - Having a positive and long lasting impact on the environment is one of the core missions at Rare Stance. In addition to our sourcing practices, we use creative ways to eliminate textile waste at proaction. We design products around scraps that are produced in cutting rooms to eliminate waste.
Packaging
Tags - All of our tags are made from recycled paper, can be recycled and are biodegradable.
Liner Bags - Poly liner bags are most commonly used to wrap each individual product in the most effective and affordable way to protect them from dust and moisture. Because of this reason, poly liner bags are widely used across all industries. We did not want to take part in producing trillions of disposable plastic bags but have invested in reusable cotton liner bags. We have also invested in extra durable shipping boxes with customized thickness to help protect our products along with the reusable liner bag in place of poly liner bags.
Boxes - We use eco-friendly corrugated boxes for shipping; they are made of recycled boxes, biodegradable and can be reused and recycled.
Care and Use
We try to communicate as much as we can in our care labels with the best options to care for your clothing. With proper care and use, your clothing will not only last longer but also contribute to positive environmental change. There isn’t a one size fits all for proper care as different materials need different care.
As a general rule of thumb, you can choose not to over wash your clothes, use an eco-friendly detergent, cold water over hot water, hand wash whenever you can, air dry over machine dry, and reduce dry cleaning.
On each product page you can find detailed info on how to best care for our product. We will list all options if available starting from the most sustainable way to least. We plan to have how-to videos on some product care in the upcoming year. Once available, they will be posted under each product page.
End of Product Life Cycle
Once you decide the product is no longer useful in your life, we have a handful of options for you to consider.
You can donate them by searching “donation box near me” or contact non-profit organizations like American Red Cross, Dress for Success, and or Free the Girls.
You can gift them to your friends. If you’ve received complements in the past and know a friend or two who would enjoy your no longer wanted clothes, brighten their day by offering it to them. You can have extra fun by hosting a giveaway brunch as an excuse to connect with your friends.
You can up-cycle by starting a fun DIY project. Simple makeovers like shortening the length of the garment and/or sleeves can be manageable and fun. You can also bring it to your nearest tailor! There are plenty of other options such as making accessories, bags, home decorations and rags.