Sustainability at Ref

Being naked is the #1 most
sustainable option.
We’re #2.

1

Made smarter

Materials

2

Made better

Practices

3

Made for good

Circularity

4

Transparency

Made smarter Made better Made for good Transparency

1

Made smarter

Practices

Made smarter

Fiber Standards

We developed Ref Fiber Standards
to grade materials based on their
combined social and environmental
impact. And we’re super thorough.

Since you and Earth deserve the
best, our goal is to source

0%

of our fabrics from recycled,
regenerative, or renewable
materials by 2025.

We have high standards.

We developed Ref Fiber Standards to grade materials based on their combined social and environmental impact. And we’re super thorough.

Since you and Earth deserve the
best, our goal is to source

0%

of our fabrics from recycled,
regenerative, or renewable
materials by 2030.

The fabrics we use
determine up to

2/3

of the environmental
impact of your clothes.

Naturally, we’re into figuring out the
impact our fibers have on people
and the planet – and making sure
we pick the best ones.

The fabrics we use
determine up to

2/3

of the environmental
impact of your clothes.

Naturally, we’re into figuring out the
impact our fibers have on people
and the planet – and making sure
we pick the best ones.

We take all this into
consideration:

Water impact

Energy input

Land use

Price

Greenhouse gas emissions

Human toxicity

Eco-toxicity

Garment care implications
(like microfiber shedding)

Availability

The raw materials we choose affect the way:

1

your Ref clothes
look and feel on you (damn good)

2

you wash your
garment (bye, microplastics)

3

you recycle your
garment (hello, forever)

1

your Ref clothes
look and feel on
you (damn good)

2

you wash
your garment
(bye, microplastics)

3

you recycle
your garment
(hello, forever)

Here’s how our favorite
materials stack up

A – Allstars

32%

Key fabrics: TENCEL™ Lyocell, Deadstock

B – Better than most

62%

Key fabrics: Linen, TENCEL™ Modal

C – Could be better

<1%

Key fabrics: ECONYL® regenerated nylon, Alpaca

D – Don’t use unless certified

5%

Key fabrics: Silk, LWG Certified Leather

E – Eww, don’t use

<1%

Key fabrics: No favorite fabrics here

A - Allstars

32%

Key fabrics: TENCEL™ Lyocell, Deadstock

A-Rated

21%

Key fabrics: TENCEL™ Lyocell, Deadstock

Here’s how our favorite
materials stack up

Renewable, plant-based, or existing materials that can be remade again and again.

1/6

TENCEL™ Lyocell 

Our holy grail of fibers

Regenerated cellulose that’s like cotton, but way more sustainable. TENCEL™ is made mostly from rapidly renewable Eucalyptus trees and takes 5x less land and 80% less water to grow than cotton. Closed-loop to cut chemical and water waste. Certified by OEKO-TEX® 100, loved by us.

2/6

TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™

Combines 30% upcycled cotton scraps with the same beechwood trees used to produce pure TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers. The resulting fibers have everything we love about TENCEL™, plus a circular solution for cotton trimmings & waste.

3/6

Recycled Cotton

Recycled cotton is repurposed from stuff that would otherwise end up in a landfill–like fabric scraps or your ex’s t-shirt you still have. Same soft stuff minus the environmental impact of virgin cotton.

4/6

Regenerative Cotton

Grown in a way that works with the environment to increase biodiversity and make soil better at storing carbon, regen cotton can actually help reverse climate change. So, yeah, we love it.

5/6

Deadstock & Vintage

We source fabric and clothes that nobody’s using and make them into cute, new stuff for you. Deadstock is leftover fabric from other designers and reworked vintage is old stuff from wholesalers. Remanufactured clothing can save more than 13,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per person, per year, plus it may or may not have been worn by Cher. We also source lots of one-of-a-kind pieces for Ref Vintage.

6/6

Fiber innovations that are lower-impact, or recycled fibers.

1/7

Linen

Made from flax: a fast-growing, plant-based fiber that’s rapidly renewable, uses basically no water to grow, and can be processed without hazardous chemicals. People have been wearing linen for forever because it’s really durable if you care for it right. Certified by OEKO-TEX® 100.

