CIRCULARITY
Cradle to Cradle certified® innovations
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Innovation Institute helps us to design in closed loops. Their philosophy is inspired by nature. In nature, there is no concept of waste; all materials are reutilized in cycles. Closed loop- or circular design strives to mimic these natural principles.
Cradle to Cradle Certified® is the only certification in the world designed for a circular product economy. It is the most rigorous because it requires unparalleled levels of transparency across the supply chain. It looks at design from five perspectives: material health; water stewardship; social fairness; material reutilization; and renewable energy.
In 2018 we presented the world’s first Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold denim fabric through Our Most Sustainable Jeans Ever. The innovative fabric contained 100% organic cotton and was dyed using zero harmful chemicals while not wasting a single drop of water. We have been building on this innovative fabric ever since. We introduced a low dip summer version using only 2 indigo dips instead of 8, and then a stretch version where 2% sustainable stretch was added to the organic cotton for comfort. We have also launched a product range where the certification went beyond the fabric. Here, the full product, including buttons, yarn and labelling was Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified®. This resulted in a 100% recyclable product. With these adaptions to the initial innovation, we are able to further increase the use of these circular fabrics throughout our collection. By continuously expanding the sustainable offer throughout our collections and providing more sustainable choices, we aim to make it easy for our consumers to join the change. Right now, about 5% of our fabrics is Cradle to Cradle certified at Gold level. For 2025 we have set a new ambitious goal to be at 20%.
Cradle to Cradle journey
G-star RAW Sustainable Evolution
Fabric & Product
One of our biggest challenges as an industry is how to scale and accelerate innovation wider and faster. In order to make a real impact, collaborating and sharing is key. This is why we made our Cradle to Cradle Certified® denim fabric and hydrosulphite-free indigo technology openly accessible through the Fashion Positive Materials Library, allowing others in the industry to implement and further build on these innovations as well.
Indigo innovation
In 2019 we collaborated with Archroma and Advance Denim (a denim fabric mill) to launch the world’s first aniline free indigo. Aniline is a chemical and an inherent part of the industry standard indigo. This indigo technology historically has the lowest amount of aniline impurities present, further preventing any potential skin allergies and assuring safety for aquatic life.
Most recently, we introduced a denim fabric with the world’s first regenerative indigo dyeing concept. This means that the waste from the indigo dyeing process is designed to become a fertilizer for the agricultural industry, underscoring our emphasis on circularity.
Wear & Care responsibly
Sustainability starts at the drawing table, with the fabrics we choose to minimize our impact. It continues all the way through manufacturing and transportation to our stores. But it does not stop there. The environmental impact of our products continues throughout its entire lifecycle. This means that you can contribute too. Make sure to wash your jeans carefully and repair them if possible. When you’re truly finished wearing them, give them to a friend, a charitable organization, a second hand store, or find a recycle bin near you.
REPAIR: Certified Tailors Program
Our Certified Tailors program aims to extend the lifetime of our jeans by offering free repairs on G-Star denim via G-Star Certified Tailors. This initiative was first launched in 2021 across 5 cities in the Netherlands and in 2022 was extended to Germany, Belgium, and South Africa following its success. We work with tailors that have been trained to become G-Star denim experts, teaching them all about denim, our stitching, 3D designs, and the fit and fabrics. Learn more about our repair program, or find a certified tailor in your neighbourhood.
REWEAR: G-Star Rewear Program
We create durable garments designed to last a lifetime. With each piece thoughtfully produced and made to wear and rewear. We are sure of this, which is why we offer customers the opportunity to return their G-Star pre-owned garments back to G-Star (online and offline) for resale on our Rewear platform. This way, products can be enjoyed by other customers again. G-Star checks and washes each garment for its quality, so that our customers can shop and sell original second-hand clothing in perfect condition on G-Star Rewear. During the first phase, Rewear is only available in the Netherlands. Visit our Rewear platform.
RECYCLE: Return Your Old Denim
o In 2021 we re-initiated a product takeback service during a pilot across two stores in the Netherlands. This included our outlet in Roermond and our mono-brand store in Rotterdam. In 2022 we extended this program to seven countries including Belgium, France, Germany and Austria. As a result, 97 stores (both retail and outlets) received an RYD box. To encourage our customers to return their denim, G-Star offers a discount on a new pair of jeans. In 2023, we have continued our program and explored long-term solutions for recycling or repurposing the jeans we collected. What is possible with denim? We want to explore the endless possibilities of denim. That is why in 2023 we have collaborated with one of the most influential Dutch designers of the 21st century, Maarten Baas. We want to use less wasteful materials, make more durable products, use more of what is already there and do less harm to our planet. We recycled jeans into a new material. Baas used this to create art and design objects. The kick-off was during Milan Design Week 2023. Learn more about our collaboration.