Sustainability

The Group's focus on environmental and sustainable issues expands beyond the Group's in-house design team.

The Group hosts a monthly meeting with the heads of department to discuss and review Seraphine's ESG & sustainability efforts, ensuring that the Group achieves its 'better planet' Mission.

Seraphine is committed to improving its sustainable practices and a number of the Group’s initiatives include:

Focus on Longevity of Products

Seraphine collections and ranges are designed to be worn throughout the entire pregnancy journey and the nursing stage of motherhood. With this adaptable functionality, the Group aims to try and increase the cumulative wears of a product, therefore helping to reduce the carbon footprint of such products.

The Directors' believe that Seraphine designs and brand strategy has played a significant role in how maternity clothing is perceived; no longer purchased just for the final months of pregnancy, instead garments are designed and made with the intention of being functional from bump to baby, countering the ‘single use’ culture of maternity fashion and reducing the need for excess production. If such products are worn throughout the pregnancy journey, this means less carbon dioxide, less waste, reduced energy and water consumption.

Continuity of Ranges

Seraphine is not a fast fashion brand – Seraphine's core "Continuity" range, which accounts for approximately 70 per cent. of the product range, helps to reduce waste from the design process and reduce surplus produce. The Group has very low levels of terminal stock and to the extent that the Group has surplus stock, Seraphine is capitalise on its RoW market, by selling products in counter seasonal markets, such as Australia.

'Eco-friendly' Components

Across some of the Group's product lines, Seraphine has selected materials which have lesser environmental impacts and promoted manufacturing processes with lesser environmental impacts, such as:

• Recent introduction of more eco-friendly product lines including recycled polyester and organic cotton;
• Application of standards including OEKO-TEX (free from harmful chemicals), GOTS (organic) and The Wool Standard (animal welfare);
• Avoiding polyester in clothing where possible, working with supply base to source recycled polyester where possible;
• Sourcing jeans from a sustainable denim washing platform in Turkey.

Greener Packaging

The Group has focused on the reduction of uses of plastics in its packaging, including replacing all plastic polybags for the Group's denim products with biodegradable paper packaging and the Group is actively sourcing biodegradable packaging options.

Seraphine is working alongside two leading ESG consultants to formalise the Group’s approach and long term incentives with regards to ESG issues facing the business including the environmental impact of clothing and climate change.

Separately, Seraphine participates in and undertakes regular charitable activities particularly to those causes closely connected to the Group, both in the UK and overseas. For example, every year the Group donates any un-sold stock to Frip Ethique, Oxfam’s social enterprise in Senegal, where it is sorted and sold on to local market traders.