2/7

TENCEL™ Modal

So soft, you’d probably never guess it’s made from trees. But it is. Sustainably managed beechwood forests in northern and central Europe that yield way more fiber than cotton plants, plus, require less fertilizers to grow.

3/7

Viscose

A lot of our woven fabric is made from this semi-synthetic, wood-based fiber. We work with Canopy to make sure our forest-based fibers are coming from sustainably managed forests, and to further clean up our viscose supply chains. See our full Sustainable Forest Commitment here.

4/7

Recycled cashmere

A cozy win-win: the same super delicious feel against your skin, with over 80% less of the environmental impact than conventional cashmere. Global demand for virgin cashmere has goats overgrazing in Mongolia and is basically turning grasslands into deserts. We repurpose clippings into new cashmere knitwear, except way more feel-good.

5/7

Recycled wool

Repurposed from pre-or post-consumer wool waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. Instead, we use it in our outwear to save a ton of water, reduce land use for sheep-grazing, and avoid chemicals used in the dyeing process. We work with Manteco®, an Italian textile company, that is taking recycled wool fabrics to the luxury level.

6/7

Regenerative wool

Regenerative wool comes from farms where sheep are raised in harmony with their environment using nature-led practices that emphasize soil health and biodiversity, get rid of chemicals whenever possible, and keep the sheep happy. We used regenerative wool to make 100% traceable sweaters with NATIVA™️.

7/7

Pretty great swaps for commonly used fibers, with room for progress.

1/4

ECONYL® regenerated nylon

Regenerated nylon actually rescues waste from oceans and landfills and uses no new resources to produce. That’s huge, because virgin nylon is pretty much the opposite: a non-renewable, energy-intensive fiber destined for the trash. Bonus: it's OEKO-TEX® 100 certified.

2/4

Alpaca

A renewable fiber that has a way lower environmental impact than most sweater yarns. Compared to conventional wool, each pound of alpaca wool saves 110 gallons of water. Alpacas have soft hooves, which means less soil erosion and plant destruction, plus they’re only sheared once a year on family-owned ranches in the Peruvian highlands, where each is given one acre of land to graze. AKA a way better living situation than your current apartment, plus gives the grassland time to regenerate.

3/4

REPREVE® Polyester

A recycled performance fiber made from post-consumer waste like plastic bottles. Even recycled synthetic fibers still shed tiny pieces of plastic when washing, so we only source these fibers for garments that really need them, like active. And we sell Guppyfriends to cut pollution once you take it home.

4/4

Fibers that must pass the test for specific hotspots like organic production, animal welfare, traceability or wet processing.

1/3

Silk

Silk is great for clothes, but uncertified fibers aren’t great for the planet. They use a ton of water, energy, and chemicals so we require bluesign® certification (good for workers, wearers, and the planet) for all solid dyed silks and prefer it for prints. We require OEKO-TEX® 100 certification and digital print processing for any facilities that are not bluesign® certified.

2/3

Leather

We’re working on leather alternatives (free of fossil fuels and checking all our sustainability boxes), and staying extra committed to sourcing leathers (a byproduct of the meat industry) from top-rated tanneries who use low impact methods and drive chemical innovation in the meantime.

We trace the hides we use back to the farm level, to make sure zero deforestation policies are in place, and we’ll keep supporting farmers and industry partners that are pioneering traceability programs, land management, and regenerative work.

3/3

Too environmentally or socially intensive to meet our high fiber standards.

No favorite fabrics here. We try to source less than 10% of E fibers in a blend, only doing so when necessary for specific fabric construction and performance.

A - Allstars

Renewable, plant-based, or existing materials that can be remade again and again.

TENCEL™ Lyocell

Our holy grail of fibers

Regenerated cellulose that’s like cotton, but way more sustainable. TENCEL™ is made mostly from rapidly renewable Eucalyptus trees and takes 5x less land and 80% less water to grow than cotton. Closed-loop to cut chemical and water waste. Certified by OEKO-TEX® 100, loved by us.

TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™

Combines 30% upcycled cotton scraps with the same wood pulp used to produce pure TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers. The resulting fibers have everything we love about TENCEL™, plus a circular solution for cotton trimmings & waste.

Recycled Cotton

Recycled cotton is repurposed from stuff that would otherwise end up in a landfill–like fabric scraps or your ex’s t-shirt you still have. Same soft stuff minus the environmental impact of virgin cotton.

Regenerative Cotton

Grown in a way that works with the environment to increase biodiversity and make soil better at storing carbon, regen cotton can actually help reverse climate change. So, yeah, we love it.

Deadstock & Vintage

We source fabric and clothes that nobody’s using and make them into cute, new stuff for you. Deadstock is leftover fabric from other designers and reworked vintage is old stuff from wholesalers. Remanufactured clothing can save more than 13,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per person, per year, plus it may or may not have been worn by Cher. We also source lots of one-of-a-kind pieces for Ref Vintage.

1/5

B – better than most

Fiber innovations that are lower-impact, or recycled fibers.

Linen

Made from flax: a fast-growing, plant-based fiber that’s rapidly renewable, uses basically no water to grow, and can be processed without hazardous chemicals. People have been wearing linen for forever because it’s really durable if you care for it right. Certified by OEKO-TEX® 100.

TENCEL™ Modal

So soft, you’d probably never guess it’s made from trees. But it is. Sustainably managed beechwood forests in northern and central Europe that yield way more fiber than cotton plants, plus, require less fertilizers to grow.

Viscose

A lot of our woven fabric is made from this semi-synthetic, wood-based fiber. We work with Canopy to make sure our forest-based fibers are coming from sustainably managed forests, and to further clean up our viscose supply chains. See our full Sustainable Forest Commitment here.

Recycled cashmere

A cozy win-win: the same super delicious feel against your skin, with over 80% less of the environmental impact than conventional cashmere. Global demand for virgin cashmere has goats overgrazing in Mongolia and is basically turning grasslands into deserts. We repurpose clippings into new cashmere knitwear, except way more feel-good.

Recycled wool

Repurposed from pre-or post-consumer wool waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. Instead, we use it in our outerwear to save a ton of water, reduce land use for sheep-grazing, and avoid chemicals used in the dyeing process. We work with Manteco®, an Italian textile company, that is taking recycled wool fabrics to the luxury level.

Regenerative wool

Regenerative wool comes from farms where sheep are raised in harmony with their environment using nature-led practices that emphasize soil health and biodiversity, get rid of chemicals whenever possible, and keep the sheep happy. We used regenerative wool to make 100% traceable sweaters with NATIVA™️.

2/5

C – could be better

Pretty great swaps for commonly used fibers, with room for progress.

ECONYL® regenerated nylon

Regenerated nylon actually rescues waste from oceans and landfills and uses no new resources to produce. That’s huge, because virgin nylon is pretty much the opposite: a non-renewable, energy-intensive fiber destined for the trash. Bonus: it's OEKO-TEX® 100 certified.

Alpaca

A renewable fiber that has a way lower environmental impact than most sweater yarns. Compared to conventional wool, each pound of alpaca wool saves 110 gallons of water. Alpacas have soft hooves, which means less soil erosion and plant destruction, plus they’re only sheared once a year on family-owned ranches in the Peruvian highlands, where each is given one acre of land to graze. AKA a way better living situation than your current apartment, plus gives the grassland time to regenerate.

REPREVE® Polyester

A recycled performance fiber made from post-consumer waste like plastic bottles. Even recycled synthetic fibers still shed tiny pieces of plastic when washing, so we only source these fibers for garments that really need them, like active. And we sell Guppyfriends to cut pollution once you take it home.

3/5

D – don’t use unless certified

We don’t use these unless they meet our standards for things like organic production, animal welfare, wet processing, or traceability.

Silk

Silk is great for clothes, but uncertified fibers aren’t great for the planet. They use a ton of water, energy, and chemicals so we require bluesign® certification (good for workers, wearers, and the planet) for all solid dyed silks and prefer it for prints. We require OEKO-TEX® 100 certification and digital print processing for any facilities that are not bluesign® certified.

