Our sustainable product strategy is motivated by the urgency of environmental challenges, evolution of the industry – including increased consumer awareness and customer acceptance, and our vision to be changemakers and disruptors driving positive impact in the apparel sector.

At the heart of the strategy is our definition of sustainable products – as those that are good for the wearer, good for the planet, and good for business. We have set ourselves a goal – to generate 50% of apparel revenue from sustainable products by 2025.

Our sustainable product commitments reflect MAS’ scale and capacity. With a revenue-based target to guide us, we are working to ensure business growth is directly linked to, and does not mitigate any advances in, the sustainable product space.

We follow a comprehensive approach to achieve this ambitious commitment, with concerted work across three areas of focus, all of which contribute to achieving this overarching target.

 

 

 

Innovate and Disrupt

Sustainability and innovation in the apparel sector are inextricably linked. They are vital to mitigating environmental and social impacts at scale, and embracing the transition towards a circular, green, and more responsible future. They are also essential to meeting changing consumer demands and evolving regulatory requirements; fostering growth opportunities and opening up new avenues for business expansion. MAS recognises this imperative and has embedded these principles in our Plan for Change strategy and the core of our approach to sustainable products.

Why innovation and sustainable materials matter

Responding to environmental challenges: The apparel industry is seeing a shift away from traditional and non-renewable materials; toward responsibly sourced, renewable, recycled, or sustainable materials that minimise negative social and environmental impacts. Addressing the sustainability of materials is essential to minimise the environmental footprint of fashion, and address pressing concerns around resource depletion, water consumption, and pollution respond. Escalating environmental challenges, exacerbated by climate change, result in an undeniable urgency for action. The global scale and reach of the fashion industry necessitate a rethinking of how the industry can answer the climate challenge, while protecting and preserving natural resources.

Meeting consumer needs and regulatory demands: Growing consumers awareness on what clothing is made of and how it is manufactured, is driving an increased focus on sustainable fashion and demanding more sustainable alternatives. At the same time, regulations, such as those in the European Union, are growing more stringent; demanding greater transparency, traceability, and consciousness in line with the push toward a more circular economy.

Business and growth opportunities: Our pursuit of Products Changed for Good consider what is good for the wearer, good for the planet, and good for our business; this shift towards sustainable products presents the perfect opportunity for positive change that is also good for business. Responding to these business demands, through effective, transparent, traceable, and independently verifiable efforts builds trust; reinforcing the business compact and securing sustainability of our enterprise. Innovation in this space can also spark the creation of products with positive social and business impacts, while catering to previously underserved consumer segments. By being at the forefront of sustainable fashion, our disruptive work with industry pioneers can create new markets and attract new customer streams.

Innovation to scale sustainable solutions: Innovation to manufacture millions of products with fewer resources, while making them longer-lasting and more recyclable; can result in massive sustainability gains. As such, our innovation and product sustainability teams actively pursue new and improved solutions that are industry disruptors. Incorporation of innovative materials also presents revolutionary solutions with the potential for exponential scale – accelerating the industry’s shift away from fossil fuel-based materials, and toward reduced chemical-use, improved biodegradability, and greater recyclability.

What we are doing today. How we are shaping tomorrow.

As a leader in sustainable manufacturing, we recognise the importance of adopting a clear definition for sustainable products. One that is aligned with the needs of our stakeholders, and is ambitious enough to inspire our efforts, our supply chains, and our customers.

MAS Sustainable Product Criteria

Since launch of the MAS Plan for Change in 2020, we have made tremendous progress. We have been diligently building capabilities, processes, and optimal partnerships to deliver on our 2025 goal. We continue to increase awareness and knowledge of sustainable products across our enterprise; from product design teams to customer-facing units, merchants, and partners.

Additionally, we are improving transparency across the supply chain – working with even more suppliers, partners, and brands to verify achievements, pursue certification, and improve sptraceability and transparency across the apparel value chain.

Progress made and successes achieved are not just our own, they are the outcome of engagement with industry innovators, the ongoing efforts of vendors and partners across the supply chain – including Tier-3 suppliers, and the commitment of our partner-brands in offering more sustainable options to their customers.

Source Sustainably

The global apparel supply chain is characterised by its extensive and interconnected nature, spanning numerous countries and involving a multitude of stakeholders. Sustainable sourcing, within this ever-expanding value chain, is of paramount importance to business success and a crucial means to address the significant environmental and social impacts of the industry.

As consumers and brands increasingly prioritise sustainability, circularity, functionality, adaptability, and traceability; we take up the challenge of exploring new solutions and alternatives by expanding our reach and empowering our suppliers across the textile and apparel value-chain. This ongoing effort has translated into the expansion of sustainable, recycled, and Environmentally Preferred Materials (EPM) across our product lines; including organic and regenerative cotton, recycled polyester, and eco-friendly dyes.

