What is Naadam?
Naadam is a sustainably and ethically produced brand that offers luxury cashmere women’s/men’s/kids’ apparel, accessories, and shoes.
Their product lines are understated and classic with a muted color palette. Everything from their quarter zip sweatshirt to cashmere twist beanie is a potential closet staple!
Naadam excels at making quality essentials. They offer luxury cashmere items at affordable prices.
You may still consider their goods pricey, but compare them to other quality cashmere brands. Relatively, Naadam is a steal!
Plus Naadam does something most other brands don’t. They back up their ”world’s fairest cashmere” by being as transparent as possible.
Naadam’s extensive Sustainability Report lists their sustainable and ethical goals to be achieved by 2025. In the report, they list their aims. Then, they detail the specific progress they’ve made in 2019 and 2020.
Some goals they’ve set to achieve by 2025 include:
- Ensure living wages across their supply chain
- Use traceable, renewable and recyclable materials
- Go carbon neutral
Given the recent steps they’ve taken, they’re on their way to achieving them all!
How is Naadam Sustainable?
Naadam addresses sustainability from every angle. They consider it in their people, packaging and sourcing.
In terms of people: Naadam commits to suppliers and subcontractors that adhere to a Code of Conduct determined by the International Labour Organization.
This ensures no one under their employ is subjected to unsafe labor conditions.
All their suppliers are vetted through third parties along with regular audits. It’s a priority for Naadam to confirm workers are paid fairly. And they work in safe factory conditions free from harassment.
In terms of packaging: In 2019, Naadam upgraded their packaging solutions. Now, their inserts and hangtags are made from 100% recycled paper.
Their mailers and bags are made of 100% recycled plastic that decompose in a matter of years. Rather than 1,000+ years as is standard for other plastics.
While they use a better alternative to virgin plastics when necessary, Naadam recognizes the need to reduce disposable packing.
In 2020 they used 75% less disposable packaging elements compared to 2019!
In terms of product: Naadam cares about where their cashmere comes from. And how it’s sourced.
25% of Naadam products operate under the Good Cashmere Standard. For a supplier to be certified they must meet strict standards for ethical goat management as well as overall environmental care.
As they work to increase that number, another major milestone can’t be forgotten. 100% of materials they used in 2019 came from renewable or recycled sources!
It’s a priority to use what’s available to them for as long as possible. To do so, Naadam empowers the source.
They’re dedicated to improving the lives of the goats that sustain their brand, and the Mongolian people who labor for them.
Naadam has invested in the inoculation and disinfection for more than 200,000 animals. This partnership is as much with the animals impacted as the families who need them for their source of income.
Naadam also supported these families by helping maintain a well in Bayangovi. This clean source of drinking water is available to over 700 families.
How is Naadam Ethical?
Naadam is transparent about their business practices.
They have an easily accessible Sustainability Report. They have third party agencies that back up their claims.
And most importantly, they make all of this information available to everyone.
Ethical practices work hand-in-hand with sustainability. A brand can’t be sustainable if it isn’t ethical.
They must do well in both categories to survive. At least that’s how it should be.
Unfortunately, fast fashion capitalizes on unethical practices. The owners of brands like Zara, Boohoo, and Fashion Nova make billions on the backs of unfairly paid (or unpaid), unsafe and unhealthy workers.
In the long term, fast fashion is not sustainable, ethically or otherwise. Clothing production already emits more carbons than international flights and maritime shipping combined.
Textile dyeing is the world’s second largest water polluter. Clothing clogs landfills all over the world.
Fashion can’t continue at this rate. And brands like Naadam recognize that.
Naadam goes counter to the fast fashion business model by prioritizing transparency and traceability. With these practices they build trust with their workers and customers.
And they get one step closer to achieving another of their goals. “Drive industry change by being open and honest along the way.”
References
- Naadam’s Website
- Naadam’s Sustainability Report
- Want to Know if a Brand is Fast Fashion? Just Answer These Questions!