Leather

We’re working on leather alternatives (free of fossil fuels and checking all our sustainability boxes), and staying extra committed to sourcing leathers (a byproduct of the meat industry) from top-rated tanneries who use low impact methods and drive chemical innovation in the meantime.

We trace the hides we use back to the farm level, to make sure zero deforestation policies are in place, and we’ll keep supporting farmers and industry partners that are pioneering traceability programs, land management, and regenerative work.

4/5

E – eww, never

Too environmentally or socially intensive to meet our high fiber standards.

No favorite fabrics here. We try to source less than 10% of E fibers in a blend, only doing so when necessary for specific fabric construction and performance.

5/5

Made smarter

Material Innovation

We’re on a mission to bring sustainable fashion to everyone, and to every part
of your outfit. Some things you wear are harder to clean up than others, but
we’re overachievers, and never turn down the chance to help you get dressed better.

Being naked is the #1 most
sustainable option but you’re
still going to need clothes.

So we work hard to
innovate every corner
of your closet.

Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option

but you’re still going to need clothes.

So we work hard to
innovate every corner
of your closet.

Here are a few of our favorite material innovations right now:

Clean jeans

Making your butt look better
than ever with recycled and
regenerative fibers, plus 100%
circularity potential.

Sweaters, forever

Made with wool that helps
restore the Earth, keep sheep
happy, and promote
regenerative farming.

Your jeans' genes

Get to know your jeans with
traceable denim that also
happens to be made with
Climate Positive cotton.

Shoes (that suck less)

Shoes suck. Ref Shoes are 100%
recyclable, made with traceable
leather, and the lowest amount of
virgin plastic we could find.
Basically, they suck less.

Shrooms

We're working with EcoVative to
develop vegan, plastic-free leather from
mycelium. So, basically, mushrooms are
solving all our problems.

Cool wool

Stay warm in the chicest way possible
with recycled MWool® from Italian mill
Manteco®. Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
certified plus cuts added chemicals and
dyes, which means way less water and
more nature.

Clean jeans

Making your butt look better than ever with recycled and regenerative fibers, plus 100% circularity potential.

Sweaters, forever

Made with wool that helps restore the Earth, keep sheep happy, and promote regenerative farming.

Your jeans' genes

Get to know your jeans with traceable denim that also happens to be made with Climate Positive cotton.

Shoes (that suck less)

Shoes suck. Ref Shoes are 100% recyclable, made with traceable leather, and the lowest amount of virgin plastic we could find. Basically, they suck less.

Shrooms

We're working with EcoVative to develop vegan, plastic-free leather from mycelium. So, basically, mushrooms are solving all our problems.

Cool wool

Stay warm in the chicest way possible with recycled MWool® from Italian mill Manteco®. Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified plus cuts added chemicals and dyes, which means way less water and more nature.

Made smarter

Clean Chemistry

The dyeing and finishing phase is where we turn our fibers and fabrics into all
the stuff you know, love, and can’t stop wearing. These chemical processes
determine the color, finish, and feel of your garment.

For years, the dyeing industry
has been failing clean chemistry
class – losing points for:

Excess water usage

Inefficient energy processes

The release of toxic byproducts
into our environments

Putting our workers and
wearers at risk

Good news: Ref’s sustainability
team is good at science.

And we don’t have time for
toxicity in our lives, our
clothes, or our factories.

Good news: Ref’s sustainability team is good at science.

And we don’t have time for toxicity.

in our lives, our clothes, or our factories.

Here’s our cheat sheet:

We test our stuff against our Restricted Substance List (RSL) to:

confirm there are no hazardous substances in our products
and make sure they're safe and in compliance with the most rigorous regulations and standards

Want to geek out on concentration limits? Download our full RSL list here.

We joined a collective of brands committed to clean chemistry by adopting the Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL): a list of nasty chemicals that should be restricted in the production of materials.

Our goal is to have 100% of our materials come from suppliers with clean chemistry certifications or ZDHC compliance under MSRL by 2025.

With an A+ grade in textile dyeing, bluesign® certified dyeing facilities:

only use safe input chemicals
monitor their air and water emissions
ensure worker safety so that the dyed fabric is safe for the end user, workers, and the environment

We joined bluesign® as a system partner in 2021, and with their help, are working to bring our whole supply chain up to speed with our clean chemistry goals.

