Fresh fashion can be ethically made and community minded.

PEOPLE & PLANET

From fabric to finished product, we have looked at every element of the creation, including packaging to be people and planet friendly. Our promise is to constantly strive to minimize our impact on Mother Earth.

The entire production from growing the cotton to making a finished garment takes place all in Peru. This means there is no movement of yarns or fabrics from one country or continent to another to be sewn, which is often the case in garment manufacturing (fashion’s little dirty secret!). Consequently, there are fewer carbon emissions throughout the manufacturing process.

WE USE CERTIFIED 100% ORGANIC PIMA COTTON FOR OUR CLOTHING 

Why Organic Pima Cotton?

• Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides, and GMOs (Genetic Modified Organisms). It doesn’t damage the soil, has less impact on the air, and uses 88% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton. Conventional cotton uses about 16% of the world’s insecticides and 7% of pesticides. (source)
• Pima cotton has extra-long staple (fiber) lengths, making it softer, more durable, and highly resistant to pilling (which means your hand-me-downs will look better, longer!).
• It is hypoallergenic, making it perfect for those who suffer from allergies or those with sensitive skin like your little ones.
• Dive deeper into the benefits of organic cotton here.

Our Fabric Mill

Our fabrics and yarns are sourced from a family-owned Peruvian company that holds several globally recognized organic & ethical certifications - including WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization) and the B Corp certification. They have been pioneers in the production of organic cotton textiles since the 1980s.

• All of their cotton is grown locally throughout three valleys in Peru, supporting 160 families.
• Their cotton is handpicked, reducing the environmental impact and improving the quality of the product.
• All their products are made under Fair Trade standards and principles. This is important to our League of Friends' mission because Fair Trade enterprises put both people and the planet first. They work to tackle inequality, embrace human rights and are champions for women's empowerment. On top of that, they continue to find innovative solutions for sustainable and organic farming methods and circular economy production processes. You can read more on the WFTO certification & standards here.
• In June 2021, they received their B Corp certification, another outstanding purpose driven certification that holds businesses to the highest standards- evaluating their impacts on customers, workers, community and environment. You can read more on B Corporations here.

Our Factory

We currently work with a small factory in Lima, Peru to manufacture our garments.

• We are collaborating with our factory towards achieving their WFTO certification, an important standard to our League of Friends brand.
• They upcycle fabric scraps from the manufacturing process by either donating larger scraps to local Peruvian nonprofits that help teach women in the community to sew. Sometimes they even end up hiring some of the students from the program to work in their factory. The smaller scraps get sold to people in the community to stuff mattresses or cushions, diverting scraps from ending up in landfills.
• Each year they donate old samples or unused garments from past seasons to organizations in the community, keeping these garments from ending up in landfills.

Our Packaging & Labeling

As a Direct-to-Consumer brand, our labels and packaging are an important way for us to give you the full League of Friends experience. However, sometimes packaging can go overboard and be extremely wasteful. We promise to make responsible packaging choices during each stage of our manufacturing, marketing, and shipping process, eliminating unnecessary packaging when possible.

• Our garments are ‘bulk packaged’ in large polybags (packed one per box or packed by size or style) when being shipped from the factory to our office, allowing us to avoid individual polybags for each garment and cutting down on plastic waste.
• We donate all plastic packaging (polybags, bubble wrap, & plastic shipping bags, etc.) that cannot be avoided or reused to the aNYbag Project, which upcycles plastic packaging (much of which cannot be recycled through conventional recycling programs) into reusable tote bags, diverting that plastic from landfills and waterways. You can learn more about their amazing mission and how you can also donate here.
• We use 100% cotton labels that last much longer than most heat seals which tend to break down in 5-10 washes, making it impossible to read. Our cotton labels make it easier for you to identify the size or remember care instructions for your next kiddo or the next family that receives our clothing.
• Our kraft mailers are made from 100% recycled/90% post-consumer waste and are 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable.
• Our tissue paper and card inserts are made from FSC certified paper products. Both the tissue and cards are 100% recyclable & biodegradable. Both are printed using soy-based inks.
• Our sticker are 100% PCW (post-consumer waste) and are 100% recyclable.

We are a brand aiming to be as responsible as possible. Sustainability doesn't have an endgame and as our brand grows we will continually seek to improve the positive impact we have with the suppliers we work with as well as reduce our impact on the planet. We will always strive to learn better practices and only choose suppliers who do the same as well.

Please recycle! Though many of our paper products such as mailers, cards, tissue, etc. are all 100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable, we believe that recycling clean, unsoiled paper is the best way to go. Yes, we love composting, but recycling allows paper products to be turned into new ones and reduces the need for sourcing new raw materials to make new paper.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding our products, packaging, or suppliers you can reach out to us at hello@leagueoffriends.nyc. We'd love to hear from you! We are always looking for new ways to treat the planet and its people with the respect they deserve. We’re all in this together.