what you buy matters At the core essence of Nature Baby brand is the desire to make pure and natural clothing and bedding for babies which is long lasting which can be used for multiple children and passed down through families, rather than being used for a period of a few months then becoming part of an increasing landfill. Keeping clothes for longer, and making responsibly, are the most important things we can do to reduce the impact our clothes have on the world. Nature Baby is proud to be the most-searched childrenswear brand on TradeMe in New Zealand, and with dedicated Facebook pages to re-sell pre-loved Nature Baby garments. This demonstrates the high quality of our clothes and how they are still loved and circulated months and years after they have left our shops.
our materials We think it is better to use sustainable materials. Using certified organic materials is better for baby and the planet, as strict regulations apply and harmful chemicals are not used. GOTS certified organic cotton accounts for 85% of our range. We use GOTS certified organic merino wool tops for 4% and ZQ accredited NZ merino wool for 10%. The remaining 1% is non-certified (our swimwear range). We are continually working to source the best organic and sustainable fabrics for our garments.
our certifications Supply chains are very complex - for example a cotton bodysuit goes through cotton picking to ginning to spinning before it is sewn into a garment, labelled, packaged and sent to us. We rely on certifications to validate the stages of the process. At the moment, 87% of our range is certified by the textile gold standard and internationally recognised GOTS and SA8000, which covers environmental responsibility as well as social responsibility (to ensure all workers making our products are getting a fair deal). Additionally we always make an effort to source natural trims and accessories, for example our corozo nut buttons which are produced from a Tagua nut, which is a sustainable natural product and long lasting. ALL of our factories are audited to an SA8000, Fairtrade, BSCI or the WRAP Standard, and we continue to improve our range to ensure our collections are made in the most ethical and sustainable way. We are proud to have 100% transparency of our tier one garment factories, and of our tier two fabric and dyeing houses. As 91% of the cotton we use is GOTS certified organic, this is fully traced by the certification authorities. We have 6 main apparel factories, 11 fabric suppliers and dye houses, and 8 mills.
who makes our clothes 98% of our range is produced in India. 1% is produced in China and 1% is produced in Fiji. We have one factory in India which produces 85% of our collection, where we have had a longstanding relationship and visit them at least once a year, they are like an extended part of the Nature Baby team. We have a Code of Conduct for the factories we work with, that covers the following: all labour is child free have a safe and healthy work place have rights to collective bargaining no discrimination, based on race, gender or sexual orientation be paid the minimum wage and comply with all laws relating to benefits and overtime no excessive use of over time
how our factories are audited The frequency of audits is dependent on the factories' performance, however the majority of our suppliers are audited annually as required by the GOTS program. The 2017/18 audit results of our factories reflect the strict requirements and a number of years of experience working with GOTS, Fairtrade and SA8000 programs. Our main factory, which manufacturers 85% of our product, performed well across all requirements of our Code of Conduct. However, we are fully aware of the limitations of audits and are currently working with a consultant to explore a ‘beyond audit” approach for the next stage of our Responsible Sourcing Program.
our footprint To reduce our carbon foot print we endeavour to ship as much as we can by sea. Because we only produce two main seasonal ranges per year, and we are not a fast fashion company we find this relatively easy. In line with the Paris Agreement 2016 (UNFCCC), Nature Baby is committed to being carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest, but look to achieve this as early as possible. We are continually assessing our impact on the environment, and will complete a full Sustainability Report by 2025. As we are aware of our carbon footprint increasing as we grow, we would like to be able to invest in tree planting schemes and protection of forest areas to offset any carbon emissions. As current supporters of Green Peace and NZ Forest and Bird, we already have invested interest in protecting and preserving our environment.
how we package All of our packaging is made from recycled and recyclable materials. Online orders are shipped in recyclable boxes and packaging, and our shopping bags have always been paper. All our garments are packed in polybags to ensure they are kept clean throughout transit and in storage, we use bio-bags made from potato starch, which are fully biodegradable. These bags are collected from our stores and warehouse and commercially composted. We demand as much of the goods that are shipped to us are shipped in recyclable/compostable packaging as possible, and are looking to make that a standard across the company.
about our organic cotton read more > our pure merino wool learn more > the nature baby story read more > our fabrics learn more >