Denmark Change
Sustainability at By Malene Birger
What are we doing to protect people and the planet? Find out about our sustainability initiatives.
We Care about People
By Malene Birger is always finding ways to improve both internally with our employees, and externally with partners and stakeholders.
We recognise that people and the environment are linked and a benefit to one is a benefit to both. That said, our policies and initiatives have been divided for ease of reference; there is occasional overlap between the documents.
In our initiatives focusing on people, we want to positively impact the people we work with and communities in which we operate. Our code of conduct protects workers' health and ensures safety during production.
By Malene Birger is committed to creating a safe and inclusive atmosphere for everyone and ensuring that all people are treated equally irrespective of their race, age, gender, sex or sexual preference, gender reassignment, disability, religion, or beliefs. This stands for every part of our supply chain – from our head office in Copenhagen to our factory partners around the world.
By Malene Birger has an ongoing collaboration with Women for Women International; a portion of the sales from our International Women's Day tote bag (2019) and our International Women's Day tights, made in partnership with Swedish Stockings and artist Alexandra Karpilovski (2020), are used to support a number of women as they go through Women for Women International's year-long training programme, teaching entrepreneurial skills and ensuring these women's voices are heard at home and in their communities.
See our People Care Policies
Our anti-corruption policy
By Malene Birger's aims to conduct all our business in an honest and ethical way. We therefore have a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption. We strive to make sure that national laws are followed wherever we do business and we have established adequate processes to address corruption if and when it occurs.
We offer an e-learning program on corruption that all our full-time employees have access to on a bi-annual basis. This program results in a certificate and improved knowledge of how to deal with any situations involving corruption or bribery; this is important for making sure our employees feel empowered to speak out when necessary.
See our anti-corruption policy
Addressing adverse impacts as a result of the fashion industry is a priority for us.
Therefore, we strive to ensure that our own company, as well as our suppliers, operate in accordance with our code of conduct and also work towards alignment with the BSCI principles for sustainable development.
See our Code of Conduct
We Care about the Planet
We strive not only to manage adverse impacts to the planet and animals, but to create positive ones. We are focused on reducing waste in all forms. We have a no-burn policy and donate all unused items to the NGO Human Bridge.
By Malene Birger supports the UN Global Compact's principles for the environment. Since 2013, we have worked with our own Restricted Substances List (see more in our Chemical Restrictions section) to ensure the safest possible chemical management.
We also consider animals in our policies and believe that all living creatures should be treated with respect.
No animals should be harmed in order to make our products. We support the Five Freedoms recommendations on animal welfare set out by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
See our Animal Welfare Policy
Chemical restrictions
To protect our customers, production, employees and the environment, By Malene Birger has clear guidelines on the permissibility of certain substances. We are committed to minimizing the use of harmful chemicals in the production of our products.
We conduct risk assessments on all collections. To keep up-to-date with the regulations, we collaborate with partners such as the Swedish Chemical Group, which is part of the Swedish research institute Rise. For chemical testing, we collaborate with MTS Global Testing Lab. MTS supplies us with technical expertise and industry best practices.
See our restricted substance List
We Care about Our Products
Our sustainable capsule collection, Made With Care, offers eco-friendly clothes and accessories in modern, chic silhouettes. From recycled cotton, wool, and leather, to organic cotton and water-based prints, our Made With Care capsule utilizes luxe, responsibly-sourced materials for the best possible quality. The denim styles in this collection are Nordic Swan Ecolabel certified, Denmark's most rigorous eco-label standard.
Shop Made With Care
NET-A-PORTER NET SUSTAIN
We have partnered with NET-A-PORTER to produce a capsule for their sustainability platform, NET SUSTAIN The collection is made from considered materials and is available exclusively through NET-A-PORTER and By Malene Birger's own retail.
Our sunglasses are produced by Messy Weekend, who work with NGO PROARTSO to remove two kilos of waste from the ocean for every pair sold.
We Care about Circularity
Reduce, reuse, recycle; we know that decreasing material waste is an important part of sustainability. That's why we focus on circularity in as much of our work as possible.
We offer a rental platform, Rent the Look, for occasion and party-wear – both from our latest collections and archive. This allows people to enjoy our clothes while contributing to a more ethical consumer cycle.
Instead of burning any unsold inventory, we donate all items to Human Bridge, a Swedish NGO that helps those in material need.
We make an effort to use leftover material whenever possible, including in our Made With Care collection, which includes recycled wool and cotton. We also include our own leftover material, using it to produce unique, handmade Christmas ornaments with Danish social enterprise Huset Venture, and for our patchwork Signature Flower accessories: pieced together from unused material from other bags.
Go to Rent the Look
Our approach to having a more sustainable and ethical brand is to be both humble and courageous; we know that we are not perfect, but that shouldn't stop us from taking step-by-step approach to better practices.
At By Malene Birger, sustainability and corporate responsibility are infused throughout every aspect of our brand, from production to our office.
If you have any questions about our sustainability and CSR policies, please reach out to csr@bymalenebirger.com
Our memberships and partners
We are partnering with a range of important industrial players to make a positive impact across manufacturing and production.
BSCI - Business Social Compliance Initiative
DIEH – Dansk Initiativ for Etisk Handel
DM&T- Dansk Mode & Textil
MTS Global – Modern Testing Services
Danish Fashion Ethical Charter