We expect the brands we choose in our collection to meet our sustainability criteria. Our criteria consist of actions that take the environment, social conditions and climate into consideration. Here’s how Lilja the Label meets our criteria:

Environment:

Brand uses environmentally preferred raw materials for more than 70% of its volume.

• Lilja the Label manufactures their products using fabrics that utilize recycled yarns and fibers, such as ECONYL® regenerated nylon and REPREVE® recycled plastic bottles. ECONYL® nylon has been made utilising pre-consumer and post-consumer waste such as fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring and industrial plastic and REPREVE® is the world’s leading recycled fiber made from recycled plastic bottles regenerated into a high quality nylon yarn.

Brand reports on the implementation of its environmental policy related to the ‘wet processes’ within the production cycle, like bleaching and dyeing of raw materials

• The wet processes used by Lilja the Label for swimwear are dyeing and printing. They work with the Italian manufacturer Carvico who have signed a declaration against using harmful chemicals and have been audited by third parties. All dyes they use also have Oeko-Tex standards ensuring that the fabrics are free from harmful chemicals. The printing is made by using a method called digital printing where there is no need for washing after the process.

Brand has eliminated at least three suspect chemical group, such as Phthalates or Perfluorinated Chemicals from its entire production

• Lilja the Label does have Oeko-Tex -standard that requires that their fabrics have rules out certain colorants, certain metals, formaldehyde and other harmful substances.

Brand reports what percentage of its consumer packaging materials are renewable or made from recycled materials, and the brand implements concrete policies which have reduced the environmental impact of their packaging materials

• 100% of consumer packaging is renewable. Lilja the Label uses cardboard boxes, paper tape and cassava root pouches (instead of plastic) inside packaging.

Brand supports environmental NGO's or other organizations to promote environmental sustainability

• Lilja the Label is donating 1€ for each sale to the John Nurminen Foundation to take care of the Baltic Sea. For each entry to their trash-picking campaign #liljapicking, Lilja the Label doubles the monetary donation to the John Nurminen Foundation.

Lilja the Label doesn’t currently offer a lifetime guarantee, repair services or support the return or re-use of garments.

Social conditions:

Origin of the materials, design and the manufacturing is shared openly

• Lilja the Label aims to be as environmentally conscious and open as possible. In order to be as clear and transparent as possible, Lilja the Label has published a breakdown of each fabric used to manufacture a certain product on their product pages. They also present more details about their main resources, ECONYL® and REPREVE® on their website here.

Brand is following buying practices that enable living wages and good labour conditions, such as long-term relations with factories, and concentrating production at a limited number of factories

• For Lilja the Label, the main priority is to look after the well-being of everyone involved in their production chain. They believe that a company focused on soft values, well-being and respect for the environment can only succeed when its most important resources, its people, are also doing well. They ​​have chosen this factory and other manufacturing partners, such as fabric retailers, manufacturers of packaging materials etc. after extensive research of the factories, their working conditions, fair wages and holidays.

Open list of direct suppliers that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume

• All Lilja the Label products are made in Bali, Indonesia. The factory has been manufacturing all their products since 2018. The factory is run by a young local couple, employing a total of 36 people: four in the office alongside the owners, two in fabric cutting, 26 in manufacturing, three in quality control, where pieces are carefully checked and one in graphic design. The team has grown significantly over the last three years, and Lilja the Label is delighted to be growing with this amazing family business.

Brand supports social NGOs or other organizations to promote social sustainability

• Lilja the Label is donating 1€ for each sale to the John Nurminen Foundation to take care of the Baltic Sea. For each entry to their trash-picking campaign #liljapicking, Lilja the Label doubles the monetary donation to the John Nurminen Foundation.

Lilja the Label products are made in Bali, Indonesia and the same factory has been manufacturing Lilja products since 2018. The factory is run by a young local couple, employing 36 people in total. Lilja the Label does not have fair social conditions audited by a third party but they have personally audited the factory themselves. Lilja the Label wants to ensure a safe and ethical working environment for everyone who is in any way part of their production chain. This is a very important value for them. Lilja the Label doesn’t commit to a living wage benchmark with defined wages per production region or factory but the working conditions are a very important value for them and they have a manufacturing partner that offers fair wages for their workers.

Climate:

Is at least 50% of the electricity used by the brand generated from renewable resources, such as wind or solar energy?

• Lilja the Label's shop and office in Finland and both fabric manufacturers use renewable energy in their operations. The energy used in their factory is a combination of solar energy and generated energy.

Lilja the Label hasn’t disclosed the annual absolute climate footprint of its 'own operations', and hasn’t accomplished an overall absolute climate footprint reduction compared to the result of the previous reporting year.

Lilja the Label's history, values and sustainability

Lilja the Label is a sustainable Finnish swimwear brand established in 2016 and their products are designed in Helsinki. Their aim is to create high-quality swimwear both ethically and sustainably. They don't have seasonality and their products are meant to last both time and use. Wear them throughout your winter swims and throughout your warmest beach days.

The brand products are ethically handmade in handpicked factories they have personally visited. A safe and ethical working environment for everyone that is a part of their product chain in any way is close to their hearts here at Lilja. Therefore it is important for the brand that their products represent this. All of their products are made using either recycled, regenerated or organic materials (ECONYL® regenerated nylon, REPREVE®, GOTS organic cotton).

“The well-being of the planet and the people are our utmost priorities. We believe that a business can only thrive when everyone and everything involved in the product chain is also thriving.”

Lilja the Label, it’s factories or fabrics have also met the criteria for these certifications:

ECONYL® material:

• OEKO-TEX® 100-standard
• BS EN ISO 6330 @40°C - flat dry  (dimensional stability)
• NU Martindale - ISO 12945-2 7000 rotations (resistance to piling)
• INSTRON 3343 - load 3.6 kg (stretch to dynamometer)

REPREVE® material:

• OEKO-TEX® 100-standard
• SCS Certification (Scientific Certification Systems)
• GRS Certification (Global Recycle Standard)