Our Sustainability and Ethics

Our Commitment to People and the Planet:

Sustainability FAQ:

Where are your fabrics from?

Our Signature Poplin is created specifically for GRAMMAR at a wonderful mill in India that sources all of their cotton from local farms. Our Signature Flannel is created for us at a mill in Japan that only works with organic cotton. We source our limited edition and specialty fabrics from Portugal, Japan, and Italy. For each style, more fabric information can be found on the product page.

Are ALL your fabrics 100% organic?

Yes, all the fabrics we use are made from 100% organic cotton.

We do our best to ensure all of the fabrics we source are 100% GOTS certified organic which ensures the highest level of supply chain tracking and monitoring to ensure there are no: hazardous chemicals; unsafe work conditions; unpaid or forced labor; untreated wastewater; nor excess water usage. 

How do you minimize toxic chemicals and pollutants?

GOTS-certification prohibits the use of any and all hazardous dye chemicals, growth hormones, pesticides, GMOs, heavy metals, and more from farm to mill. This includes all parts of the growing, weaving and dying process, all which are traditionally chemical-intensive. For a full list of prohibited chemicals, see here.

How do you minimize water use?

The production of GOTS-certified organic cotton uses 12 times less water than conventional cotton. Wastewater used in the spinning and dying process is cleaned and recycled.

Much of the water used in the lifetime of a cotton garment is from post-purchase garment care. See our care tips for ways to reduce your water usage

How do you minimize greenhouse gas emissions? 

The production of GOTS-certified cotton emits 94% less greenhouse gasses than conventional cotton, and uses less than a quarter of the energy. 

We minimize pollution from shipping by producing all our garments locally in small batches. Our production partners in the Garment District are within walking distance of our studio, so we take public transport or walk to the factory ourselves with items that need to be transported back and forth.

Our factory and our studio are both located in Manhattan, New York City in buildings where we don’t have as much control over our energy usage as we might like. Luckily, New York State derives over 90% of its power from Hydroelectric Dams, Nuclear power and Natural Gases rather than fossil fuels. See here for a further breakdown of New York State energy. 

We ship our materials by sea where available, because ocean freight has on average 20 to 30 times less environmental impact than air freight.

How do you work towards benefiting the environment?

By using GOTS-certified cotton, we ensure biodiversity is a part of our supply chain. The farms that grow certified organic cotton must grow it alongside four crop types that help to ensure soil health and to further viability for the farms themselves and the community. 

Are your garments Vegan?

Our garments are not vegan because we choose to use natural buttons rather than plastic ones. Our buttons are made from natural shell and horn, which are animal byproducts. While this means our garments are not vegan, we believe that natural buttons are much higher quality and better for the planet than plastic buttons. 

Where are your buttons made?

All of our buttons are produced in Italy from ethically-sourced byproducts of the food industry. The various sea creatures that provide the shell are used for food and animal feed, while the shell is up-cycled for buttons. Similarly, our horn buttons are sourced as a byproduct of the food industry from Italian Water Buffalo primarily raised for buffalo milk used in mozzarella. When the animal dies of natural causes, the meat is processed for food, while the bones and horn are up-cycled for buttons.

How do you minimize waste in your manufacturing process?

Producing in small batches allows us to control quality and ensure that none of our products are wasted or overproduced. 

One of the main waste products of clothing production is scraps leftover after the garment pieces are cut from the fabric. We send all of our fabric scraps that are too small to be utilized to FabScrap. They ensure that all the scraps are recycled to become new textile products. 100% cotton is 100% recyclable and is used to create new cotton fabric.

What about post-consumer waste?

Our garments are designed for end of life. We make products of the highest quality and timeless, classic style so that they last a long time. We don't follow trends, but rather focus on simplicity and functionality in our designs. If, however, you ever dispose of your garments, our cotton is recyclable, compostable and free of toxins that would pollute the environment.

How is your packaging sustainable?

All of our packaging is made from recycled materials and is entirely compostable or recyclable. GRAMMAR boxes and printed matter are made from post-consumer & post-industrial paper and printed with nontoxic algae ink, and are entirely recyclable. Our tissue paper is made from post-consumer content and should be composted, not recycled, as tissue paper has the shortest fibers and cannot be made into a new paper product. Our labels are printed on recycled and recyclable paper rather than a label maker, which uses plastics. Finally, the tape we use for all of our packaging is 100% compostable Cello Tape. 

Business Practices FAQ:

Where are your garments made?

Our factory is on West 38th Street in NYC’s legendary Garment District. We are so grateful and proud to work with a local factory that is woman- and BIPOC-owned and operated.

Our factory ensures that all of their workers are paid a living wage, have comfortable and safe working conditions, and are respected for their time and talents. We are so grateful to work with such skilled local artisans and seamstresses, and we can never give them enough praise for their incredible work. 

What do you do to support your community?

As an independent woman-owned business we consider it the utmost importance to do our part in giving back to those who help to lift us up. We are committed to creating an environment where we can cultivate support and care for one another, and that includes giving back when we can.

BIPOC- and women-owned businesses and creators are part of the heart and soul of our creations from start to finish. We make a point to work with independently-owned local businesses that keep the fashion and art community here in New York City thriving. As often as possible, we source our materials from local shops, agents, and creators in the Garment District. We are conscientious of diversity and inclusiveness when hiring employees, contractors and models. 

We give recurrent donations to Color of Change as part of our ongoing commitment to giving back and supporting marginalized communities. We also periodically donate our garments to Dress for Success to uplift other women in their pursuit of advancement and prosperity.  

We are always striving to improve on how we can give back and support others. We keep our eyes and ears open and are constantly listening and learning.  

What labor standards do you require of your vendors?

We require domestic vendors to comply with all state and federal laws, including labor law. Internationally, we require vendors to comply with GOTS protocols where applicable and International Labor Organization conventions in all cases. These standards include but are not limited to anti-discrimination and anti-harassment, at-will employment, safe and hygienic working conditions, freedom of association, and payment of living wages

What is your anti-discrimination policy?

Harassment or unlawful discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status or any other classification protected by local, state or federal laws is illegal and prohibited by GRAMMAR’s company policy. Such conduct by or towards any employee, contract worker, customer, vendor or anyone else who does business with GRAMMAR will not be tolerated in any way.

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If you have any other questions about our sustainability or ethics practices that cannot be answered here please feel free to reach out to us at love@grammarnyc.com