Sustainability is the only path forward

Sustainability is profitability

Incorporating sustainability and social responsibility as natural parts of our business allows us to cleverly and creatively find paths that lead to improved efficiency and reduced consumption of resources. At the same time, we are improving our products with a longer lifespan, better materials, the right functionality and timeless design. This makes our products more attractive to our customers and profitable for us while contributing to a better world.

The closed-loop economy

Throughout our business, we think circular. This allows us to create an overall whole in which Båstadgruppen becomes the link that connects what our customers want to what the planet can handle, and improved quality of life for the people who make our products.

You might see it like this:

Our customers want to pay for sustainable clothing that follows the principles of using and reusing, rather than using and throwing away. We can help them make informed and intentional choices based on the social and environmental impact of the products.

Our products are made in countries where, together with our suppliers, we work to ensure good working conditions, a safe work environment, and above all – respect for the human rights of all workers. In addition, the direct environmental impact is usually greatest where products are produced.

By being a stable and profitable company that builds business sustainably, we can close the circle. What is best for our customers is also best for our suppliers and absolutely necessary for us.

South West takes all of Båstadgruppen to the next level.

Båstadgruppen, owned by Storskogen, has had sustainability on the agenda for a long time. But in 2019 when we bought Sandryds, which is now represented by the brand South West, they brought with them a long history of always being one step ahead – both in environmental work, and with social responsibility. With South West as a locomotive, all of Båstadgruppen has adopted the vision that all products should contribute to a responsible and circular economy.

The goal is not just 100% sustainable products

In 2022, half the sales volume of South West clothing was certified or made using recycled material, a milestone of which we are proud – that figure is 80% for T-shirts.

But we have no end goal for our sustainability initiatives. Even when we achieve our vision – for all of our products to contribute to a responsible and circular economy – we will set new goals and our work will continue.

Focus areas for our sustainability initiatives

South West has long worked with four focus areas: water, cotton, more sustainable materials, and a transition to a circular economy. In recent years, we have also focused on the environmental impact of our products in the form of emissions.

Cotton and sustainable materials

Cotton is a limited resource that will not be enough for everyone as the population of our planet grows. South West has focused on replacing traditionally grown cotton with certified organic cotton in our top-selling product groups. South West also offers garments made of bamboo and recycled PET, and the work to switch to other sustainable materials, such as cellulose, is within reach.

Circular economy

A large part of the circular economy is reusing the resources you have.

For South West, that primarily means extending the lifespan of our products by helping customers choose the right product for the right area of use. We believe this will reduce wear on garments and allow them to be used for a longer period of time.

Moving forward, we are considering using new processes to recycle cotton textile fibres, but development is still needed in this area before this is possible for all kinds of materials.

Environmental impact

We now know that the production of our garments impacts the environment through CO2 emissions. 80% of the environmental impact of a garment occurs during the production phase, usually when making and dyeing the fabric.

Through our involvement in the Swedish Textile Initiative for Climate Action (STICA), we have started to measure and set goals to reduce emissions. Much of this involves energy efficiency in factories and transitioning to renewable energy.

SHARELABEL

All South West products are marked with a QR code to make it easy for users to find information about the garment’s sustainable production and materials. They can also find tips and maintenance information to extend the product’s lifespan. Ultimately, we believe we can build in more info about the garment’s CO2 emissions, and where and how it can be recycled.

Kemikalier

REACH

EU regulation for oversight and limitation of substances that may be hazardous to health or the environment.

KEMIKALIEGRUPPEN

Spreads the latest information in chemical and environmentally related matters to member companies in the textile and electronics industries.

OEKO-TEX

Certification to ensure there are no hazardous chemicals in the finished garment.

Sustainable materials

GOTS

International certification of organic clothes and textiles that are made with social and environmental responsibility.

OCS

Symbol for Organic Cotton. Standard for the share of organic cotton in garments and traceable origins. Used for garments with a blend of other materials, such as viscose to develop a melange colour.

FAIRTRADE

The Fairtrade Premium, which usually comprises about 5% of the final price paid by the buyer, is used to develop the local community both socially and economically. Fairtrade certification also involves several local environmental commitments.

LIFEWEAR BAMBOO

The label on the bamboo viscose we chose to use for our long underwear. It is 100% biodegradable and renewable.

Initiative

Amfori BSCI

Already in 2008, South West joined Amfori BSCI, as a frontrunner in the textile industry. The Business Social Compliance Initiative is a European collaborative initiative for improving social issues and working conditions in factories.

International ACCORD

After the Rana Plaza catastrophe in Dhaka in 2013, we signed the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry in Bangladesh. In 2021, we signed the new agreement which will apply until 2023.

STICA

The Swedish Textile Initiative for Climate Action helps the textile industry in the Nordic region to achieve the UN’s climate goals and the Paris Agreement. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C.