ZDHC Committed Community Announcement July 2024

We warmly welcome eight new Signatories!

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As of July 2024, we warmly welcome 8 new ZDHC Signatories to the ZDHC Committed Community! We’ve asked each of them to tell us a little bit about their organization, and why they are joining ZDHC.

We are pleased to announce and warmly welcome the following 7 companies that have successfully transitioned from being Signatory Friends of ZDHC Brand to ZDHC Signatory Brands, reflecting their continued commitment to sustainable practices and responsible chemical management in the industry.

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

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Brooks Running sells its performance footwear, apparel, sports bras, and accessories worldwide. Brooks’ purpose is to inspire everyone to run their path by creating the best gear, tools, and experiences. Founded 1914, Brooks is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and is headquartered in Seattle. Visit www.brooksrunning.com for more information or follow @brooksrunning.

Brooks Running’s responsible chemicals program goes beyond RSL compliance by taking a holistic view of chemicals management. They require factories to manage chemicals entering the factory (input management), exiting the factory (output management), and the use of chemicals in the factory (e.g., storage, handling, and inventory management).

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

John Lewis began trading over 150 years ago in 1864 and is a leading omnichannel retailer in the UK with 34 John Lewis shops and a growing online business. John Lewis is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest employee-owned business.

The ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme will be pivotal in helping John Lewis to understand more fully the chemical footprint of the value chain practices and help mitigate its environmental impact through tools and platforms that drive positive change.

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

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Kohl’s Inc. is a leading omnichannel retailer. With more than 1,100 stores in 49 states and the online convenience of Kohls.com and the Kohl's App, Kohl's offers amazing national and private brands at incredible savings for families nationwide. Kohl’s is committed to progress in its DEI strategy, and the company's ESG stewardship.

One of its goals is to emphasize the elimination and reduction of certain chemicals and strive for zero discharge of toxic hazardous chemicals in tier 1 suppliers for select only-at-Kohl's branded products in scope (textile, apparel, leather and footwear). To do so, Kohl’s aligned its Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL) with the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) MRSL. In addition, Kohl’s is requiring its suppliers to adhere to the most current ZDHC MRSL, which limits or prohibits the use of more than 250 chemicals in the manufacturing process of products.

“Kohl’s has been a participating Friend of the ZDHC since 2021, and we’re proud to expand our partnership to become a ZDHC Signatory. Through our work with ZDHC, we look forward to building on our existing chemical management platform to continue to reduce hazardous chemicals in our products and supply chain.”

– Steve Thomas, Kohl’s chief risk and compliance officer

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

LPP is a Polish clothing company, the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. They have been operating for 30 years in Poland and – currently – in dozens of other countries. LPP offers clothing, accessories and footwear of five brands – Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay – to customers in physical stores, as well as those visiting online. In addition, the offer of Reserved and Sinsay brands includes home articles and interior decor.

LPP’s main headquarter is located in Gdańsk and so are the design departments of Reserved, Cropp, and Sinsay. Mohito and House collections are devised in the LPP office in Cracow. They implement innovations and export the Polish creative thought from London through Helsinki to Tel Aviv.

They continue to be involved in implementation of Roadmap to Zero. LPP has been a friend of ZDHC since 2020, and now they are proud to finally become a Signatory Brand.

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

Takko Fashion owns and operates around 2,000 quality discount stores in 17 countries across Europe. Through on- and offline sales, the company offers quality fashion collections at an attractive price. As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, and as a partner of Better Cotton, Takko Fashion is committed to sustainable and responsible production conditions as well as improving cotton farming globally. Now, joining the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme is an important addition to Takko’s strategy to a more sustainable future.

“We are already part of the community in the ZDHC Friends program and are looking forward to continuing and excelling in the ZDHC Signatory program.”

– Radek Sorcik, Senior Director Purchase, Quality Management & ESG

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

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VAUDE stands for environmentally friendly, climate-neutral outdoor products from fair production. The German family business with headquarters in Tettnang was founded in 1974 by Albrecht von Dewitz. The name of the VAUDE is derived from the initials vD of his surname and is pronounced  [fau'de].

