FASHION REVOLUTION
Brand: Pigeon Organics
"Made from the softest organic cotton
and a serious attention to detail
at every stage of production"
Pigeon (formerly Organics for Kids Ltd) was founded by Jane Shepherd in 2004 and from the start
our clothes have been made from the softest organic cotton and a serious attention to detail at every stage of production.
Jane has always been absolutely passionate about working with local people wherever possible. As much of our range as possible is manufactured in the UK
(from December at the new factory in Nottingham). At the heart of this desire is a belief that the connection between those who make a product and those
who use it is precious, and this works right the way through a supply chain. So we work closely with our suppliers and our customers - we aim to build positive relationships right the way through.
We believe that this is what makes a positive society.
The stories about non-organic cotton are becoming better known – non-organic cotton uses more insecticides than any other crop,
with some really horrible social and environmental consequences. Organic cotton will not be the answer for everyone, but with the right support in place,
the potential benefits for the environment, the farmers and their families can be considerable.
Made in England (again!) Until 2013 our entire baby range was made by a small, family-run factory in Nottingham. It was the perfect relationship for us.
However, in June 2013 the factory very sadly closed its doors for the last time and despite our very best efforts,
we were unable to find suitable alternative manufacturers in the UK.
Pigeon is delighted to announce that we are now working in partnership with a brand new UK factory in rural Nottinghamshire.
The small factory opened late last year with our support and currently produce just for Pigeon.
We are really excited to be supporting fantastic local skills - the quality is perfect.
As well as the UK, we also make some of our collection in Turkey, Ukraine, Portugal and India.
Most of our range is certified by the Soil Association in accordance with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).
We are very proud that this certification covers the entire supply chain, from field to finished product - see the full details below.
The parts of our range that are not covered by GOTS are:
The UK production, not yet covered by GOTS but we hope that this will change within the coming year.
We have known the factory workers for years and we remain committed to working with them.
In future the UK production will be almost exclusively dedicated to our capsule "Made in England" collection and therefore easily identified.
Our cardigans are made in Portugal by a factory that is not GOTS certified, although our cardigans are made from organic cotton.
Our cosy knitted shawls are made (from organic cotton) in India by a factory that is not yet GOTS certified (although it does hold internationally recognised certificates in social and environmental management).
Our tights contain more than 5% polyamide and lycra (for stretch and comfort) and so are not covered by GOTS, although they are 83% organic cotton.
The Soil Association is the UK certification body which certifies our clothes in accordance with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards).
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is a globally agreed standard to which the main national certification bodies have signed up.
It not only covers environmental factors, but also social considerations by ensuring that all processors and manufacturers meet the minimum social criteria of the International Labour Organisation (ILO),
covering employment practices, working conditions, pay, collective bargaining, and the banning of child labour.
Control Union (formerly SKAL) is the internationally recognised (Dutch) certification body, which handles the organic controls in Turkey where the fabric is produced, also in accordance with GOTS.
This ensures that the cotton is grown organically, and that the processing (spinning, weaving, washing, dyeing, etc) is undertaken in an environmentally and socially responsible way.
The dyes used on our fabrics are not organic themselves, but the GOTS compliance ensures that they do not contain harmful substances.
They are also covered by the above organic inspection processes.