Sustainable sourcing and the global apparel industry

Addressing environmental impact: From raw material production or extraction; to textile and garment dyeing, treatment, and manufacture; and eventually consumer-use and end-of-life; the apparel industry’s environmental footprint is significant and spread wide across the apparel value chain. From the perspective of a manufacturer, the upstream supply chain includes energy-intensive processes, emissions, chemical-use, and water-consumption – across every stage of the production process. And as the sector grows, it can contribute to resource depletion, pollution, and climate change on a global scale. Manufacturers occupy a niche where their initiatives and investments can inspire change and create tangible impact both upstream and downstream; driving wider adoption of sustainable practices across the apparel value chain.

Social and ethical responsibility: The apparel supply chain spans multiple continents, includes diverse communities, and employs large workforces across the globe. Guaranteeing fair and safe labor conditions, upholding respect for human rights, and ensuring compliance with ethical best-practices throughout the supply chain is an enormous and continuous challenge. Social and labour compliance across this expansive network is an urgent priority with entire regions, sectors, suppliers, and eventually brands – facing increased risks associated with poor labour conditions and non-compliance in the supply chain. Aside from sustainability-related risks, regulators and consumers are pushing for greater accountability, transparency, and traceability; leading to intensified scrutiny on the supply chain. With these demands in the fashion industry, ethical sourcing practices – including independent verification, certification, and accreditation – are rapidly becoming prerequisites for effective supply chain management.

Mitigating business risks and seizing opportunities: Beyond an ethical imperative, effective management of an expansive supply chain is also essential for management of business risks associated with the availability and pricing of raw materials. Geopolitical shifts, climate change, and other disruptions only exacerbate risks. Diversifying material sources, investing in sustainable alternatives, and supporting suppliers can help build a more resilient supply chain; which in turn can contribute to business success. While managing and monitoring suppliers across continents can present challenges, following demand-signals and maximising opportunities can also unlock competitive advantages and a multitude of strategic benefits. Rethinking of supply chain economics to mitigate risk and address future needs can be crucial for long-term competitiveness.

Facilitating the transition to a circular economy: As the apparel industry takes on the challenge of shifting towards a circular economy, strategic supply chain management and sustainable sourcing are crucial to minimising waste, designing for circularity, and reintroducing recycled input materials into the production process through closed-loop solutions.

Raw Materials (RM) sourcing

We approach sustainable sourcing of raw materials through a comprehensive strategy that prioritises partnership across the supply chain to responsibly source and develop organic, regenerative, natural, and recycled raw materials – which help mitigate the sector’s negative environmental impacts.

We are promoting the switch to more sustainable and traceable cotton, working to purchase and use man-made cellulosic fibers from closed-loop sources, and have been carrying out extensive groundwork to source and integrate regenerative cotton into our product-mix. We prioritise sourcing environmentally preferred materials with adequate traceability and certification, while continually investing in future materials and seeking natural alternatives to synthetics.

Bringing the use of sustainable raw materials to a commercial scale is a long-term effort, with impediments due to premium pricing, price fluctuations, ethical considerations, climate change impacts, sociopolitical instability, regulatory developments, and the gap between consumer aspiration and action.

Despite these challenges, we hold that sustainable sourcing is a critical lever in delivering on our promise of Products Changed for Good; and we are determined to continue efforts to collaborate with industry partners and improve transparency and traceability measures across the apparel value chain – to improve acceptance, availability, and use of sustainable raw materials.

Managing our Priority Raw Materials (PRM)

MAS utilises the Textile Exchange’s Materials Terminology Guide to define Priority Raw Materials (PRM) that make up a significant share of the raw materials in our products. Sustainable sourcing of some of these raw materials, such as cotton, also pose material risks to our business and the value chain through their potential impact on ecosystems and communities. In order to sustainably manage such impacts and business risks, we have management strategies in place for each PRM.

Our supply chain commitment

MAS operates in 14 countries, with manufacturing facilities in ten countries and design houses in five. Working with a number of leading partner-brands, we depend on a large number of external vendors and suppliers for raw materials like fabric and lace, as well as packaging, labeling, chemicals, and dyes. Our engagement with suppliers extends beyond direct suppliers (Tier 1) to include Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers in key sectors and regions. Our supply chain commitment extends to building a resilient and transparent supply chain that prioritises sustainability. We believe that developing a sustainable and ethical supply chain is a robust and viable way to drive adoption of sustainable products.

Our commitment exceeds initial due diligence and screening of suppliers to a deep engagement across the value chain; fostering a stronger commitment to ethical business practices that align with our procurement standards, including anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and non-solicitation.