OEKO-TEX® 100 checks for the presence of:

hazardous chemicals
carcinogens
azo dyes
other chemical limits

in accordance with the European REACH standards.

2

Made better

Materials

Made better

Limited Editions

Over 0 billion
garments made each year
are never sold

And textile waste is predicted to go up another 60% by 2030. Basically,
landfills are being filled with unsold clothes that have never been worn.

We put out a limited-edition collection
every week with small quantities of each
new product. We only make more if we
know you want it, based on direct data
and feedback from your purchases.

Limited-edition
collections

Data-driven
restocks

We use numbers from sales and things like
pre-order and waitlist to get super
intentional about making more of what you
like. This makes us more efficient across
materials, people power, and marketing.

We put out a limited-edition
collection every week with
small quantities of each new
product. We only make more
if we know you want it, based
on direct data and feedback
from your purchases.

We use numbers from sales and
things like pre-order and waitlist
to get super intentional about
making more of what you like.
This makes us more efficient
across materials, people power,
and marketing.

This limited production model keeps us from overproducing, plus, it means no one at the party will be wearing the same dress as you. Being extra-exclusive lets us try new things, without being wasteful, so we can perfect what you like about us.

Basically, we’re getting smarter,
better, and faster each week.

Not to brag.

Made better

FactoryForward

We created our FactoryForward program to help our supply
chain partners become the best at what they do.

Together, we
get better at:

Renewable energy

Water efficiency

Clean chemistry

People practices

We share costs, insights,
and a vision of a cleaner
fashion industry.

Here’s how it works:

1 Assess

First, we see how our suppliers are doing with
two key environmental assessment partners:

FEM grades for environmental performance, with
a focus on renewable energy opportunities.

Aii looks at energy, water, and chemistry.
These environmental assessments help us get
super clear on where our partners are at.

2 Make it better

Then, we connect our suppliers with the best environmental solution
providers around. To truly reform the fashion industry, we all have to start
moving towards complex environmental challenges, not away from them.

Here’s what we help with right now:

This is a big one for us.

We connect our suppliers to South Pole, our renewable energy solutions provider, so they can get plugged into on-site solar programs (renewable energy is a tab we’re glad to pick up every time).

And when that’s not possible, we help our suppliers find favorable rates to purchase renewable energy credits to offset their electricity use footprint.

We help our suppliers reduce their water and energy usage by connecting them with partners like Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), which identifies easy wins and maximizes long-term efficiencies.

This can lead to 20% energy and 30% water reductions right off the bat.

By optimizing our suppliers’ chemical inputs and better managing wastewater, we’re moving towards clean chemistry in every step of our supply chain.

We assess facilities using bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® 100, and connect those who need a tune-up to Aii’s innovative programs.

3 Make it the best

There are a handful of clean suppliers serving a lot of sustainable brands,
but we decided to build our own supply chain and invest in our partners
becoming the best for us, and everyone else they work with.

1

Assess

First, we see how our
suppliers are doing with
two key environmental
assessment partners:

Higg Facility Environmental
Module (FEM)

FEM grades for environmental performance, with a focus on renewable energy opportunities.

Apparel Impact
Institute (Aii)

Aii looks at energy, water, and chemistry. These environmental assessments help us get super clear on where our partners are at.

2

Make it better

Then, we connect our suppliers with the best environmental solution providers around. To truly reform the fashion industry, we all have to start moving towards complex challenges, not away from them.

Here’s what we help with right now:

Renewable energy

This is a big one for us.

We connect our suppliers to South Pole, our renewable energy solutions provider, so they can get plugged into on-site solar programs (renewable energy is a tab we’re glad to pick up every time).

And when that’s not possible, we help our suppliers find favorable rates to purchase renewable energy credits to offset their electricity use footprint.

Water efficiency

We help our suppliers reduce their water and energy usage by connecting them with partners like Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), which identifies easy wins and maximizes long-term efficiencies.

This can lead to 20% energy and 30% water reductions right off the bat.

