Sustainability
As a fashion company, we are hyper-aware of our industry’s impact on the planet and we are committed to responsibly producing well-crafted, timeless pieces for you to wear (and wear, and wear), then pass down for generations.
How do we walk the walk? We work with factories to produce small batches of quality items, implement more sustainable manufacturing and responsible waste strategies, and constantly strive towards a smaller carbon footprint.
Just like it takes time to create a dress you’ll host a lifetime of parties in, it takes time to become 100% sustainable. In the spirit of progress, here are a few of the steps we’re taking to get there:
Biodegradable Materials
We are moving towards only using biodegradable materials and/or reusable materials for packaging. Currently, our polybags and mailers are made out of 70% corn starch and 30% PLA/PBAT. The production of these materials generates less air pollution than regular plastic and they are made from corn, which is a renewable resource and will break down into harmless natural compounds and will be returned to the earth as fertilizer.
Excess Textiles
We use up our excess materials by using dead stock textiles for production wherever possible for items such as face masks, wine bags, and handbag lining. Additionally, fabric scraps are recycled at the factory level or with local vendors, who recycle/reuse them to make bags, fillings for cushions or other items such as keychains out of them.
Move to Eliminate Single Use Plastic
We are working to introduce more and more sustainable items into our assortment including handwoven totes using recycled plastics by artisans in Ejutla, Oaxaca. The material is made by combining microplastics and used plastic bags, which are machine-turned into strips of plastics and then hand woven into bags.
Frances Valentine is part of a large community of conscious brands that fund the recovery of plastic through a partnership with Cleanhub. Cleanhub has built a platform to match brands with plastic collection companies in areas where contributions have the biggest impact. Frances Valentine has been matched with an organization in Southern India that organizes door-to-door waste collection services, which provides communities with access to waste management for the first time. This service prevents them from disposing of their waste into the oceans and educates them about how to deal with waste in a sustainable way. In addition, it provides positive opportunities for their employees as many are able to achieve financial stability and to provide their children with an education for the first time. This is a great bonus as this program impacts the environment and simultaneously promotes beneficial social change. Since April 2021, for every order placed with Frances Valentine, we have made a donation to this program via Cleanhub and we have helped to keep over 39,906 lbs of plastic from entering the Ocean, which is equal to about 2 million plastic water bottles. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Cleanhub as we continue to strive towards our sustainability goals.