We actively engage with our suppliers to pursue sourcing of sustainable raw materials; ensure environmental compliance, including the phasing out hazardous chemicals and restricted substances; encourage energy efficiency and emissions reduction; and promote social compliance and ethical business practices. Our pursuit of environmental compliance and efficiency improvements across the apparel supply chain can contribute to significant reductions in waste generation, chemical discharge, energy-use, and emissions.

With an extensive supply chain spread across the globe, successful supply chain management and effective monitoring and enables us to deliver on our broader sustainable product strategy. Supplier best practices also play a vital role in achieving the environmental and social objectives of our customers, and the wider expectations of end-consumers.

The MAS Vendor Code of Conduct (VCC) serves as a binding agreement between MAS and its suppliers, going hand-in-hand with a supplier agreement. All onboarded suppliers are required to sign and agree to comply with the Code. Beyond requiring suppliers to comply with all applicable national laws and regulations, the Code outlines a number of requirements, standards, and best practices, and sets out a guideline for greater transparency and traceability across the supply chain. These standards guide engagement between MAS and suppliers, and the interactions of suppliers with their own stakeholders. Our complete Vendor Code of Conduct is available onlineCorporate website

Meeting traceability and transparency requirements, we exercise due diligence in screening and onboarding new suppliers, while continuing to monitor and empower existing suppliers through a variety of assessments, audits, and other activities. Vendor onboarding includes standard Mill Evaluation visits and signing of MAS’ Vendor Code of Conduct.

Supplier engagement and connectivity

While selection, onboarding, and allocation of suppliers is closely tied to the needs and standards of customers and particulars of specific products, we employ a comprehensive sourcing and procurement strategy that ensures fair, equitable, and sustainable supply chain management. The strategy prioritises the needs of our business and customers, aligns with our growth strategies, provides suppliers with essential and streamlined management support, and delivers outstanding value to cultivate a best-in-class supplier base. Digitalisation is a key tool in our arsenal for increased efficiency, integration, and data analysis that supports decision-making.

Our expanding supplier ecosystem requires diligent management to ensure procurement competitiveness, security of supply, and sourcing agility; all while upholding the highest environmental, social, and ethical standards. This is achieved through proactive supplier relationship management complemented by ironclad due diligence, continuous assessment, and stringent controls.

MAS’ supplier management strategy and cascaded sectoral action-plans provide a clear roadmap for our teams to follow. The strategy prioritises strategic sourcing, aligns with national imperatives, and emphasises proximity sourcing to foster strong local relationships. This commitment to local suppliers has yielded multiple benefits, including increased operational efficiency, stronger relationships, and positive impact on local communities, industries, and value chains.

Supply chain compliance and performance

Our commitment to sourcing sustainably and empowering the apparel sector involves a multi-pronged approach to managing environmental and social impacts across the supply chain.

Environmental standards and compliance

MAS sets stringent requirements including minimum standards and controls in line with national regulations, customer requirements, and industry best-practices.

We utilise the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) tool from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (now Cascale) to assess environmental management standards, ensure national and industry regulations are met, and facilities are in compliance with industry standards. A significant portion of our RM spend-base have adopted the Higg FEM platform for self-assessments, with many also seeking out independent third-party on-site assessments and verification.

For chemical management and water stewardship, we ensure suppliers comply with Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) standards and guidelines. Assessments and inventory checks through the ZDHC gateway ensure ongoing compliance of suppliers. We monitor subcontracting wet operations against local discharge regulations and ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines (WWG) through annual testing, and extend our oversight to cover Tier 2 suppliers supplying wet raw materials. The ZDHC Gateway is an important tool that enables suppliers to provide timely, standardised reports, and maintain compliance against guidelines.

Social standards and compliance

The MAS VCC includes highly detailed standards for social and labour compliance that encompass fair treatment; recruitment and employment contracts; working hours, leave, and wages; benefits and compensation; health and safety; and effective grievance-handling. The Code also upholds freedom of association and collective bargaining to ensure worker voices are heard and involvement is ensured.

We encourage suppliers to adopt compliance tools such as the Higg Facility Social and Labour Module (FSLM), which utilises assessment tools and processes outlined by the Social and Labour Convergence Programme (SLCP). In addition to suppliers onboarded to Higg FSLM, some MAS divisions also conduct audits of labour practices.

Pioneer Circularity at Scale

Consumers, retailers, manufacturers, and regulators around the world have come to realise that the apparel industry’s traditionally linear model – manufacture, sell, discard – is unsustainable. Recognising this shift towards circularity, where materials are kept in use and waste is minimised, we actively prioritise circular thinking in our operations, partnerships, and products.

