We work to identify, from the product design phase, solutions applicable to all our collections. Some collections are innovation laboratories, such as those experimented with the Re-up upcycling project and with OVS Cotone Italiano.
MATERIALS
The choice of materials is fundamental in the design of a garment, as it determines approximately 60% of the impacts of the finished garment. Our assortment will gradually be created only with materials that minimize impact (or regenerative) and are fully compatible with circularity systems (biological or technological).
Where possible fibers of natural origin are preferred, in particular cotton which represents 65% of the materials used on the total assortment (compared to a much lower global use).
However, we know that this is not sufficient to guarantee the sustainability of the raw material, therefore we constantly look for reduced impact alternatives which we call "Better Materials".
The main interventions on the material procurement strategy concern the fibers most used in our collections: cotton, polyester and materials of cellulose origin.
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Cotton
From 2021, OVS cotton is either recycled, organic or cultivated according to Better Cotton Standard.
We purchase more than 25 thousand tons of cotton every year, which represents 65% of the materials used in our products.
However, we are aware of the fact that using natural fiber does not always mean having a low impact on the environment.
Conventional cotton cultivation involves less than 3% of cultivated land, but it is responsible for the use of 24% of the insecticides and 11% of the pesticides used globally, harming both farmers and involved communities, and also requires a large consumption of water and fertilizers.
ORGANIC COTTON
The cultivation of cotton through organic farming protocols allows for the drastic reduction - up to the total elimination - of all harmful chemical substances. With this approach, even small quantities of water are used, the quality of the soil is increased and better working conditions are promoted for people involved in the supply chain.
Furthermore, the promotion of sustainable cultivation practices requires a strong investment in the training of farmers, who can draw on specialist knowledge and trigger virtuous processes of improvement in the management of land and crops, as well as an expansion of the offer.
BETTER COTTON
Better Cotton is the world's leading sustainability initiative for cotton. Better Cotton Farmers use water efficiently, care for the health of soil and natural habitats, reduce the use of the most harmful chemicals, and respect the rights and well-being of workers. Better Cotton's mission is to help cotton communities thrive while protecting and restoring the environment.
Among other activities, Better Cotton trains cotton farmers around the world on how to grow cotton in their environment and context. Better Cotton is purchased through a chain of custody system called “mass balance.” This means that Better Cotton is not physically traceable to the final products, however, Better Cotton Farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton. Mass balance is a volume tracking system that allows Better Cotton to be replaced or mixed with conventional cotton along the supply chain, while simultaneously ensuring that the amount of Better Cotton sold never exceeds the amount of Better Cotton purchased.
Click here to find out more.RECYCLED COTTON
To further reduce the impact of our activities and promote the valorisation of end-of-life materials, at OVS we actively support the choice of recycled materials. We make great use of it in denim, where we are able to improve the impact of our products without compromising their quality. Furthermore, we are developing solutions for the large-scale use of recycled cotton also in knitwear.
OVS ITALIAN COTTON
In 2022 and 2023 OVS invested in the production of organic cotton in Sicily with which two collections of men's and women's t-shirts were produced, entirely traced thanks to the use of a chemical marker applied to the raw material during the ginning phase.
OVS has followed the cultivation of this cotton from the beginning, participating in the sowing on 22 April 2022, exactly on the anniversary of Earth Day - the world day dedicated to safeguarding the planet. The agreement signed in 2022 provides for the purchase of cotton for the production of a t-shirt collection for spring/summer 2023 from an entirely Italian supply chain.
The initiative represents an important turning point for OVS, because the management of the production of the raw material allows the impacts to be controlled directly along the entire supply chain.
Furthermore, thanks to the collaboration with the University of Catania, an LCA study will be conducted to more precisely evaluate the impacts of this cotton cultivation.
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Synthetic fibres
Polyester is the most used synthetic fiber in OVS collections. By 2030, 100% of polyester will be either recycled or biodegradable: the use of recycled polyester reduces dependence on oil as a source of raw material and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from production.
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Fibers of animal origin
We have eliminated animal-based materials from 99% of our products. In the few cases in which we still use these materials, we ensure that they come from certified production processes that exclude any suffering for the animals and ensure full control of the entire supply chain.
WOOL
Wool products represent a small percentage of our collections, less than 1%.
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Cellulosic fibres
From the cellulose extracted from the wood of the trees, are obtained fibers which are used in the clothing sector. Cellulosic materials represent 4% of the total fibers used by OVS, in choosing them, we prefer those coming from forests managed according to the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) standard and suppliers who adopt processes controlled like Lenzing™, which guarantees both the origin of the raw material and low impact production processes.
THE SAFETY OF OUR GARMENTS
All our clothing items are subjected to chemical-physical tests, in order to be sure that they respect the limits we have defined on the use of potentially dangerous substances. These limits are more restrictive than what is foreseen by international regulations and are voluntarily adopted by OVS.
Download our Restricted Substance List to find out more.
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX
Class I and II for more than 50% of our products.
THE LEFE CYCLE OF PRODUCTS
The life cycle of a product is not only limited to the procurement of raw materials and production, but also concerns its distribution, use and disposal.
PACKAGING
The packaging used in distribution processes is designed in order to reduce waste in production process and to reuse it several times. At Pontenure warehouse, we have also activated a process of reconditioning wooden transport pallets.
In 2021 OVS extended its commitment to waste reduction by eliminating single-use plastic from product packaging, and where this was not possible we redesigned it to have less impact, replacing it with 100% recycled plastic.
Hangers in a closed cycle and they are realised with recycled materials and designed in ordert to allow rapid separation of components and minimal use of raw materials.
TRANSPORT
Shipping loads are optimized by communicating directly with shipping lines and suppliers in order to choose the transport solution with the least impact on the environment, for example avoiding air transport.
USE AND DISPOSAL OF PRODUCTS
Being sustainable requires constant attention not only towards the production phases of the garments, but also towards their use and end-of-life management. We promote various activities to extend the life of products.
| Â | Charity | Stock | Shredder | Refurbished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 preconsumer waste breakdown * 2022 | 164.978 garments | 7.023.367 garments | 36.443 garments | 10.852.548 garments |
*Here preconsumer waste is considered usold garments.
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Management of refurbished products
Over the years we have perfected a program for the reconditioning and distribution of unsold goods, which allows us to reduce the quantities addressed to the off-price channel or for waste disposal to a minimum. Each year, since 2021, more than 11 million garments were refurbished and redistributed to our sales network.
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Upcycling
In 2022 we launched REUP, a project of upcycling born from the recovery of unsold, reconditioned and personalized clothes. The garments are customized by young people with intellectual disabilities from Valemour, a social enterprise that promotes the inclusion of fragile people in structured working contexts.
OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG)
Clean water and sanitation
To combat the growing scarcity of potable water, a growing problem due to the climate crisis, we prioritise more virtuous materials with reduced water consumption, promote water conservation practices in manufacturing processes, innovate in denim production and encourage and support our suppliers in strict wastewater management.
Responsible consumption and production
We are committed to reducing the impact of our products throughout their life cycle, through constant research into innovative solutions in terms of processes and raw materials, with the aim of protecting and preserving the environment. Where possible, we endorse the use of natural products grown using more sustainable methods, such as organic cotton and Better Cotton, we use recycled materials, such as reclaimed polyester, and we ensure that natural cosystems are respected in the production of our garments and packaging, such as viscose and FSC paper.
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