GORMAN ORGANIC
The gorman organic label was introduced in 2007 with a collection of GOTS certified organic cotton basics for everyday wear. Since then, gorman has committed to increasing the use of certified organic cotton in more products, and has sought out additional sustainable fibres and materials for use in the collections as they’ve become available for commercial use.
In 2018, gorman transitioned the gorman organic label to gorman green, to reflect the breadth of sustainable fibres now in use across our collections. We realised it was time to move beyond using organic cotton alone and encompass all sustainable fibres under one heading, hence gorman green was born.
Our commitment to sustainable product is materialised by the use of the following fibres throughout our collections.
organic cottonrecycled cottonrecycled polyester (PET)natural unbleached linenRWS certified wooltraceable and responsibly sourced viscose and lyocell
Our commitment is to continue to increase the percentage of garments under the gorman green label.
Percentage of gorman green garments produced per season:
SS18 - 28%AW19 - 17%SS19 - 52%AW20 - 48%SS20 - 59%AW21 - 61%
“in 2007 I launched a sustainable label called 'gorman organic' with a range of basic tops. Now, in 2021, a range of sustainable fibres make up well over half the range and on the increase year after year.
Environmentally sustainable fibres have since become significantly more commercially viable and the offering has increased to include many different fabrications that lend themselves to a vast array of clothing.
It's the responsibility of the gorman business to continue to invest in the development of sustainably fabricated products year on year, providing our customers with a greener choice for their wardrobe. ”
- Lisa Gorman
Organic cotton
Our organic cotton fabrics are certified by Global Organic Textiles Standards (GOTS), ensuring the raw materials are farmed, harvested and manufactured in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
Recycled cotton
Our certified recycled cotton is pre-consumer, meaning cotton fluff and trimmings are collected from the yarn and clothing production process, shredded and re-spun to create new yarns. This process uses fewer natural resources such as water and energy to produce as well as minimising waste and encouraging a circular economy.
Recycled polyester (PET)
Our Recycled PET garments are produced from used plastic bottles, a process which requires no new petroleum to be extracted and reduces the amount of plastic ending up in landfill.
Natural unbleached European linen
Gorman Green uses unbleached linen and flax, which is a fibre that is less processed than dyed and bleached fabrications. The beauty of unbleached linen is its natural oatmeal texture, which has become a staple in our collections.
RWS certified wool
Under the gorman green label, wool from suppliers that has been certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) ensures our wool comes from farms that have a progressive approach to managing their land, practice holistic respect for animal welfare of the sheep and respect the Five Freedoms of animal welfare. It is the most comprehensive certification for wool. (https://responsiblewool.org/)
Traceable and responsibly sourced viscose and lyocell
We use branded viscose and lyocell,that are sourced from natural cellulose fibres that are made from regenerated wood pulp.
ECOVERO™ Viscose- Uses 50% less water and 50% less chemicals in processing than generic viscose.
TENCEL™ Lyocell - process is a 100% closed loop system whereby the water and 99.8% of the solvent is recycled and reused.
GORMAN GREEN
We love earth friendly fibres.
When a garment is made using fabric that contains more than 50% of earth friendly fibres, such as: organic cotton, recycled cotton, hemp and raw unbleached linen you will find it under our Gorman Green category.
Always check the care label (inside the garment on the left seam) to find out exactly what the item is made from, you will also find this information within the product page on the website.
REPAIR AND DONATE
Gorman “Repair and Donate,” is a community volunteer program, based in Victoria which repairs faulty merchandise and items that have been returned on behalf of the Gorman brand.
This has been running successfully for over 15 years providing community support and a creative way to turn faulty merchandise into a useful commodity again.
Items donated from the Gorman stores are lovingly sorted, washed, cleaned, and repaired, to be resold at an annual sale in Warrnambool with proceeds going to various charities in need of support at the time.
GORMAN UPCYCLE
In December last year, Gorman Upcycle was born as a creative way to reuse and repurpose fabric off-cuts and remnants collected over the years, with a debut collection of 10 covetable handmade quilts.
A year on, and we’re excited to bring Gorman Upcycle back. This time, our quilt maker extraordinaire Rita Cassar invited her daughters and extended family to share in the tradition of quilt making and has helped to craft a collection of 30 one of a kind quilts.
