At DK Company, our material sourcing is guided by our 80.80.30 Strategy, which sets ambitious goals for the use of preferred fibres and materials across key categories by 2030. This strategy focuses on three primary fibre groups—cotton, man-made cellulosics, and polyester—with the aim of sourcing 80% of these as preferred materials by 2030.
Cotton:
Source nearly 100% from preferred fibres and materials, such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, cotton in conversion, and Better Cotton™.
Man-Made Cellulosics (MMCF):
Achieve nearly 100% preferred sourcing, including materials options such as FSC®-certified viscose and branded fibres from Lenzing and Birla.
Polyester:
Transition to sourcing 50% from preferred materials, including recycled polyester and innovative branded alternatives such as REPREVE®.
As of 2023, we have achieved 50% preferred sourcing across these fibres, and we remain committed to increasing this share through collaboration with suppliers and ongoing development.
Whilst our primary focus is on cotton, man-made cellulosics, and polyester, we also encourage the use of preferred options for smaller material groups, such as wool, linen, and others, wherever feasible.
Our preferred fibres and materials adhere to recognised governance groups, standards, and certifications, ensuring they meet strict criteria prioritising environmental and ethical sourcing practices. These include:
“We prioritise clear and transparent communication about our products, fibres and materials, to support our customers make choices they can feel confident about. When choosing fibres and materials to guide our collections we focus on branded, certified, organic, or recycled fibres that prioritise improved environmental and social aspects compared to raw or virgin fibres and materials that exist from conventional production methods."
Plant-Based Materials: Organic cotton, Organic linen, Organic hemp, in-conversion cotton, recycled cotton, recycled linen, recycled hemp, GOTS Organic Cotton, GOTS Organic - in-conversion, OCS Organic Content Standards, OCS Organic - in-conversion, Better Cotton.
Man-made cellulosics fibres, materials: Viscose (LENZING™ ECOVERO™), Modal (TENCEL™), Lyocell (TENCEL™), Lyocell (TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™), Viscose (LivaEco™), Modal (LivaEco™), Naia™ Acetate.
Synthetic fibres, materials and standards: Recycled polyester, Recycled polyamide, Recycled elastane, REPREVE® (Unifi), RCS (Recycled Claim Standard), GRS (Global Recycled Standard).
Animal Fibres, materials and standards: Leather Working Group, Certified Alpaca, Certified Down, Certified Mohair, Certified Wool, Organic Wool, RWS (Responsible Wool Standard), RMS (Responsible Mohair Standard), RAS (Responsible Alpaca Standard), RDS (Responsible Down Standard), Recycled down/feathers.
We encourage our brands and their suppliers to actively adopt this approach, ensuring continued progress towards our 2030 goals.
Read more about our material strategy 80.80.30 in our 2023 Responsibility Report.
DK Company is a member of the Leather Working Group, and we only buy leather from tanneries with a LWG certification. The LWG certification ensures that the tanneries are living up to high standards of environmental management that includes focus on management of chemicals. LWG and its members drive improvements across the global leather supply chain.
Leather Working Group (LWG) is a global multi-stakeholder, member-led non-profit organization committed to driving excellence in the leather industry. Founded in 2005, LWG aims to minimize the environmental impact of leather production and challenge industry perceptions through a suite of tools and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) certification.
One of the key offerings of LWG is the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol, which assesses the environmental performance and related business practices of leather manufacturers. Developed by industry experts, these audit protocols enable the assessment and certification of best practices in leather manufacturing facilities, ensuring that brands and retailers can make responsible sourcing decisions.
You can read more about Leather Working Group here.
At DK Company, we are proud members of Better Cotton™, a global non-profit organisation that works to improve cotton farming practices. We are committed to sourcing cotton that challenges conventional production standards and helps farmers benefit from its demand.
Better Cotton supports improved working conditions by providing training and education in protecting the environment during cultivation through control of pesticide use, water stewardship, and preservation of soil health and biodiversity.
It is sourced via a chain-of-custody model called mass balance, meaning it is not physically traceable to end products, but its demand helps farmers adopt better practices. Mass balance ensures that the amount sourced equals the amount produced.
For more information, visit the official Better Cotton website or read more about our progress in the most recent Responsibility Report 2023, and soon to come Responsibility Report 2024.