Chemistry

By optimizing our supplier’s chemical inputs and better managing wastewater, we’re moving towards clean chemistry in every step of our supply chain.

We assess facilities using bluesign®and Oeko-Tex 100, and connect those who need a tune-up to Aii’s innovative programs.

3

Make it
the best

There are a handful of clean suppliers serving a lot of sustainable brands, but we decided to build our own supply chain and invest in our partners becoming the best for us, and everyone else they work with.

Made better

People Practices

Who makes your clothes,
and how they are treated,

matters a lot.

For way too long, fashion hasn’t paid fair. Valuing our workers begins with considering true costs – which includes fair wages, but also healthy work environments and better people practices.

Taking care of our teams, and the people at every level of our supply chain, is one of our biggest responsibilities as a fashion brand.

We make some of our clothes in Los Angeles and the rest at sustainable partner factories around the world.

When it comes to choosing where we make our stuff, we look at a number of different factors like: quality, price, speed, reduced environmental impact, and working conditions for the people in the facility.

We publish Our Factories list and disclose 100% of Tier 1 finished goods manufacturers and subcontractors within our supply chain.

We signed on to the Transparency Pledge and Open Supply Hub (OS Hub).

We’re making more of what we do public, so we can hold ourselves accountable to the health and safety of everyone we work with.

We team up with industry groups like the Fair Labor Association and audit for social responsibility to ensure people are heard throughout our supply chain.

We use grievance mechanisms like suggestion boxes, hotlines, and worker surveys to provide a clear and transparent framework for addressing employee concerns in our workplace and in partner facilities.

We review these mechanisms and administer anonymous Worker Sentiment Surveys during our annual audits. Then we address each noted issue through our Corrective Action Plan (CAP) management system. In addition to being good listeners, we strive to be proactive and preventative.

1

Our Factories

We built our own sustainable factory in Los
Angeles where we put our people first.

We make some of our clothes in Los Angeles and the rest at sustainable partner factories around the world.

When it comes to choosing where we make our stuff, we look at a number of different factors like: quality, price, speed, reduced environmental impact, and working conditions for the people in the facility.

2

Transparency

Transparency keeps us accountable.

We publish Our Factories list and disclose 100% of Tier 1 finished goods manufacturers and subcontractors within our supply chain.

We signed on to the Transparency Pledge and Open Supply Hub (OS Hub).

We’re making more of what we do public, so we can hold ourselves accountable to the health and safety of everyone we work with.

3

Active Improvement

Since an audit is just a snapshot in time, we prioritize active continuous improvement, root cause analysis, and development of necessary management systems.

We team up with industry groups like the Fair Labor Association and audit for social responsibility to ensure people are heard throughout our supply chain.

4

Worker Voice

We want to hear what workers have to say, without the fear of suffering prejudice or retaliation of any form.

We use grievance mechanisms like suggestion boxes, hotlines, and worker surveys to provide a clear and transparent framework for addressing employee concerns in our workplace and in partner facilities.

We review these mechanisms and administer anonymous Worker Sentiment Surveys during our annual audits. Then we address each noted issue through our Corrective Action Plan (CAP) management system. In addition to being good listeners, we strive to be proactive and preventative.

3

Made for good

Circularity

Made for good

Circularity

Stuff this cute shouldn’t
go to waste.

So we want to make

0% of our stuff
recyclable

and from as close to

0 virgin materials

as possible.

A lot of our clothes already get around. But the truth is, we’re still virgins. In order to lose it, we need to cut out new materials, and only make stuff that you can love again and again. We believe in happy endings, read more about it here.

A lot of people call this Circular Fashion. But, given the mess our planet is in right now, we call it the only way forward for fashion.

We’re doing most of the hard work, but, as we work toward losing it for good, we’re going to need your help keeping all this non-virgin stuff in the fashion system, forever.

A lot of people call this Circular Fashion. But, given the mess our planet is in right now, we call it the only way forward for fashion.

We’re doing most of the hard work, but, as we work toward losing it for good, we’re going to need your help keeping all this non-virgin stuff in the fashion system, forever.

