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Sustainability
OUR SUSTAINABLE EDIT
Here at Brown Thomas, we are dedicated to our green commitments, from working, buying and selling responsibly to supporting our communities. Scroll down to see what we have achieved so far this year and what we are looking to as we enter a new decade…
A selection from Adam's at Brown Thomas.
CIRCULAR FASHION
Quality clothes that last has been at the cornerstone of Brown Thomas since our establishment over 170 years ago and this holds true today. It’s little wonder then that when valuing fashion that is built to last we are opening our doors to circular fashion. The Marvel Room this Christmas showcases authenticated vintage treasures from Vestiaire Collective, Siopaella and Adam’s Auctioneers. Customers can also join the circle with our "Give Back with Style"initiative. Use our pre-paid postal labels and packaging from all online orders to send their pre-loved clothes to our charity partner St. Vincent de Paul.
Our Sustainable Edit launched online this May.
RESPONSIBLE BUYING & SELLING
It’s no surprise that in 2019 being more sustainable is top of everyone’s agenda, but finding products that are mindful of our planet is not always clear cut. In order to make things a little bit easier for our conscious shoppers we have launched our online Sustainable Edit of products certified to third party standards. From vegan and cruelty free beauty to sustainable fashion, food and homewares, these curated collections bring extraordinary style with a light footprint.
.By the end of 2019 we will have eliminated single use plastic bottles, coffee cups, plastic bags, QTips, wipes and ecommerce plastic fillers from our business.
From left to right: Rosanna D’Alessandro, Holt Renfrew; Dorothy Maxwell, Head of Sustainability, Brown Thomas Arnotts; Justin Pariag, De Bijenkorf; Shelly Corkery, Fashion Director, Brown Thomas; and Sara Neame, Selfridges at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit.
When I started at Brown Thomas 19 years ago, the fashion business was so much smaller. We had Gucci and Prada on the ground floor and we had a rail of ready-to-wear for each. The fashion industry has exploded. We need to take immediate action and we realise it takes action at every level of this industry to make change.
Shelly Corkery, Fashion Director
REDUCING OUR FOOTPRINT
Lessening and ultimately eliminating our impact on the environment is our goal, and to date, we have reduced our carbon emissions by over 20% through energy-saving investments across our stores. This year, we have become one of the first Irish companies to commit to science-based targets requiring further carbon reductions of over 50% by 2030. We are also signatory members to leading sustainability initiatives that scale improvements faster, including the G7 Fashion Pact, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Irish Repak Plastics Pledge, VOICE Ireland and Conscious Cup Campaign, all with ambitious but necessary steps towards a greener future. We only use recycled paper and board certified to Forest Stewardship Council or Programme for Environmental Forest Certification in carrier bags and gift boxes.
Team members planting trees in Wicklow early this year.
We partnered with forestry and climate change experts Cool Planet and Irish Forestry Services Ltd, to plant 2800 native Irish Oak samplings in Wicklow. Over their 100 year lifetime the trees will take in the equivalent of approx. 5 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year.
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
Every team member that we employ has one paid volunteering day per year. So far this year, over 150 team members have availed of our volunteering programme planting trees with Cool Planet, cleaning beaches with An Taisce Clean Coasts, cooking dinners for Ronald McDonald House, abseiling in Croke Park for CMRF childrens’ hospital and supporting women getting back into employment with Dress for Success. Our teams raise charity for partners SVP, Pieta House, Children’s Grief Centre, Cancer Care West, ARC Cancer Support House Cork, Temple Street and CMRF Crumlin. Our business then matches the team funds raised, up to a maximum of €100k/annum.
We are on track to raise over €175,000 this year from our team, business contributions and our annual ISPCC fashion show.
GIVING TO CHOO CHARITY CHRISTMAS TREE
This Christmas we are delighted to partner with Jimmy Choo on a truly extraordinary charity gifting tree in The Marvel Room, with all proceeds donated to Crumlin Children’s Hospital. You can be in with a chance of winning your Jimmy Choo wish by donating €5 to enter a weekly draw that will take place throughout November and December. On December 22nd, the ultimate draw will take place whereby a lucky person will win a 12-month subscription prize to Jimmy Choo, where they will receive stunning shoes or accessories every month for the year! Discover the Jimmy Choo Charity Tree in store from 18th November in The Marvel Room.
MORE TO READ
Be sustainable extends to how you treat yourself, find some amazing ways to go with the flow this Christmas in The Last Word With… Flowstate.