FRAMEWORK 1.0

Appareliii is powered by the coalescing of technology and design — exploring the lines between textile and function, driven by experimental approaches. We design essential pieces that reflect the era and atmosphere we live in, while focusing on craftsmanship, technique, and sustainable fabrication. We source fabric and implement ecoconscious manufacturing techniques that are of highest attainable quality.

Appareliii is built on the guise that sustainable garment tech is the future and should be accessible to everyone. We understand that the advancement of garment tech goes hand-inhand with ethical business conduct. We aspire to practice innovation that allows us to integrate an aggregate approach of social responsibility for a long-term vision.


FRAMEWORK 2.0

INTRODUCTION

Appareliii understands the importance of ethical fabrication and responsible business practices, thus our production strategy ensures that we align ourselves with agents that demonstrate social responsibility.

We continuously share and promote ethical business practices in all economic, social and environmental fields which plays a fundamental and integral part of our company. Our internal standards are also met externally with our contractors, consultants, suppliers and subcontractors to act with honesty and integrity in their day-to-day activities to ensure that our growth is guided by the same shared values.

1 RECIPIENTS

The Ethical Model (hereinafter referred to as the “FRAMEWORK”) identifies the ethical principles that inspire the activity of the Company (hereinafter referred to as “Appareliii”), and its properties, subject to the same control as the Company.

The FRAMEWORK is binding on directors, managers, executives, collaborators, agents and business brokers of Appareliii, on professionals and external consultants who provide professional activities or services to Appareliii, as well as on suppliers and subcontractors of Appareliii (hereinafter, the “Recipients”). All Recipients are required to know the content of the FRAMEWORK, to contribute to its implementation and to the dissemination of the principles that are set out herein, as well as to promote compliance with it by all those with whom they have business relations. To this purpose, Appareliii undertakes to ensure the widest possible dissemination of this FRAMEWORK, also through the use of appropriate instrument for the knowledge of it within its organization and for the awareness of its contents by the Recipients.

The FRAMEWORK has been drawn up so that the fundamental ethical values of Appareliii are clearly defined and constitute a key element of the social responsibility, as well as the standard of conduct of all Recipients in conducting business and carrying out their activities in favour of Appareliii.

2 FORMAT

Appareliii promotes production policies that reconcile the needs of economic development and value creation, typical of its business activities, with the need to respect and protect the environment. Our garments and/or textiles are manufactured in the South Americas, China, Bangladesh, and recently Korea.

We work with only the most reputable manufacturers who are known industry-wide for their exceptional quality and ethical business practices. The internal sourcing process prioritizes quality and craftsmanship and we take pride in the materials and partners we work with. The following values and accreditations were obtained by Appareliii and our suppliers to ensure transparency and ethical business practices are met on a global standard.

2.1 Appareliii is committed to actively improve working conditions in global supply chains. Our aim is to ensure business value chains are treating its workforce fairly. Through this methodology, members must work according to the principles of ethically and socially sustainable production and thus contribute to a significant improvement of ethically responsible business practices along the entire value chain.

2.2 Appareliii strives to maintain leading supply chain management system that supports companies to drive social compliance and improvements with the factories in their global supply chains. There is growing expectation that companies not only ensure their own businesses are responsible, but that their suppliers are also demonstrating social responsibility. Appareliii Internal audits monitor its supply chain to ensure that all suppliers are treating workers ethically and legally.

2.21 Appareliii’s production standard:

  1. No discrimination
  2. Fair remuneration
  3. Decent working hours
  4. Occupational Health & Safety
  5. No child labour
  6. Special protection for young workers
  7. No precarious employment
  8. No bounded labour
  9. Protection of the environment
  10. Ethical business behaviour

2.3 Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. The aim of the GOTS standard is to define worldwide recognized requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.

2.31 Appareliii uses GOTS-certified organic yarn specially sourced from high-quality textile mills in our production process. Generally a company participating in the GOTS certification scheme must work in compliance with all criteria of the standard. GOTS relies on a dual system to check compliance with the relevant criteria consisting of on-site auditing and residue testing.

2.32 Key environmental criteria for processing and manufacturing GOTS-certified organic yarn include:

  1. At all stages through the processing organic fibre products must be separated from conventional fibre products and must to be clearly identified
  2. All chemical inputs (e.g. dyes, auxiliaries and process chemicals) must be evaluated and meeting basic requirements on toxicity and biodegradability/eliminability
  3. Prohibition of critical inputs such as toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, functional nano particles, genetically modified organisms (GMO) and their enzymes
  4. The use of synthetic sizing agents is restricted; knitting and weaving oils must not contain heavy metals
  5. Bleaches must be based on oxygen (no chlorine bleaching)
  6. Azo dyes that release carcinogenic amine compounds are prohibited
  7. Discharge printing methods using aromatic solvents and plastisol printing methods using phthalates and PVC are prohibited
  8. Restrictions for accessories (e.g. no PVC, nickel or chrome permitted)
  9. All operators must have an environmental policy including target goals and procedures to minimize waste and discharges
  10. Wet processing units must keep full records of the use of chemicals, energy, water consumption and waste water treatment, including the disposal of sludge. The waste water from all wet processing units must be treated in a functional waste water treatment plant.
  11. Packaging material must not contain PVC. Paper or cardboard used in packaging material, hang tags, swing tags etc. must be recycled or certified according to FSC or PEFC

2.4 At Appareliii, we opted for FSC-approved garment packaging, which utilizes environmentally sustainable soy-based ink, and fully recycled tissue wrapping. The Forest Stewardship Certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.

Noissue Eco Packaging Alliance was founded to provide makers, brands and businesses of all sizes access to custom, sustainable packaging. By partnering with NOISSUE, we ensure that for every product sold, a tree is planted in places of need.

3 DISSEMINATION OF THE ETHICAL MODEL

The principles, values and standards of conduct contained in the FRAMEWORK are disseminated within the Appareliii and communicated to third parties. The FRAMEWORK is available and accessible to all Recipients on the website www.appareliii.com/framework. The adoption of the FRAMEWORK is also disclosed to external parties who establish relations with the Appareliii (external collaborators, consultants, customers, suppliers, subcontractors, etc.), also through the use of specific contractual clauses. Appareliii promotes the implementation of training courses for its managers, employees and collaborators in order to promote the full understanding of the principles and rules set out in this FRAMEWORK.