Here’s how we get there:

1

For our clothes to be non-virgin, they need to be made from recycled fibers or renewable materials with clean chemistry and efficient production. So they aren’t toxic and can last a long time.

That’s on us.

2

Our clothes will probably be with you longer than the person you’re currently texting, so, we’re counting on you to care for them responsibly and say bye wisely: AKA reselling or recycling.

That’s on you.

3

To get recycled the right way, and keep our clothes around, we have to link up with the correct partners and innovate fiber recycling capabilities.

That takes the whole industry.

1

For our clothes to be non-virgin, they need to be made from recycled fibers or renewable materials with clean chemistry and efficient production. So they aren’t toxic and can last a long time.

That’s on us.

2

Our clothes will probably be with you longer than the person you’re currently texting, so, we’re counting on you to care for them responsibly and say bye wisely: AKA reselling or recycling.

That’s on you.

3

To get recycled the right way, and keep our clothes around, we have to link up with the correct partners and innovate fiber recycling capabilities.

That takes the whole industry.

Made for good

Wash Smart

We’re airing out your
dirty laundry

We design our clothes to last longer, which means you're going to have to take care of them for longer, too. And that you probably need to clean up your laundry routine. A huge part of clothing’s carbon footprint happens while washing and caring for your garments in between wears.

That means you have
tons of opportunities
to help reduce these
from the laundromat:

Energy use

Toxicity

Microplastic pollution

CO2 emissions

Plus, proper care – no more sweater pills, shrunken shirts, or accidental dye jobs – means your clothes get to enjoy the long, happy lives we want for them.

Plus, proper care – no more sweater pills, shrunken shirts, or accidental dye jobs – means your clothes get to enjoy the long, happy lives we want for them. Because you deserve more than just a fling with garments that last ten washes. We’re designing our clothes for the long haul, so get ready to commit.

Here’s how we get there:

Only wash as needed. Saves water and detergent, plus makes your clothes last longer.

Dirty in just one spot? Exercise that spot cleaner. Want to clean up your jeans, while keeping their shape? Throw them in the freezer to kill bacteria and odors.

Basically: do more for the planet by doing less.

Set your washer to “cold” to save energy and help your clothes live a little longer. Switching from hot water to cold or warm every four out of five loads would save 864 pounds of CO2 per year². That’s the same as driving 1,000 miles, which is a really long road trip.

All those detergent bottles really add up. You can reduce single-use plastics in your home and laundry routine by switching to concentrate detergent tablets that are plastic-free – and choosing formulas that skip dyes, phosphates, chlorine, parabens, and phthalates, too.

Our friends at Blueland created a kit just for you.

Skip the dryer. Normal tumble dryers emit 40 million tons of CO2e in the US each year¹. Air drying or line drying emits zero. Plus, clotheslines make you look super chic and makes your neighbors jealous of all your cute stuff.

When you machine wash anything made from synthetics—even recycled stuff—it sheds tiny bits of plastic called microfibers, which pollute our waterways.

Keep your stuff clean by hand washing in cold water — especially swimwear and activewear. You can also use a Guppyfriend bag to capture microfibers when you hand or machine wash your stuff.

Make your shoes go the extra mile. Spray them with something eco-friendly to protect them from stuff like water, oil, dust, and other weird outside things.

Store your shoes in a cool, dry environment and polish leather to keep them looking great. Check out our FAQs for additional shoe care information.

Good news: some professional cleaners now offer green dry cleaning that uses water as the primary solvent. This type of cleaning cuts toxicity and CO2 emissions associated with garment care.

Not all “green” or “organic” cleaners are totally toxin-free. Be sure to ask if they use perc (perchloroethylene: the primary chemical solvent used in dry-cleaning, which can cause liver damage and respiratory failure, yikes), hydrocarbons, or D-5 cleaners. Check out our garment care guide for truly green cleaners near our stores.

When something rips, snags, or pills, try simple repairs and embellishments. DIY or call up a trusted tailor. Loved clothes last longer, and extending a garment’s life by nine months is estimated to reduce water, waste, and carbon footprints by 20-30% each.

