What to look for when shopping for sustainable goods
Griff Goods is a sustainable men’s clothing store in Opelika, Alabama. Griff Goods carries a curated collection of brands that are committed to controlling their pollution, providing fair employee wages and benefits, and ensuring safe factory and building codes throughout their manufacturing process.
Below is a list of certifications and organizations that Abby Griffin, owner and operator of Griff Goods, looks for to ensure this. Learn more about these certifications and organizations below.
WORLDWIDE RESPONSIBLE ACCREDITED PROGRAM (WRAP)
WRAP is an independent, objective, non-profit team of global social compliance experts dedicated to promoting safe, lawful, humane, and ethical manufacturing around the world through certification and education. WRAP is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia (USA) with regional offices in Hong Kong, SAR, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, full-time staff in Europe, India, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia) and Latin America. Currently, there are 2,707 WRAP factories worldwide, employing 2,434,668 people.
STANDARD 100 BY OEKO-TEX
The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels, as well as accessory materials used.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION
ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 164 national standards bodies.
Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.
SEDEX
Sedex is a global membership organization dedicated to driving improvements in ethical and responsible business practices in global supply chains. Our collaborative approach helps buyers and suppliers to share and exchange data, helping to better manage social and environmental risks within their supply chain, and positively impact responsible sourcing.
BETTER COTTON INITIATIVE (BCI)
The Better Cotton Growth and Innovation Fund is a global program designed to support the Better Cotton Initiative in its goals of reaching five million farmers in key cotton-producing countries and have Better Cotton account for 30% of global cotton production. Launched by BCI and its partners in 2016, the Fund identifies, supports and invests in field-level programs and innovation while fostering adoption of the Better Cotton Standard System by governments and other national entities.
SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL
Founded in 1997, Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization advancing human rights at work. SAI’s vision is of decent work everywhere – sustained by an understanding that socially responsible workplaces benefit business while securing fundamental human rights. We envision a world where workers, businesses, and communities thrive together.
GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. The aim of the standard is to define world-wide 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.
AMERICAN TEXTILE RECYCLING SERVICE (ATRS)
ATRS is committed to reducing landfill waste and providing a second life and second chance for unwanted garments and goods. There is an enormous need to share our wealth worldwide and provide recycled goods to those in need locally and in emerging nations. We're committed to keeping textiles out of landfills, improving diversion rates in our communities and creating sustainable solutions where we live, work and play.
A New Culture Of Clothing
Read our interview with Abby, “A New Culture of Clothing,” and shop online at shopgriffgoods.com. Visit their store front at 719 1st Avenue Opelika, Alabama 36801.