SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

Oxford is committed to ensuring that its supply chain takes account of both environmental and socio-economic concerns. Practically speaking, this implies continuous work to improve all stages of the product’s life cycle, from design, raw material production, manufacturing, transport, storage, marketing and final sale, to use, reuse, repair, remake and recycling our products and its components. 

From an environmental standpoint, Oxford aims are to minimize any undesirable environmental effect of the product’s life cycle by:

(a) ensuring efficient and careful use of natural resources (water, energy, land, soil, animals, plants, biodiversity, ecosystems),

(b) selecting renewable energy sources (wind, solar) at various stages and

(c) maximizing repair, remake, reuse, and recycling of the product and its components

From a socio-economic perspective, all stakeholders will work to improve present working conditions for workers on the field, in the factories, transportation chain and stores, by aligning with  ethical trading, working to prevent modern slavery and international codes of conduct.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON

Worldwide, cotton farming uses more toxic pesticides per acre than any other crop. These chemicals are harming our planet, stripping the land of nutrients, contaminating waterways, and endangering those who grow it. That’s why we’re moving all our cotton to certified organic by the end of 2023 – we’re 75% of the way as at January 2022.

Certified organic is better for farmers, local communities and for the planet. Instead of toxic pesticides, organic farming uses crop rotation, cover crops and organic fertilizers to create rich life-supporting soil. Pesticides have a bad habit of poisoning groundwater, streams, and rivers, which endangers the people and wildlife that rely on those sources. By replacing dangerous chemicals with natural alternatives and old-school agriculture techniques, farmers are spared dangerous levels of exposure.

All of our organic cotton is GOTS accredited: this means that it has been approved by the Global Organic Textile Standard, an organisation which aims to ensure the validity of organic materials - from the harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling.

The factories we use are also certified by the SGS Social Compliance Factory Assessment Audit, to ensure we are manufacturing our shirts within sound ethical guidelines.

NO NEW PLASTIC

There are more than eight billion tons of plastic on the planet. And once produced, it never goes away. Our commitment includes products, packaging, poly bags, retail stores and distribution centre.

RECYCLED POLYESTER

Oxford utilises both methods of recycled polyester:

* Mechanical recycling, plastic bottles are melted to make new yarn. This process can only be done a few times before the fibre loses its quality.
* Chemical recycling involves breaking down the plastic molecules and reforming them into yarn. This process maintains the quality of the original fibre and allows the material to be recycled infinitely, but it is more expensive.

Currently over 90% of our apparel fabrics containing polyester and nylon are now made from certified recycled fibres. The material is made from recycling plastic water bottles, fishing nets, fabric excess from cutting patterns, and other items otherwise destined for the waste stream.

VERIFIED AUSTRALIAN WOOL

Is finer than human hair and merino can be softer than cashmere. It creates less energy and water than other fibres, using 18% less energy than polyester and nearly 70% less water than cotton to produce 100 sweaters. There are zero microplastics, unlike many synthetics and wool is 100% biodegradable so does not contribute to microplastic pollution in oceans or on land.

LEATHER

The leather used is eco-friendly. It is Chromium II free, vegetable tanned leather produced in tanneries that recycles and purifies its wastewater.