The circular economy and sustainable fashion

Upstream environmental impact: Circularity prioritises using recycled, renewable, or upcycled materials, lessening the demand for virgin natural resources with a significant environmental footprint, or fossil fuel-derived synthetics that can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Circular thinking in raw material sourcing encourages adoption of environmentally preferred materials with lower environmental footprints, promotes more sustainable or regenerative agricultural practices, and incorporates innovative new closed-loop materials made from waste streams.

Design, merchandising, and production: System-change, aligned with circularity, at the design-level can result in higher-quality, greater-durability garments that can withstand prolonged use; thereby indirectly reducing material consumption. In addition, designing for recyclability, through the use of mono-materials or other means, can facilitate easier recycling at end-of-life – improving the uptake of waste diversion initiatives. Other changes at manufacturing, such as efficient cutting techniques, utilisation of surplus materials, and waste-minimisation systems can directly reduce or waste during manufacture. Circular thinking, by responsible brands, can encourage design and marketing concepts such as repair-reuse-resale, which can maximise value and extend the lifespan of products; thereby reducing the demand for new production.

Downstream environmental impact: Innovations related to durability and the incorporation of biodegradable natural fibers, can help reduce the downstream use-phase impact of microplastic-shedding - a significant environmental concern. End-of-life apparel waste is a major downstream environmental impact, but one that can be addressed by circularity as creative re-use and recycling can result in diversion of apparel waste from landfills and incineration. In addition, incorporation of natural raw materials, designed for safe biodegradation, can also minimise waste-related impacts. As circular principles evolve, scale, and find increased adoption; textile-to-textile recycling and other innovative technologies are improving the volume of products at end-of-life that can be recycled; resulting in closing the loop and reducing extraction of further virgin resources.

Our approach to circularity

We actively explore avenues to advance circularity in our operations through a dedicated team and collaborative approach across the entire value chain; including material sourcing – re-incorporating recycled materials and sourcing renewable/regenerative materials, product design – designing for re-use and recycling, and manufacturing advancements and waste management innovations across our own operations.

The MAS Circularity Team comprises specialists in fabric technology, waste management, partnerships, and business development, and achieving circularity at scale is enshrined in our Plan for Change. Our circularity network spans a number of geographies and includes multiple supply chain stakeholders: recyclers, sorters, solutions providers, innovators, reverse-logistics partners and more. Connecting across national borders and industries, we are making progress in mapping networks and partners to promote circularity, and are extending our engagement beyond immediate (Tier 1 suppliers) to include Tier 2 suppliers.

In addition, the MAS Sustainable Product Criteria and rating system are also informed by circularity principles – ensuring our efforts for sustainability through circularity are integrated in the core line-of-business.

Sourcing Sustainably

We work with suppliers, partners, and innovators to responsibly source and develop recycled and regenerative raw materials. This includes adopting and investing in initiatives such as circular or regenerative yarns like HeiQ’s AeoniQ™ and Ambercycle’s cycora® – to expedite their reach, scale, and commercial adoption.

Supporting Circular Design and Merchandising

We work with partner-brands to innovate the way products are made, and implementing circular design principles for durability, reusability, repairability, and recyclability in products. This means wherever possible, we produce apparels that can last longer, use fewer resources, and be recycled after use. Our active innovations include the utilisation of mono-materials to improve recyclability and employing innovative technologies like engineered knit (E-knit).

With a global production footprint and almost all packaging materials sourced externally, our experienced merchandisers and customer-facing teams play a key role in ensuring packaging is sustainable. While customer-nomination is the primary driver behind selection of packaging materials, the majority of our packaging products come from sustainable certified sources and we work with customers and suppliers to source reclaimed and/or recycled materials wherever possible.

Transforming Waste

As part of our commitment to the environment outlined in the Plan for Change: Our Planet Changed for Good pillar, we focus on minimising waste generation, valorising suitable waste, and promoting recycling. Our efforts include partnering and establishing networks to convert RM waste into new yarn and developing projects to separate and recover materials from garment waste. Our initiatives extend to addressing waste outside our operations – exploring avenues to scale synthetic and natural-fibre recycling and reincorporation of post-consumer waste into the production process. Innovative partnerships and projects such as Cellucycle, are delivering impressive results through closed-loop recycling of cotton-polyester fleece waste.

Partnering for scale

A fundamental component of our efforts to circularity across the value chain is engagement with a circularity partner network. This network serves as the foundation for a robust reverse supply chain for efficient movement of materials back into the production cycle.

Recent collaborations, such as our work with CIRCULOSE, an award-winning Swedish textile-to-textile recycling initiative, are scaling access to high-quality recycled materials.