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.

Our cotton supply chains are intentionally kept short to minimize environmental impact. In Peru, the organic cotton we source is grown, spun, and knit into garments locally, so the full process happens within the same region. In India, our GOTS-certified organic cotton is cultivated and sewn within the country, ensuring that the majority of production takes place close to the source. By keeping the journey from farm to finished product local, we significantly reduce the carbon footprint of each piece.

WE USE CERTIFIED 100% ORGANIC PIMA COTTON  & 100% ORGANIC 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 SUSTAINABLE PARTNERS

Our Peruvian 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.

Authentic Craft, Earth-Friendly Practices

At League of Friends, every garment is made with deep care for people and planet. We partner with two artisan textile workshops, one in Lima, Peru and another in rural India, each deeply rooted in tradition, community, and sustainable craftsmanship.

Ethical Knitwear from Peru

Our knit sweaters are crafted in a family-run workshop in Lima, Peru. The factory works closely with local farmers to source fibers, including GOTS-certified organic cotton, merino wool, and baby alpaca humanely raised in the high-altitudes of the Andes. The team spins, mills, and dyes in-house, using natural, botanical dyes from leaves, roots, flowers, and vegetable waste. This creates vibrant, non-toxic color without harmful chemicals. The locally based process reduces carbon emissions by avoiding long-distance shipping and helps preserve ancestral dye traditions.

Hand-Woven Organic Cotton from India

Our soon-to-be launching woven cotton pieces come from a textile workshop in rural India where artisan women hand-spin and hand-weave organic cotton khadi. This factory is fully GOTS-certified across its entire process, from spinning and weaving to finishing. Production is rooted in sustainability and community empowerment, providing dignified work, fair wages, and transparent practices. Each textile carries forward a cultural legacy while maintaining environmental responsibility.

Why Artisan-Sourced Matters

• Certified organic fibers: Our Peruvian organic cotton and all textiles from our Indian partner are GOTS-certified for responsible farming and production.
  

• Natural textiles and dyes: Organic cotton, alpaca, merino wool, and earth-friendly dyes are gentle on sensitive skin and safe for the planet.
  

• Local, small-batch production: Both workshops are located close to source materials, reducing carbon footprint and ensuring high-quality, traceable production.
  

Supporting communities and craft: Our partners preserve cultural traditions while creating economic opportunities for artisan families.

Our Ongoing Commitment

As a primarily 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 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 shipping boxes are made almost entirely from responsibly sourced bamboo  with some recycled wood pulp and are fully recyclable.
• 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.

Loved Once, Loved Again 💛

Kids grow fast (too fast!), but their clothes don’t have to go to waste. With our Trade-In Program, you can send back outgrown League of Friends pieces for store credit. We’ll give them a second life in our Preloved Shop or recycle them responsibly. It’s a win for your closet, your wallet, and the planet.

 

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 boxes, 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.