Sustainability
Reducing the impact on our planet.
I make sure product sustainability credentials are available to you..
You may wonder, what is a sustainable supply chain? Here I explain how my supply chain works.
On this page:
- Sustainability and Responsible Supply Chain
- Manufacturer Stanley/Stella
- Decoration Through Stanley/Stella Official Dealers
- How do you make a supply chain sustainable?
- Stanley/Stella Annual Sustainability Report
- Product Certifications
My aim has always been to create products that are as environmentally friendly and as ethical as possible and to contribute to a fully sustainable supply chain. I believe it is vital for the world that we create a circular economy to reduce human impact on the planet and its oceans. One of my goals is to source the highest quality products that last as long as possible.
Buy Better, Discard Less - so that we can all use less of our world's resources.
I have tried and tested many different suppliers and decorators, searching for premium quality sustainable materials and sustainable production before finding the apparel producer, Stanley/Stella.
Sustainability and Responsible Supply Chain
Boat Cove garments have been selected for their high-quality, long-lasting properties, sustainable credentials and ethical production.
The key areas of my sustainable supply chain
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Choosing sustainable suppliers
Clothing manufacturer Stanley/Stella, and decorator Shirtworks, provide transparency and accreditations, so I am confident in knowing the source of my art clothing and their sustainable credentials.
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Traceable supply chain
The garments are manufactured in one of Stanley/Stella's ten partner factories that all have long-term, collaborative relationships with Stanley/Stella.
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Certified production
Stanley/Stella's partner suppliers in Bangladesh are GOTS and GRS-certified, and their single supplier in China is GRS-certified. Stanley/Stella has local teams on hand to provide guidance and support and has been a member of Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2012.
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Certified materials
Stanley/Stella selects the most eco-friendly raw materials, using GOTS-certified organic cotton as well as GRS-certified recycled cotton, GRS-certified recycled polyester and GRS-certified recycled nylon.
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CO2 reduction
Stanley/Stella opts for sea shipment that minimises the carbon footprint of transporting products to Europe. Stanley/Stella carefully chooses their warehouse locations and partners to minimise their carbon footprint.
Image Source: Stanley/Stella
Below you can read all about the sustainability of Boat Cove products manufactured by Stanley/Stella.
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Stanley/Stella
Stanley/Stella is an innovative Belgian apparel company producing premium clothing for printing and decorating.
Stanley/Stella was founded by CEO, Jean Chabert (above centre photo. Source: Stanley/Stella).
"We like to ‘say what we do and do what we say’ as we believe that sustainability is, first and foremost, a question of commitment and transparency."
Jean Chabert, Founder and CEO Stanley/Stella
Since 2018, Stanley/Stella has published the names and contact details of all their manufacturing suppliers in their annual Sustainability Report. In 2022, they worked with nine partner factories in Bangladesh and one in China. Working exclusively with such a small number of suppliers ensures that they can build supportive, long-term, and collaborative relationships with each of them.
Image Source: Stanley/Stella
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Art Clothing Decoration Through Stanley/Stella Official Dealers
Stanley/Stella has an exclusive network of Official Dealers who decorate their garments using embroidery, Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, and screen printing. Stanley/Stella works closely with their Official Dealers to encourage and train them to implement GOTS-certified printing techniques, using non-harmful inks and sustainable production methods.
My art clothing is decorated by the Stanley/Stella Official Dealer, Shirtworks of Oxford. I chose to work with Shirtworks because of their long-established high-quality printing and decoration and because their ethical values.
Shirtworks is one of the longest-established t-shirt printers in the UK. Shirtworks began selling t-shirts to Oxford University students and the public in 1986. They sold shirts from a stall in the Jam Factory market in Oxford city centre.
Shirtworks holds many ethical certifications and accreditations for their production processes and products. One of Shirtworks' first major achievements, was to become recognised as Europe's only Soil Association Accredited printer. Read more about Shirtworks' ethics.
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How do you make a supply chain sustainable? Like this!
Stanley/Stella has dedicated sustainability teams in their Brussels headquarters and is close to their suppliers in Asia. In 2022, Stanley/Stella created their Charter:
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Nature protection—Preserve soil, water, air and biodiversity through responsible material sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and decoration.
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Carbon footprint—Contribute to global carbon neutrality by leading CO2 reduction activities across our value chain and engaging in compensation initiatives.
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Circularity—Minimise product and packaging waste at production and consumption levels, taking steps towards circular business models.
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Working conditions and well-being—Respect human rights by providing and advocating for safe and good working conditions.
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Diversity, inclusion and equity—Promote diversity in recruitment and business practices, an inclusive professional environment, and equal opportunities for all.
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Community engagement and impact—Contribute to the economic and social development of communities through fair remuneration, education, and our ecosystem engagement.
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Accountability and traceability—Take accountability for our actions across our supply chain through full traceability, and human rights and environmental due diligence.
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Collaboration—Stimulate open-minded dialogue and collaborate with our communities and stakeholders within and outside the industry for a bigger and better impact.
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Innovation and empowerment—Reinforce business sustainability through digitalisation and innovative thinking and actions.
- Transparency and authentic communication—Openly and accurately communicate with our communities and stakeholders about our social and environmental challenges, the actions we are taking, and where our limits lie.
Stanley/Stella reinforces these commitments through actions they take across their supply chain and are supported by their various certifications and memberships.
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Stanley/Stella Annual Sustainability Report
One of the things I love about Stanley/Stella is that they provide me with transparency in their annual sustainability report. Their annual reports show their commitments and the steps they take to improve their supply chain for a healthier planet and happier people.
We highly recommend you learn more about Stanley/Stella's sustainability achievements and ongoing goals. It's a great story! Learn about Stanley/Stella
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GOTS - What does GOTS mean?
If you're asking 'what is organic cotton?', organic GOTS-certified cotton refers to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This is the leading worldwide standard for the production of organic fibres. Based on both ecological and social criteria, it is the most stringent certification for organic cotton.
It guarantees that cotton is organically grown without the use of genetically modified seeds or dangerous chemicals. It also ensures traceability from post-harvesting of the raw material to the final customer, including transaction certificates at every stage of production.
OCS - What is the Organic Content Standard?
If you're asking 'what does OCS mean?', it stands for Organic Content Standard (OCS). This is a voluntary international standard that verifies the presence and amount of organic material in a final product. It tracks the flow of the raw material from the source to the final product.
This standard applies to Stanley/Stella products that have less than 70% organic cotton. Stanley/Stella is ‘PETA-Approved’, which means that they do not conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations, or finished products and pledge never to do so. Their products are made from 100% vegan materials and 0% animal fibres, ensuring that no harm is caused to animals.
GRS - What is the Global Recycled Standard?
If you're asking 'what does GRS mean?', it stands for Global Recycled Standard (GRS). This is the world’s leading standard for recycled textiles.
The standard applies to the full supply chain and addresses traceability, environmental principles, social requirements, chemical content, and labelling. All the recycled cotton materials, recycled polyester, and recycled nylon Stanley/Stella use are GRS certified.
OEKO–TEX - What is OEKO-TEX?
If you're asking 'what does OEKO-TEX mean?', the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX ® is one of the world’s best-known standards for the assessment of harmful substances in fabrics.
Stanley/Stella's certification confirms that their products are processed without chemical substances that are harmful to human health and the environment. Standard 100 also prohibits certain potentially harmful substances even where these are not yet legally banned, and it guarantees that their products comply with the EU REACH regulation.
If you got this far, well done!
You really are a detail person so thank you for taking the time to read my sustainability information. I hope you can see how I aim to keep you informed about my sustainable supply chain. 
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