Our Sustainability Work
Our wish is that each Newbie garment carries beautiful memories from several children, memories that are woven into the seams one by one. The garments are inherited and cherished, ready to create new memories for the next child. At every step along the way, we strive to reduce our impact on the planet.
Newbie designs timeless treasures in carefully selected materials that have a lesser impact on our planet than conventional ones. Every seam and detail is shaped with passion and care, considering the children who will wear the garments. This means that all cotton is organically grown, and we use as much recycled material as possible.
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Organic cotton is grown entirely without chemical pesticides, artificial fertiliser or genetically modified seeds, which results in better soil quality, greater biodiversity and balanced ecosystems. The organic quality of the cotton is assured by independent inspections according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or Organic Content Standard (OCS). Garments that are GOTS-certified bear the GOTS symbol on the garment label. Sometimes we mix organic cotton with other fibres to create an Organic Cotton Blend. The resulting garment is then composed of a combination of organic cotton and other fibres, but never conventionally farmed cotton. It is expensive and time consuming to convert agriculture to organic. Therefore, only a small part of all cotton production in the world is organic.
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The responsible production of TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers uses at least 50% less water and emits at least 50% less CO2 compared to generic lyocell fibers, according to Higg MSI, thereby saving precious resources for future generations. TENCEL™ Lyocell is known for its innovative closed loop production process. Wood pulp is transformed into cellulosic fibers, while more than 99.8% of the solvent are recovered and fed back into the loop, resulting in close-to-zero wastage. TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG.
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The responsible production of TENCEL™ Modal fibers uses at least 50% less water and emits at least 50% less CO2 compared to generic lyocell fibers, according to Higg MSI, thereby saving precious resources for future generations. The TENCEL™ Modal production process is based on a highly resource-efficient technology with high recovery rates of chemicals. TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG.
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The responsible production of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers uses at least 50% less water and emits at least 50% less CO2 compared to generic viscose fibers, according to Higg MSI, thereby saving precious resources for future generations. The wood used as raw material for all LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers is sourced from controlled or certified origins meeting FSC® or PEFC standards. LENZING™ and ECOVERO™ are trademarks of Lenzing AG.
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A viscose quality made of Birla Cellulose fibers, which comes from certified responsible forestry. The material is produced in a closed system, where the water and solvents are reused, causing a reduced impact on the environment. Products containing this fiber are labelled with “Livaeco by Birla Cellulose™” on the hangtag/packaging
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Recycled polyester is made from PET bottles and scraps and by-products from the manufacturing industry, as opposed to conventional polyester which is made from oil. Making recycled material is less resource-intensive than producing material from scratch, which is why it reduces pollution and energy consumption. It also reduces the volume of waste. Our Recycled Polyester-labelled garments contain at least 50 percent recycled material.
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Often, design comes first, and materials second. But with Rescued Fabrics we’re doing the exact opposite. What leftover fabrics might our suppliers have in their storage? How can we design garments or products to put those leftovers to use? By utilizing leftover materials from previous collections, we take care of valuable resources.
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The raw material source for recycled polyamide can be old fishing nets and carpets, and also waste from the manufacturing industry. Materials that would otherwise be scrapped are used, which saves the planet’s precious resources and contributes to reduced emissions. Our Recycled Polyamide-labelled garments contain at least 50 percent recycled material.
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All of our denim is made with certified materials and production processes that use less chemicals, energy and water than conventional jeans production methods. The materials we use are Better Cotton, organic cotton, recycled cotton and recycled polyester. The prewash process for our denim products involves far fewer chemicals, about half as much water and almost 30 per cent less energy, as compared with conventional denim production.
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PU stands for polyurethane and is a coating used on artificial leather and rainwear. This coating does not contain any chemicals that have a proven negative impact on people or the environment.
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The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) describes and certifies animal welfare practices in down and feather production and tracks the certified materials from farm to final product.
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The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) describes and certifies animal welfare and land management practices in wool production and tracks the certified material from farm to final product.
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The Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) describes and certifies animal welfare and land management practices in mohair production and tracks the certified material from farm to final product.
