We believe that EDWIN USA is more than a denim brand — it’s a platform for change. Our core values reflect that philosophy and are woven into everything we do as a company.

Edwin USA Core Values

PROTECT PEOPLE & OUR PLANET

We strive to use materials and processes that are gentle to our planet, and always consider the impact of our decisions. We are committed to creating meaningful change.

DESIGN WITH INTENTION

We believe that sustainability and circularity start at the design stage. We utilize intentional design processes and lifecycle thinking to assess the impact of our products before we make them.

INNOVATE FOR CHANGE

We constantly strive to be innovative — developing new ideas, approaches and technologies to reduce our environmental impact and change the fashion industry.

WORK TOGETHER

Our team consists of people with different ideas, strengths, interests and backgrounds working collaboratively toward a common purpose. We respect and encourage each other and show gratitude in our words and actions.

Edwin USA Core Values

PROTECT PEOPLE & OUR PLANET

We strive to make the most responsible jeans by using materials and processes that are gentle to our planet and the people. Our customers, employees, community and environment are always considered in the impact of our decisions.

CIRCULARITY

We believe that sustainability and circularity start at the design stage. We utilize circular design thinking and sustainable manufacturing processes to make responsible jeans that last. Our jeans will never end up in a landfill. When you are done wearing your EDWIN USA Jeans, we encourage you to send them back to us and we will close the loop by giving them new life.

INCLUSIVITY

Recent Reports

The Impact Report summarizes EDWIN USA's sustainability efforts in 2020. The report provides in-depth information on our products, from our supply chain and the materials we use to our factories and the environmental impact of our jeans during production. We believe that assessing the impact of our systems is essential to setting a policy for sustainability. Measuring our impact, and being transparent about the results, keeps us accountable as a company, allows us to measure our progress and pushes us to improve our sustainable and circular efforts.

Download the Report

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology for assessing the environmental impacts of a product, in our case the life cycle of a EDWIN USA jeans. We measure the environmental impact from raw material and processing (cradle), manufacturing to distribution. The goal of an LCA is to provide the groundwork for sustainability or CSR strategy within a company to facilitate better sustainable decisions. For the 2019 LCA of EDWIN USA, we focused on measuring the water, energy and CO2 impact of our jeans. The methodology of LCAs done by EDWIN USA follows the ISO 14040 standard.

Download the Report

Our Team

Being diverse and inclusive is essential to EDWIN USA

Women make up 65% of our team, including our top-level executives. Our team consists of people of many different backgrounds, and we are committed to improving our recruiting and hiring strategies and increasing the diversity of our team as we grow. In addition, EDWIN USA’s digital magazine highlights women, POC and those from the LGBTQ+ community, and the brand featured a trans model in a previous campaign. In continuing with that ethos, EDWIN USA introduced its first gender-neutral collection for Fall 2020. The gender-inclusive line consists of three styles for him, her and them.

Sustainable
Development
Goals

In 2015, the United Nations adopted a plan that would eliminate extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice and protect our planet. At the core of this plan are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which outline how that can be achieved by 2030. Governments worldwide are already working toward these goals, and we at EDWIN USA are too. We utilize the SDGs to put sustainability at the heart of our business strategy, measure and manage our impact, report and communicate the results and set future goals. Below we outline the SDGs that are most relevant to us as a business and brand.

GENDER EQUALITY

CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

REDUCED INEQUALITIES

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

CLIMATE ACTION

GENDER EQUALITY

CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

REDUCED INEQUALITIES

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

CLIMATE ACTION

Circular Economy

Here at EDWIN USA the concept of circularity starts at the design stage. That’s why we design garments that are made to last but can also be recycled in the future.

We design jeans that last

We try our best to choose materials that are recycled or can be in the future

Saitex uses 100% ZDHC certified chemicals that are not harmful for the environment or people

We design for disassembly and upcycling/recycling

Starting in 2022 we aim to offer free repairs for life

As part of our up cycling initiative, we've partnered with STELAPOP to prevent jeans from ending up in landfills

Supply Chain

Fabric Mills

Candiani S.p.A, Milan, Italy

Candiani has been operating since 1938. Candiani is a leader in sustainability and advancements in production. The mill itself is situated within a nature reserve and as a result is subject to strict environmental rules and regulations. The local environmental regulations are stricter than those of any other denim mill. But rather than move the company to an area which had fewer environmental constraints, this became a point of pride and principle.

Kaihara, Okayama, Japan

Kaihara is one of the oldest denim mills in Japan with a 110-year history of making quality, authentic denim products. Kaihara has always taken cautious and protective measures to minimize its impact on the environment. For example, Kaihara mills are equipped with state-of-the-art effluent treatment facilities, and abide by internal treatment standards that are far stricter than the national standard.

Calik Denim, Istanbul, Turkey

Weaving denim since 1987, Calik Denim continues to reduce the environmental impact of its operations through innovative technologies. It created the Transparency Monitoring System, through which the electricity, steam, air and water consumption of its plants and machines are monitored, and the total impact of the production phase is reported. Calik Denim is also certified by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

Trim Suppliers

Vivolo s.r.l., Bologna, Italy Founded by Luciano Vivolo, this Italian leather accessories company has been in business for over 40 years, working with the most prestigious international fashion brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Chanel. Quality, transparency and traceability are essential values of Vivolo, and in March of 2020 it introduced a range of non-leather alternatives (such as patches made of jacron, recycled cotton or even apple skin), which we are working toward incorporating in future collections.

