MEASUREMENT & ASSESSMENT
A proud member of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Sunday Afternoons is actively working on a sustainability roadmap to measure progress and assess opportunities related to our supply chain, materials, and practices. Our connections within the industry guide us as we work to improve our environmental and social sustainability.
In 2018, we completed the Higg Index Brand and Retail Module. Developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Higg Index is a suite of tools that enables brands, retailers, and facilities of all sizes—and at every stage in their sustainability journey—to accurately measure and score a company’s or product’s sustainability performance. The Higg Index delivers a holistic overview that empowers businesses to make meaningful improvements that protect the well-being of factory workers, local communities, and the environment. We’re committed to completing additional modules as they are released.
RESPONSIBLE DESIGN
We are proud to team up with reputable partners who help to ensure that selected textiles are safe, resource-efficient, and offer a lower-impact alternative to conventionally sourced fabrics. Both bluesign® and Oeko-Tex® 100 standard are third-party certifications for textile sourcing that measure and score fabrics against stringent consumer safety and environmental requirements.
RECYCLED FABRICS
Where possible we prefer to use recycled materials. Many of our main body fabrics are recycled, and we are committed to increasing the quantity of recycled materials with every collection. All of our technical fabric mills are bluesign® certified or meet the Oeko-Tex® 100 standard, and approximately 98% of our fabrics are bluesign® certified or meet the Oeko-Tex® 100 standard.
PFC-FREE DURABLE WATER REPELLENT (DWR) FINISH
Durable water repellent, or DWR , is a coating added to fabrics to make them water-resistant (hydrophobic). The DWR we used previously was a long-chain (C8) fluorocarbon-based treatment that is effective and durable. Unfortunately, its byproducts, such as perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), are toxic and persist in the environment. When we learned about the potential negative impact of PFCs, we knew we needed to find an effective PFC-free DWR solution. Beginning with our SS20 collection, we’ve removed PFCs from our DWR treatments on all new styles and have transitioned to safer alternatives on carryover styles for human health and the environment.
WHAT IS DWR?
Durable Water Repellent (DWR) is a textile treatment applied to fabrics used for apparel and gear, including headwear. The treatment prevents water from saturating the fabric and instead causes water to bead up and roll off the surface, keeping your hat (and head) dry.
WHAT ARE PFCs?
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are widely used in carpeting, cookware, food packaging, clothing treatments, and more. PFCs increase the surface tension of fabric, which helps water bead up and roll off.
PFCs aren’t natural and don’t break down in the environment. Scientists have found traces of PFCs in the environment, and early studies have shown that they are harmful to living organisms. Research is still being done on how PFCs get into the environment, as there is a lot to learn.
CHEMICAL-FREE COOLING TECHNOLOGY
In addition to offering a wide variety of lightweight, breathable, well-ventilated designs, we’re proud to collaborate with Coolcore®, offering a patented chemical-free technology designed to keep you cool and comfortable in any temperature or condition. Coolcore® rapidly cools and wicks moisture through regulated evaporation. Best of all, it won’t wash out over time. Coolcore® cooling technology is built into the fibers of the fabric and keeps its cooling properties for the life of the garment. Look for Coolcore® amongst our collections.
SUPPLIER PARTNERSHIPS
Sunday Afternoons is committed to a safe, fair, and healthy working environment for all employees. With supplier partnerships across Asia and Mexico, we have been actively implementing code of conduct agreements, regularly scheduled third-party audits, and required compliance with the OIA Fair Labor Code of Conduct.
RESTRICTED SUBSTANCES
Sunday Afternoons is committed to eliminating chemicals of concern where possible in our fabrics, materials, and trims. To that end, we created a Restricted Substances List (RSL) in 2018 that meets or exceeds all applicable regulatory requirements, and we distributed it to all vendor partners. In 2019, we adopted the bluesign® RSL.
VENDOR COMPLIANCE
Sunday Afternoons has created a Vendor Manual with a robust Code of Conduct and distributed it to all of our factories. We completed the Higg Index Brand and Retail Module in 2017 and are committed to doing it annually. In 2019 we began working with specific vendor partners to complete the Higg Index FEM and FSLM. We are continuously reusing cardboard and shipping materials at our factories as we strive to reduce our footprint.
A LIFETIME GUARANTEE
We stand behind our hats for as long as you stand under them. Materials and workmanship are guaranteed for life.