Made for good

Happy Endings

Happy Endings is our suite of resources engineered to keep your clothes around forever. Because stuff this cute shouldn’t go to waste. So we’re creating a future for everything in your closet. Care and repair (if you still love it), resell (when you’re over it), or recycle (when it’s time to let it go).

We’re proud to make
clothes that get around.
But we need your help to
keep them in use.

RefRecycling is our reuse program engineered to keep your clothes around forever. Because stuff this cute shouldn’t go to waste. So we’re creating a future for everything in your closet. Rewear (if you still love it), Resell (when you’re over it), or Recycle (when it’s time to let it go).

We’re proud to make clothes that get around. But we need your help to keep them in use.

The US alone
throws away over

0M tons

of clothing and footwear a year,
most of which sit in landfills for
pretty much ever.

Right now, fiber recycling is complicated and super fragmented. So we’re working hard to make it easy for you to say bye to your unwanted stuff.

The U.S. alone
throws away over

0M
tons

of clothing and footwear a
year, most of which sit in
landfills for pretty much ever.

Right now, fiber recycling is complicated and super fragmented. We’re working hard to keep it simple for you, so that the only question you have to answer is: to rewear, resell, or recycle?

Start circulating now, or read about it below:

Rewear

If you’re still into it, act like it.

Proper garment care is one of the most underrated actions you can take on the path to a circular fashion future. Wash less, line-dry more, keep your green cleaner on speed dial. And when you come up against a rip, snag, or pill, try simple repairs and embellishments.

Resell

For stuff you don’t want, but someone else might – grab a thredUP kit and get rid of it. We’ll give you Ref Credit for everything you sell.

The dress from when you were really into florals? That well-loved top in seventeen Instagram posts?

Recycle

We’re making new Ref out of old Ref. And you’re getting paid to give your clothes another chance.

Send us old Ref sweaters, shoes, activewear, denim, and outerwear. With help from our friends at SuperCircle, we’ll break down your old clothes into functional fibers and rework them into new products, using as few virgin materials as possible. But first, we need our stuff back.

Rewear

If you’re still into it, act like it.

Proper garment care is one of the most underrated actions you can take on the path to a circular fashion future. Wash less, line-dry more, keep your green cleaner on speed dial. And when you come up against a rip, snag, or pill, try simple repairs and embellishments.

Resell

Your clothes deserve a second chance. Good thing reselling your stuff has never been easier. All your verified Reformation purchases can now be listed on Poshmark instantly to make selling Ref as easy as buying it. Or, get a ThredUp kit for anything else, and we'll give you Ref Credit for everything you sell.

PS: ThredUp is only available for customers in the US. Poshmark is available for customers in the US and Canada.

Recycle

We’re making new Ref out of old Ref. And you’re getting paid to give your clothes another chance.

Send us old Ref sweaters, shoes, activewear, denim, and outerwear. With help from our friends at SuperCircle, we’ll break down your old clothes into functional fibers and rework them into new products, using as few virgin materials as possible. But first, we need our stuff back.

*Only available in the US and Canada.

In the bag

And obviously our packaging is recyclable or compostable.
Right now, we use

0%

recycled LDPE bags with a biodegradable polymer (BDP) that
allows it to break down in landfills. We’re always working on plant-
based solutions to make our packaging even better.

Made for good

Ref Vintage

Reformation started by selling retailored vintage clothing out of a small Los Angeles storefront in 2009. We quickly expanded into making our own clothes, with a focus on sustainability, so we could bring all the benefits of a great vintage dress to the whole industry. But we didn’t retire our vintage rack, because looking great and cutting waste never goes out of style.

Our IRL vintage collections (in select stores in NYC, LA, and London) are your best-dressed friend’s best-kept-secret, and our limited online drops sell out super quick. Obviously you love it, and we can’t blame you: it’s timeless, keeps clothes in the fashion system, and nothing feels better than saying, “Thanks, it’s vintage”. So we have big plans to bring you even more finds that are almost as one-of-a-kind as you.

So, to recap, vintage helps avoid pollution, break trend cycles, and keep materials out of landfills and you looking chic.

4

Updated 01/10/23

Wow, thanks for
reading all that

Sustainability Landing Page