How BRGN works with Sustainability
Embracing the slow fashion movement
In BRGN sustainability is one of our core principles and something we constantly consider and think about. We strive to be even better as a company, embracing the slow fashion movement and rejecting fast fashion. The fashion industry thrives on newness and consumption, paradoxical to sustainability. We do everything in our power to ensure that we combat this.
What is Slow Fashion?
Slow fashion is the idea of buying less – and buying with the intention of something lasting for a long time. It encourages slower production, unifies sustainability with ethics, and ultimately invites consumers to invest in well-made, long-lasting clothes. When you want to purchase an item, ask yourself; do I really need this, and will I use it? We encourage you to spend more money on products that will last a long time, as opposed to buying lots but sacrificing on quality. So, how can we really calculate if something is sustainable to purchase- both environmentally and economically?
Calculate the cost per use
One way to determine whether something is worth purchasing or not, is calculating the cost per use (CPU). For example, living in Bergen will expose you to rain 239 days in average per year. Our BRGN Lyn Coat costs 3999 NOK, which means that if you use only wear it for one year on the rainy days, the cost per use would be 16.72 NOK. The best part? The Lyn Coat will be just as fine for many years to come – both on rainy days and for days when the sun is shining, reducing the CPU even more. Consider this before investing in any product.
OUR MAIN AREAS AROUND SUSTAINABILITY - THE 5 R’S
We want to explain what we do in our fight for a more sustainable fashion industry and what you can do to ensure our products last as long as they should. Reduce, Refuse, Repair, Recycle and Reuse are the five R's we live by. We commit to ensuring we do not participate in fast fashion and make choices that minimize our environmental impact.
We build our environment strategy around the 5 R’s; Reduce, Refuse, Repair, Recycle. They set our vibe and strategies for our fight against a more sustainable fashion industry.
As a customer we want to ensure you that we do not participate in fast fashion and make choices that minimize our environmental impact.
Reduce: By not using unnecessary components in our design and packaging, we reduce our carbon footprint. BRGN products are timeless and seasonless and we do not offer sales because we want to encourage customers to only buy what they need.
Refuse: We refuse to compromise. We are always using C0 DWR Eco coating, our fabrics are Bluesign and we visit our factories to check who and how the BRGN products are being made.
Repair: It takes fewer resources to replace a part of a BRGN product than to replace it all. We offer our customers a repair service and encourage them to repair rather than replacing.
Recycle: We minimize our carbon footprint by using fibres like recycled polyester to make our BRGN products. We also offer washing bags that prevent micro-plastic pollution.
Reuse: We aim to be a zero-waste brand. By using leftover fabrics, our production is more sustainable, and we encourage you to sell or gift your BRGN jacket to someone if you no longer want it. Don't throw it away!
BRGN PRODUCT MATERIALS
DWR BIONIC-FINISH® ECO
Hydrophobic finishing with Bionic-Finish® Ecois based on a fluorine-free recipe. Hyperbranched, hydrophobic polymers with ramified structures like in treetops orientate in an orderly manner on the textile and crystallize on specifically adjusted comb polymers. The optimum arrangement of many of these functional elements is highly effective. Additional boosters (crosslinking agents) ensure the optimum attachment and durability on many fibre substrates.
By means of bionic Rudolf develops novel, sustainable and ecologically advantageous technologies in the field of hydrophobic finishing. Bionic-Finish® Eco combines ecology and trend-setting hydrophobic finishing of textiles.
BLUESIGN®
Bluesign® defines the standard for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. BRGN is proud to announce that we have incorporated Bluesign® certified fabrics and materials in our products. Since 2020, 100% of all BRGN fabrics are Bluesign®, since all our new products has certified fabrics.
WHAT IS BLUESIGN®?
According to the organization’s website, Bluesign® is, “the solution for a sustainable textile production.” Bluesign® operates based on five principles: resource productivity, consumer safety, water emission, air emission, and occupational health & safety. The organization sets out to eliminate harmful chemicals right from the start of the manufacturing process, ensuring the finished product will meet high environmental standards, and sets standards and controls that ensure textile production is good for the earth and safe for the people who work on it. Its certification is extensive, constantly evolving, and requires annual re-certification of materials. Bluesign® certified materials meet exacting consumer safety standards around the world, and when consumers buy products made with those materials, they’re contributing to important sustainability practices.
Partnering for sustainability
BRGN – Repairable
Image from repairable.no
In Norway we have partnered with Repairable, a specialist in waterproof clothing. They have created a community where it is easy for you to repair items of clothing or shoes that are damaged. Repairable is Norway's only service that makes it easy for our customers to order a repair, adaptation and maintenance of clothes and shoes online. Accidents can happen, and if our customers have been unlucky and damaged their BRGN product, we would gladly help you get in touch with them.
Use discount code nw8VgS at the end of your order to receive 10% off. Applicable for any items, not only BRGN products. So, go ahead and repair anything to keep the CPU even lower.
Read more about Repairable here.
BRGN – FJONG
We are proud about the partnership with FJONG. FJONG is a platform where you can rent items of clothing instead of purchasing them. Renting clothes gives you as a customer a chance to try on our coats before committing to buy before you find the one you truly love. If you would like to wear different items for different periods of time, FJONG offers the best solution. At BRGN we believe that consumers should purchase high quality items that will last as long as possible. By partnering with FJONG, we reduce our impact on the environment and are contributing to a more sustainable clothing industry.
FJONG offer both a clothing rental subscription as well as one-time rentals. Return and repeat as needed.