Earth Matters
Theres no place like home.
Here at LOTA, the only footprint we want to leave is a loving one.
We are mindful and dedicated to create in a responsible and sustainable way.
That not only includes our production processes but also our packaging.
Please read on below to find out more about our and our garment suppliers policies.
Organic, Ethical, Climate Neutral
Our garment suppliers are licensed under the Global Organic Standard (GOTS) since 2007. For the past five years the Company has been the largest organic textile licensee of the Soil Association.
EarthPositive® is produced exclusively from organic Indian cotton, and the entire production process is controlled and certified in accordance with the latest version of GOTS. All products are labelled as Organic.
Verified Ethical Manufacture
100% of the EarthPositive® production undergoes annual audits to comply with the FWF Code of Labour Practices in accordance with the International Labour Organisation’s conventions.
Our suppliers have has been a member of Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2006.
EarthPositive® is made in manufacturing facilities powered by green renewable energy, from low-impact raw materials. The carbon footprint of EarthPositive® products has been reduced by some 90% and the calculations were certified under the PAS2050 standard by the Carbon Trust in the UK between 2007-2009.
This vertically integrated garment factory in Tamil Nadu, Southern India, is the primary manufacturing facility of Continental Clothing Co.
The state-of-the-art technology and ultra-modern infrastructure provide the setting for the textile industry's leading showcase of socially and environmentally responsible production.
We are proud of our suppliers working ethics:
We all have a right to a safe and healthy work environment, a living wage, a legally binding contract. We all have a right to be free from discrimination and harassment, to join - or not to join - a labour union, to choose our work freely. We all have a right to fair and reasonable working hours. And our children have a right to go to school.
Our suppliers have adopted a robust policy with regard to the following minimum social responsibility criteria:
- No use of child labour
- No use of forced labour
- Safe and healthy working conditions
- Legal labour contracts
- Payment of living wage
- Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
- No discrimination against employees
- No excessive hours of work
They have been running a pro-active social responsibility programme as a member of Fair Wear Foundation since 2006. All the Company’s manufacturing facilities are regularly audited for social compliance and are running active monitoring programmes in accordance with standards advocated by the International Labour Organisation, the Ethical Trading Initiative and other international bodies.
The Company publishes an annual Social Report.
Fair Wear Foundation carries out an annual brand performance check, and produces a comprehensive report and a score rating. Read the most recent Brand Performance Check here.
FWF is governed by the following organisations:
- Modint (business association for manufacturers and distributors of fashion, interior design, carpets and textiles)
- CBW-MITEX (business association for retailers of interior design, fashion, shoes and sportswear)
- FNV Bondgenoten (federation of trade unions - service industry)
- CNV Dienstenbond (Christian trade union - service industry)
- Clean Clothes Campaign
Sustainable manufacturing
Sustainable manufacturing is the creation of manufactured products through economically-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. Sustainable manufacturing also enhances employee, community, and product safety.
Our suppliers recognise that garment manufacturing is one of the most environmentally damaging and harmful industrial sectors on the planet, and takes decisive and often pioneering steps towards addressing the many negative impacts. Starting with the sourcing of raw materials, the Company ensures full traceability of all fibres, choosing low impact cotton, Tencel® Lyocel, bamboo and EcoVero viscose, and recycled polyester in the Continental® range, 100% certified organic cotton in the EarthPositive® range, and recycled organic cotton blended with recycled polyester in the Salvage® range.
They have been a vivid supporter of many high profile campaigns, including the Clean Cotton Campaign, Pick Your Cotton Carefully, and has been working with the Environmental Justice Foundation and the Pesticide Action Network for many years. Continental Clothing Co. is an active contributor to the International Working Group on the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The Company is certified under the Global Organic Textile Standard, Organic Content Standard and the Global Recycled Standard.
Yarns and fabrics
Our suppliers control the spinning process of almost seventy percent of all the yarns used in production as part of its vertically-integrated manufacturing structure, with the remainder being carefully sourced externally. All the yarns used by the Company are fully combed and ring spun.
The quality of our yarns and fabrics is the foundation to delivering the highest quality garments.
All the fabrics are knitted at our in-house facilities, and dyed with GOTS approved chemicals, using low-water and controlled waste discharge processes, certified to OekoTex 100 Class I standard and conforming to REACH.
Organic certified fabrics are dyed in our zero-discharge dyehouse, where all the water is recycled in a closed-loop system.
Carbon footprint reduction
The carbon footprint (CO2e) is the total carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases emitted during the cultivation and harvesting of cotton, fibre processing, textile production, packaging, transportation and warehousing.
Our suppliers have reduced the carbon footprint of EarthPositive® products by around 90% through a combination of innovative product design, low impact organic agriculture, efficiency in manufacturing, and by replacing standard grid electricity with renewable wind power. We do not use carbon offsets and our footprint calculations were certified by the Carbon Trust Certifications in the U.K. between 2007-2009.
It has been calculated that a single EarthPositive® T-shirt saves around 7 kilograms of CO2e compared to a conventional T-shirt, whereas a hooded sweatshirt saves up to 28 kgs.
Having taken the greenhouse gas emissions to pre-industrial levels, all the EarthPositive® products carry the registered mark “Climate Neutral”.
Packaging:
Our Compostable Mailing Bags are made from plant materials ( PLA and PBAT) and will break down into Carbon Dioxide, Water and Organic fertilizers within 3-6 months.
They look like plastic, they feel like plastic and are as strong as plastic, but they are 100% NOT plastic.