Sustainability has been a part of prAna’s heritage for more than 20 years. Inseparable from the outdoor lifestyle and the philosophy of spiritual freedom, sensitivity for nature lies in the core of the brand. In 2017, 60 % of prAna’s collection is made with one or more sustainable component, backing up their commitment to Fair Production and the use of organic fabrics.
With its 2017 collection, prAna again proofs that fresh styles and sustainable fabrics are not mutually exclusive. Increasing the portion of styles that feature one or more sustainable components by 15% from 2016, the new collection shows trendy looks and fashionable colours. “In 2017, 60% of a total of 466 styles have a sustainable attribute with a highlight on a 50% growth in the number of Fair Trade certified styles for summer 2017”, says Brianna Kilcullen, Sustainability Manager at prAna.
Organic cotton, recycled wool & hemp: As its appeal grew, prAna remained committed to weaving sustainable practices into its operations and supply chains. For example, prAna uses organic cotton and recycled wool, as well as a growing percentage of hemp; from 2016 to 2017, prAna is increasing the number of organic cotton styles to 157— a 13% growth. Now, 79% of all the cotton prAna uses is grown and harvested organically. Also, the brand is using recycled wool coming from used garments and factory leftovers from new garments. After being sorted, cleaned, and reduced down to fiber in a facility in Italy, prAna’s recycled wool is spun into yarn and knitted into new pieces. The use of hemp in prAna’s collection is increasing because it is an amazing crop: it doesn’t require any chemical pesticides, fertilizers or treatments during cultivation, harvest, or processing. This makes it safer for the farmers that grow it as well as the land it’s grown on.
Recycled polyester: Most of the recycled polyester prAna uses comes from post-consumer plastic (PET) water and soda bottles. A smaller share is sourced from pre-consumer waste. In their 2016 collection, prAna introduced swimwear made from recycled polyester. For summer 2017, the number of styles made from recycled polyester, especially in swimwear, has increased again, including boardshorts, neoprene pieces, bikinis and rashguards.
Fair Trade & Fair Labour: prAna was one of the first major apparel makers to offer Fair Trade certified clothing, growing these offerings again for summer 2017 by 50% from 2016, for a total of 86 styles in the 2017 collection. Since 2010, the brand has been a member of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) but in February 2015, the FLA officially accredited prAna’s social responsibility program.
bluesign®: prAna was also one of the first companies in the U.S. to offer fully bluesign® certified garments. The number of Bluesign® certified styles has grown again by 8%, now making up 50 styles in total.
In its operations, prAna has also made an impact: composting and recycling programs at the Carlsbad headquarters, energy efficiency measures, and most profoundly, in its reduction of polybags. Since spring 2011, prAna has been cutting back on polybags for resale shipments and is shipping the majority of their small direct orders using 100% recycled paper bags. As a result, 10.664.738 plastic bags were saved – this amount compares to the weight of 25 blue whales.
INFO: prAna