Exclusive archive print samples and strike offs, left over from Gorman clothing production have been carefully curated and patch worked together to create unique pieces to pass from generation to generation.
In two sizes, each piece is quilted in a diamond pattern, with the reverse side featuring a solid archive print backing.
SHOP FIT-OUT MATERIALS
At gorman, we like the natural approach. Recycled or plantation timbers are used, with non-toxic natural oils and low toxic paints. Unbleached linen curtains and durable lambswool carpets, produced chemical-free by Irish brand Tretford, are a feature. We also have some vintage mid-century furniture from Angelucci 20th Century in the mix.
When it comes to lighting, we use recycled or salvaged vintage pendants and utilise LED, energy-efficient lighting.
FREIGHT AND SHIPPING
A UK government study in 2008 found that transporting one tonne of garments via ship emits 1.5 kgs of C02 in comparison to 143 kgs by air. With this in mind, we reviewed our freight processes and now sea freight 95% of our stock.
This result has been achieved by making some simple changes such as allowing for longer lead times to enable sea freight and where possible combining deliveries to cut down on transportation.
PACKAGING
In 2010, gorman reduced single-use plastic packaging of incoming stock deliveries by 90% in just one year. This has been one of our most effective changes to date on the green front, and has involved all of our suppliers.
gorman is in the process of introducing recyclable packaging for online orders and is committed to transitioning to this by March 2021.
LONGEVITY OF PRODUCT
The design team create and develop products with the expectation of long term wearability. Garments are not designed to fit a trend, they are designed with a signature unique to gorman that combines the modern and the timeless. From design through to construction, pieces are made to last years rather than months.
RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING PRACTICES
We work towards a 6-month lead-time on our production orders. This model gives our manufacturer the opportunity to plan-ahead, stabilise their workforce and manage workflows.
We do not shop for the lowest price or tender out work. We only seek out new suppliers when our existing manufacturers are not able or willing to produce something in our range.
We also understand that our production process can have an impact on working conditions. Click here to find out more about our lead-time policy.
Most recently, we provided evidence of all actions and purchasing practices aligned with the COVID Fashion Commitments listed by Baptist World Aid Australia, as part of the 2020 COVID Fashion Report. To read the full report, click here.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
Suppliers must comply with applicable environmental laws, must maintain a written environmental policy, and must implement a system to minimize or eliminate negative impacts of its practices on the environment.
UZBEK COTTON PLEDGE
Gorman has signed the Cotton Pledge to commit to not using cotton from Uzbekistan due to allegations of the systemic use of child and forced labour in the cultivation and harvesting of cotton in the region.
REPORTING CONDITIONS
As part of gorman’s commitments outlined above, we are keen to be made aware of any situation where our social and ethical policy is not being upheld. We commit to investigating all complaints that we receive. If an issue is confirmed, we will work with the parties involved to develop a corrective action plan. Your complaint will remain strictly confidential, unless you advise otherwise.
You can contact us on marketing@gormanshop.com.au. Complaints do not have to be lodged in English.
SOCIAL COMPLIANCE AUDITING
We request that our suppliers keep gorman informed about all places producing goods intended for supply to Gorman (including their sub-contractors). We reserve the right to make unannounced visits at any time to all places of production (including our suppliers sub-contractors). Gorman furthermore reserves the right to assign, at its sole discretion, an independent third party to conduct inspections in order to ensure compliance with our ethical sourcing policy.
Click here to find out more about our ethical sourcing policy and to view our most recent ethical sourcing report.
If you have any further questions or concerns, then please contact us at Wool is all non -mulesed and can say we have an award from Humane Society etc…
GHG EMISSIONS REDUCTION STATEMENT
In 2019 - Our Head Office switched over to 100% Green power which has no net greenhouse gas emissions and displaces electricity usage with certified renewable energy. The electricity for our stand alone stores and independent retail units is also 100% carbon neutral (NCOS accredited) and our energy usage is certified carbon neutral. This results in approximately 1279 tonnes of CO2 emissions being offset annually..
Factory X is aiming for a target of 30% GHG emissions reduction by 2030 AND a commitment to analyse a decarbonization pathway for its supply chain in alignment with the 2018 UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.