The Revolution Group, Los Angeles, California The Revolution Group specializes in state-of-the-art labels, hang tags and patches that build a strong, recognizable brand identity. They offer an array of sustainable options, from buttons made of discarded coconut shells to a leather-like fabric made from the leaves of pineapples. Our labels at EDWIN USA are made from recycled plastic (PET) bottles, and our hangtags are FSC-certified (meaning the paper was harvested in a responsible manner).

STC–QST, Los Angeles, California Upholstery fabric supplier STC-QST is committed to providing apparel manufacturers with consistency and transparency throughout its supply chain, and has developed green criteria for its fabrics that reflect a commitment to the environment and sustainability. The lining STC-QST supplies to EDWIN USA is 65% recycled polyester and 35% organic cotton.

YKK, Dong Nai, Vietnam, and Macon, Georgia Along with improving its sustainable production, zipper manufacturer YKK continues to develop and introduce sustainable products, including zippers made of organic cotton and plant-based materials. Beginning with our Fall 2020 collection, all EDWIN USA zippers are made with YKK NATULON, a low waste and energy-saving zipper made of recycled materials.

Chemical Suppliers

Near Chemica, Milan, Italy Near Chemica is a manufacturer in Italy from which EDWIN USA sources most of its chemicals. They work closely with ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals), a project that emerged from the Clean Clothes Campaign by Greenpeace and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), a European Union regulation that ensures the environmental sustainability of their products.

Future Goals

Up until this point, we have been using virgin LYCRA in our products. By 2024, we will replace LYCRA with more sustainable alternatives, such as elastane made with pre-consumer recycled materials, or biodegradable elastane that breaks down over time.

For 100% of our jeans to be made with organic cotton

We will continue to search for new ways to upcycle and close our loop

We are working toward creating carbon-neutral jeans

We will provide more transparency in our supply chain through the integration of innovative technologies such as FibreTrace

By 2022, 100% of our jeans will be made with organic cotton

We will continue to search for new ways to upcycle and close our loop

We are working toward creating carbon-neutral jeans

We will provide more transparency in our supply chain through the integration of innovative technologies such as FibreTrace

Supplier Code Of Conduct

The EDWIN USA Supplier Code of Conduct embraces our core values and provides a guideline for ourselves and our manufacturing and supplier partners. We are committed to managing, minimizing and reporting our impact on the environment and upholding our standards throughout our supply chain.

Code Compliance

Our manufacturing and supplier partners shall implement and maintain this Code. Partners must communicate the Code to all employees and individuals involved in the EDWIN USA Supply Chain.

Involuntary Labor

Manufacturing and supplier partners shall not use involuntary or forced labor in all its forms.

Child Labor

Manufacturing and supplier partners shall not employ minors. EDWIN USA defines minors as those persons who have not reached their 16th birthday, or the minimum age of employment permitted by the law of the country or countries where the performance of a contract takes place.

Nondiscrimination

Manufacturing and supplier partners shall not apply any type of discrimination during any stage of the employment relationship based on race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, union membership, political affiliation and/or any other protected classification.

Association

Manufacturing and supplier partners will respect the rights of the employees to associate, organize and bargain collectively in a lawful and peaceful manner without penalty and interference.

Harassment, Harsh or Inhumane Treatment

Manufacturing and supplier partners shall treat their employees with dignity and respect. Harassment, harsh or inhuman treatment in any form — physical, psychological, sexual, verbal — is not tolerated in the EDWIN USA Supply Chain.

Health & Safety

Manufacturing and supplier partners must provide a safe and hygienic workplace to their employees ensuring all applicable laws of the country in which they operate are followed. They must take the precautionary steps to prevent accidents and injuries to the health of their employees.

Compensation

We expect manufacturing and supplier partners to recognize that every employee has a right to wages that meet essential needs and provide some discretionary income. Employers will, at the minimum, comply with all applicable wage and hour laws and regulations, including minimum wages, overtime, maximum hours and other facets of compensation.

Hours of Work

Manufacturing and supplier partners shall not require employees to work more than the lesser of 48 hours per week and 12 hours overtime or the limits on regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country of manufacture. Employees shall be allowed at least one day of off every seven-day work period.

Environment

At EDWIN USA we are constantly evolving and searching for ways to reduce our impact on the environment. We encourage our manufacturing and supplier partners to practice the highest levels of natural resource conservation, recycling and re-use of materials and waste reduction or elimination.

Material Sourcing & Traceability

At EDWIN USA we strive to use materials that are ecologically and socially better. Our manufacturing and supplier partners are expected to share certifications to verify the criteria for traceability.

Transparency

Manufacturing and supplier partners must be transparent and allow access to monitoring activities to confirm compliance with this Code. Manufacturing partners will not subcontract production without written consent that acknowledges their commitment to this Code.

Community

We align with partners that share our goals to create positive social impact through enhancing the communities we produce in. We want to be a key part of the global shift to better our communities by redefining responsible production and actioning diversity, job creation, civic engagement and charitable giving.