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The Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS) describes and certifies animal welfare and land management practices in alpaca fiber production and tracks the certified material from farm to final product.
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The EUROPEAN FLAX™ is a standard and certification that aims to secure and guarantee the origin and traceability of the flax fiber grown in Western Europe (France, Belgium & The Netherlands). The EUROPEAN FLAX™ fiber is a natural, GMO free fiber grown without irrigation* (*except in exceptional circumstances). Read more about EUROPEAN FLAX™ here here: http://news.europeanflax.com/en/celc/4-european-flax/.
We are truly committed to shaping a beautiful future for generations to come. That’s why, we create design made to last. Formed with much passion and care, in every seam and delicate detail. With caring comfort for the children who will wear it. Our timeless and nostalgic styles outlast trends and span the seasons. Nearly everything is made using materials with less environmental impact than conventional ones. Meaning that all cotton is certified, and we use as much recycled materials as possible.
Our wish is for every Newbie garment to hold cherished memories of several children. Forever weaved into the seams. Garments to pass on like treasures, ready for new memories to be made by younger sisters and brothers. And, along every step of the way, we aim to lessen our impact on the planet.
Did you know that more than 80 per cent of a garment’s impact on the environment is actually decided at the drawing board? With wise choices all the way from fibre choice to finished garment, we can use less resources.
One of the fashion industry’s biggest challenges is achieving the transition to a circular economy, which basically means closing the material loop so that the materials that circulate are safe for people and the environment, and so that the amount of waste generated is kept down.
Newbie is a part of the KappAhl group and at the headquarters in Mölndal, Sweden, all designers, buyers and pattern-makers are busy producing about 8,000 unique items annually. Looking to a circular future, the aim is for the environmental footprint of each product to be as small as possible.
Five sustainability criteria that guide our efforts
To ensure that every step in the process is as sustainable as possible, we make use of our Sustainable Product Scorecard. This is based on five criteria, which guide us in making sustainable decisions at every stage of the design process through to a sale-ready product.
- Choice of material. The materials we choose are crucial from a sustainability perspective. By using organically grown cotton, recycled polyester or Tencel™, for example, we reduce our use of water, energy and chemicals, as compared with conventionally manufactured materials.
- Circular fashion. Will the material and the details in the garment be recyclable at the end of its wearable life? If we can answer “yes” to that question, we will be contributing to circular fashion consumption.
- Design and useful life. How can we extend the useful life of the garment? This may mean timeless design and using quality materials that last a long time. But also features such as reinforced knees, or intentionally designing garments with high second-hand value.
- Materials consumption. With careful thought about how we design, construct and lay out patterns, we can minimise how much fabric we use and reduce fabric wastage.
- Processes such as printing, dyeing and various industrial pre-washes may cause serious environmental impact. Here we need to take care to reduce the volume of water and chemicals used by opting for more sustainable techniques.
The Sustainable Product Scorecard and the five criteria allow us to rate the sustainability of products before they go into production. They also serve to guide our product development, allowing us to manage and rate the effect of our sustainability efforts at product level.
You should feel confident with our products, knowing they are safe from both an environmental and health perspective.
Chemical Requirements
Chemicals are needed in the production of clothing, for example, in dyeing and printing. Newbie is a part of the KappAhl Group and we impose strict chemical requirements from both an environmental and health perspective, and only collaborate with suppliers who can meet them.
Our requirements are based on EU chemical legislation (such as REACH and the Biocidal Products Regulation) as well as the strictest standards in all countries where we operate. We ensure compliance with our chemical requirements through random inspections conducted by authorized independent laboratories.
You can be confident that our products are free from substances such as biocides and PFAS (a chemical previously used to make garments water-repellent). Many of our products are made from GOTS-certified cotton, ensuring that only the most gentle chemicals on the market are used.
There is a lot of ongoing research on chemicals, and we are members of the Chemical Group run by RISE. The purpose of the group is to disseminate the latest knowledge on chemical and environmental issues.
Here, you can download our chemical restriction list (PDF) that all our suppliers are obliged to follow.
Carefully Checked Children's Products
Our children's clothing is safe to wear and always undergoes a risk assessment. We comply with product safety laws throughout the entire process from design to production, with extra checks on items like buttons, chemicals, and material choices.
