Idioma is thoughtful fashion. Working with like-minded partners, suppliers and factories, we push our industry in the right direction. We are faced with an opportunity, not to be squandered, to make choices that matter and to respect plantlife, people and the planet in the process.
From select farms in central India to the factory floors in Gazipur, Bangladesh, it is essential to respect the raw materials and the communities working with them. Using sensibly sourced organic cotton, for one, means promoting water welfare and pesticide prevention, a decision that makes a distinct difference downstream, locally, and inevitably, worldwide. Indeed, if plastics are present it is because they are reworked and recycled, not dropped in the ocean or burned as fuel, and thus we work to ensure our environment endures. In this way, footprints are smaller and we stand taller.
Similarly, the plights and rights of the world’s garment workers must be voiced. Rewarding, recognizing and representing, matching their skills with a fairer framework for labour standards, payscales, access to childcare and more is an essential element of our ethos. Action means satisfaction, for the textile towns and for every one of us.
Collaborating closely with the Fair Wear Foundation’s initiative to drive positive change in the textile industry, our suppliers keep processes under one roof in just a few favoured factories to give greater guarantees that production meets industry standards including the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and that transparency and traceability are top priorities.
Expanding production recently in Portugal and Scotland, Idioma is working closely with new territories to promote traditional techniques, reduce international cargo shipping, contribute to local communities, and also work within rigorous EU regulations including the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), OEKO-TEX and REACH standards for the use of chemicals in the dyeing process and more.
Aware that there is always more to do, from stones unturned to lessons to learn, we are currently focused on making improvements in the following areas:
• Carbon-neutral delivery strategies within the UK and further afield
• 100% organic or biodegradable products are used in all packaging from factory to customer
• Manufacture of 100% sustainable baseball caps
• Support of environmentally focused charities and NGO’s
Idioma is on the road to a way of doing business that is fair and true. This is us honestly trying to improve because if we don’t, we all lose.