During my sustainability class on Wednesday, November 28th, I had the pleasure to sit down with officials from Eileen Fisher. In our conversation, we discussed the analysis of their organic materials, production systems, and cost margins all in reference to their sustainable merchandise. Eileen Fisher is one of the most sustainable companies in the fashion industry. Eileen Fisher has an in-office recycling program and does not use plastic, paper or film. The company does not use single-use plastic items, they use glassware and dishes. Their supplies (soaps and essentials) are purchased from sustainable brands to help the group of this industry. The company focuses on Certified Benefit Corporation which goes beyond fiduciary duty report and targets the understanding of society, economy, and environment.
The company targets sustainability from the beginning of their production cycle - sourcing organic fabric. The production team travels to Peru to meet the organic cotton farmers and factory workers. During this visit they interact with suppliers, they ask detailed questions to ensure their factory workers are being treated fairly. Eileen Fisher is aware that the way they treat their supplier will trickle down to how the suppliers treat their workers. Eileen Fisher concentrates on providing their factory workers with the proper living wages. Living wages include food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transportation, clothing and other essentials needed during unexpected events. They want to ensure that the workers of these factories have a voice and are not scared to be honest. Eileen Fisher empowers workers to speak out and does not only value wages, employees and work but the well being of their individuals.
Eileen Fisher partners with VerIte` to ensure the fair labor laws are enforced, training in China, and empowering workers to have a voice.
Eileen Fisher focuses on the environment by measuring their energy usage, using organic and recycled fibers, measuring the chemistry of their materials and certified dyes, measuring water waste not making sure the factories are not contaminating the water in areas where water is scarce, not handling materials with carbon included, measuring their transportation and the greenhouse gases been emitted through their transportation systems.
Their biggest impact on the environment in a positive way is in Fall of 2018 66% of projected merchandise was made of eco-preferred materials. This was an upgrade from 19% in the previous year of 2017. Materials such as organic cotton and linen are 96% preferred at 4% recycled materials. Eileen Fisher uses a material ranking tool that tells if the material is eco-preferred as well as the chemistry and dying of the fiber. to be considered eco-preferred the material has to be measured at the lowest point of 3.8 and highest of 10. materials such as reclaimed cotton, wool and cashmere, recycled nylon, polyester, and wool, organic hemp and linen are all measured at 6.0. Whereas organic cotton is measured at 4.5. The dyeing of the material can also increase the eco-preferred score due to the Bluesign certification of the chemicals used in the dying process.
The price of the merchandise is not affected to due Eileen Fisher's ability to balance out the margins of the eco-preferred merchandise with the merchandise they receive at a lower cost. The lower cost merchandise is marked up more to even out the margins of the eco-preferred merchandise.
Eileen Fisher has comprised a program called Vision 2020 which focuses on minimizing harm, ethical business, and positive impact on sustainability developments. Craft and Culture is an Artisanal Production development that focuses on hand looming, block printing, shibori dying and different dying techniques. This is a beautiful craft that is culturally sustainable and keeps the lively hood of these women in India going. Home workshops also allow more women to become involved with the workforce and have more economy agency. Eileen Fisher focuses on campaigns such as "The Future is Female", and organization and foundations specializing in the connection between women and the environment. Craft and Culture focus on training for women's health, literacy, and education. Planet Water is an operation that builds water towers in areas where water is scarce, to provide clean, fresh and safe water.
The fashion industry puts a high risk on the environment due to extreme heat, deforestation, food and water shortage, flooding, soil health, and crop failure. Eileen Fisher is resilient to these risks by using organic farming, regenerative agriculture, natural fabrics, carbon offsetting, and circular initatives.
The future of Eileen Fisher is the production of their new merchandising space called Making Space located in Brooklyn. This is an experiential level, has less dependency on the product and more dependency on the connection with the customer and forming relationships. This store more environmentally friendly due to increases in technology.
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