Each children's product is tested to ensure there are no potential or hidden risks, such as loose or sharp small parts, cords, or drawstrings. For instance, the hoods on our children's outerwear are always detachable to minimize the risk of the child getting caught.
Questions About Our Products
Do you have a question about a product you bought from us? Get in touch with us, either directly at your nearest store or through our customer service.
- Product Policy
Our Newbie brand is associated with affordable fashion, design and quality. It also stands for responsibility, consideration and assurance. Sustainability is part of everything we do and our goals are set very high. We conduct our business with a long-term view and do our utmost to work proactively in all areas with a focus on quality, the environment, safety, working conditions and social issues.
From a product perspective, this means that our customers should feel satisfied and confident with Newbie products and their progress though the entire production process. We comply with current laws and work actively to develop and improve our products. We make decisions every day, choosing solutions to ensure that our products maintain high ethical and moral standards.
- Ethics and morals
Newbie strives to ensure that our products are the best that they can be, whilst also demonstrating a responsible and mindful attitude, without causing offence.
Ideas about what can be considered to be offensive vary from time to time as well as between people and cultures. Our intention is to use hindsight first and to listen to public opinion.
- For example, we exclude products and prints that are associated with racism, sexism, drugs, occult symbols and/or politics.
- We don't sell children's clothing that could be seen as provocative, or for example which have references to sex.
Newbie communicates with our customers in a variety of ways about how and where we work. This includes on our website and on our products, which are labelled with their country of origin.
- Health and safety
Newbie’s products must not entail any risks to our customers or to those involved in the production process. We participate actively in research and development to ensure that products and processes are safe.
- All of Newbie’s garments meet stringent requirements on the use of chemicals.
- Sandblasting, which is used in the manufacturing of denim, is not permitted in our production process.
- Our work with child safety complies with the Swedish Product Safety Act. This includes extra inspections, for example, of buttons, chemicals and choice of materials.
- The products in our collections undergo thorough tests, both in our own laboratories and in external laboratories.
- Animal welfare
Our commitment to protecting the rights of people affected by our business also extends to animal rights protection. We work actively to ensure that products containing leather, feathers, wool or other animal materials do not come from animals that are mistreated or under threat of extinction.
This means that:
- None of our products contain angora, mohair or real fur.
- We do not accept mulesing, which is a practice in wool production where an area around the sheep’s tail is cut away to prevent flystrike. Nor do we accept the clips that are used as an alternative to mulesing.
- All items made from animal hide are by-products of the meat industry and come from cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs. No animal is killed solely for its hide.
- We never use down plucked from live birds. Instead, we buy down and feathers that are by-products of meat production.
- We do not permit animal testing.
Take care of your clothes.
This is how the garments last longer:
- Treat stains immediately so they don't set into the fabric.
- Wash only when absolutely necessary. Air them out outdoors instead.
- Wash with a gentle cycle at a low temperature.
- Use a laundry bag to protect delicate materials.
- Wash the garments inside out.
- Use environmentally friendly detergent and avoid fabric softener.
- Dry outdoors in the shade or indoors.
- Store the garments properly.
- Learn how to repair small holes.
Sustainability Report
In our Sustainability Report for the Kappahl Group, we transparently report on our progress and challenges within our sustainability work during the past year.
Social conditions in production countries
Newbie has an important role to play going forward, and we are constantly striving to improve our supply chain. Part of that is working closely with our suppliers and promoting better working conditions for people in production. We are constantly working for improvements through long-term partnerships with suppliers and industry collaboration.
Newbie is a part of Kappahl Group. To learn more about our social work in production countries read here
Rescued Fabrics Collection
When we manufacture garments, we always have a bit of margin to ensure there's enough fabric. Often, there are a few meters left over. Beautiful but surplus Newbie fabrics ready to be loved again when we rescue them to create new garments. These become small limited collections that we call Rescued Fabrics, released a couple of times a year. In other words, garments made from leftover materials, contributing to reducing our environmental impact. Sustainability is and has always been at the heart of Newbie