For VAUDE,it is a central corporate value to take responsibility for people and nature - by establishing comprehensive, transparent social and ecological standards in its global supply chains. VAUDE thus ensures that its products are manufactured in an environmentally friendly and fair manner. Most VAUDE products fulfill the strict requirements of the VAUDE Green Shape Label and the state Green Button label, which  identifies   socially and ecologically produced textiles. Together with the Fair Wear Foundation, VAUDE is committed to fair working conditions worldwide

Also, VAUDE is committed to leadership in environmental and social responsibility. They have been working diligently to improve sustainability at VAUDE for many years. With a wide array of dynamic policies, solid processes, and knowledgeable experts in place, VAUDE is well positioned to continue living up to our leadership role. VAUDE signed the Greenpeace Detox Commitment. This VAUDE Commitment is another piece in the puzzle within VAUDE’s commitment to sustainability.  

What’s included in the VAUDE Greenpeace Detox Commitment? The VAUDE Commitment, VAUDE acknowledges its responsibility for the entire life cycle of VAUDE products, including clean production in our supply chains. This commitment incorporates three major challenges:

- Releasing no hazardous chemicals into the environment

- Actively contributing to new, responsible business models for more sustainable products and consumption

- Transparent public reporting on all results and progress as well as challenges and unresolved issues. 

The ZDHC Zero Program is an important milestone for VAUDE to enable their supply chain to build up knowledge, to establish a proper chemical management from inventory to waste water treatment and to get transparency about the current status quo of VAUDE’s supply chain. The program and its tools support our partners to minimize their impacts and this helps us to achieve our sustainability goals.

"We would like to join the ZDHC community because we believe that we can only tackle environmental challenges together with our direct partners, chemical suppliers, solution providers and other brands. Standardized processes, tools, trainings and audits help to minimize the burdens for all and provide guidelines and orientation and empowers the supply chain. We want to shift our supply chain towards sustainable chemical management. We have been 'a friend of ZDHC' since 2016 and it is the next conscious step to get a Signatory Brand."

– Bettina Roth, Head of Quality Management and CSR Supply Chain, VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG

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As ZDHC Signatory Brand

Zimmermann is a leading Australian luxury womenswear brand with a global reach and a focus on craftsmanship and responsible production. Founded in 1991 in Sydney by sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, the label quickly won a loyal following of smart, sartorially savvy women with an eye for quality fabrics and timeless designs. Today there are stand-alone Zimmermann stores in key retail destinations in Australia, the United States, Europe, China and the Middle East.

Zimmermann is dedicated to assisting its supply chain in adopting the highest standards for sustainable chemical management. To achieve this objective, they joined the ZDHC Foundation’s Roadmap to Zero Programme as Friends of ZDHC in 2021, aiming to promote the adoption of the ZDHC Guidelines on chemical input, process, and output. Building upon the successful integration of these best practices within Zimmermann’s key production facilities, guided by ZDHC, Zimmermann is confident that their transition to Contributor status will enhance their supplier engagement and further the implementation of best practices.

"Being part of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme aligns with Zimmermann’s strategic priorities within our Environment and People pillars. We aim to work collaboratively with our suppliers and other organizations within the ZDHC community to further the implementation of the ZDHC Guidelines in production facilities and, more broadly, promote the adoption of ZDHC solutions. Through collaboration, we are committed to achieving our shared goal of eliminating harmful chemicals from use in the fashion industry." 

– Simone Zimmermann, COO

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As Signatory Friend of ZDHC Brand

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Created in 1978 in the North of France, KIABI revolutionized ready-to-wear fashion by launching an affordable fashion concept for all families, a previously unprecedented offering. Relying on a network of 606 points of contacts in 26 countries, KIABI achieved a turnover of 2.2 billion euros (2023), +1% vs 2022. Since its creation, as KIABI is dedicated to serve families, KIABI fashion offers responsible, desirable and accessible designs in France by a team of 56 integrated designers. As the favorite brand of families, KIABI has almost 10,000 Kiabers from 83 nationalities.

KIABI is currently involved with AFIRM and applies its RSL. Now they want to be proactive by setting MRSL and continue to improve KIABI’s impact regarding chemicals in the supply chain. This follows their sustainable strategy which is to decrease the consumption of water, pollution and use better chemicals for the health of the customer and workers.

“By joining ZDHC, we want to go faster and further in taking into account water and soil pollution issues in the manufacture of our products, to the benefit of the earth and mankind. We are convinced of the usefulness of a common program and benchmark initiated by experts and applicable to an entire industrial chain.”

– Camille CARON, CSR manager

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We welcome and look forward to working with all of our signatories in creating a world where better chemistry leads to the protection of life, land, air and water a reality!