Sustainability
At Wangari, we value our responsibility towards this planet with its beautiful nature, wildlife and all people. We strive to minimize our environmental footprint at every level, including packaging and transportations. We pack and ship our products without any unnecessary wrapping or air in paper based recyclable boxes, and we work consistently to improve our routines to identify challenges and offer better solutions.
About our silk and production
Our scarves are made of high quality 100% silk twill, 14 mm. Silk is a highly renewable resource with less impact on the environment than many other fabrics. The silk worm feed on mulberry leaves, which don't require the use of pesticides or fertilizers to grow.
Silk was first developed in ancient China. In some parts of the world the silk industry has been an important enterprise for developing communities, and particularly for the empowerment of women. It's a timeless material with and antibacterial properties, also resistant to static electricity. Our scarves are screen printed and hand hemmed in Hangzhou, China, with our trusted BSCI-certified manufacturing team. The average age of the workers are 35 years, and they work approximately 8 hours per day, 5 days a week and have holidays off. Our production unit is certified with Standard 100 OEKO-TEX.
Our decision to proceed with our manufacturer in China for production, is based on the excellent quality of the silk and our manufacturer standards, combined with a reasonable price frame for our product. We ship our light weight products in small recyclable paper-based boxes, with no unnecessary wrapping and no other plastics than the Polybag mandatory for protecting the exclusive products during shipping. Worth knowing is that silk folds perfectly, and we can ship an entire collection on just one single pallet.
Silk has a relatively low environmental impact. It's biogradable and the dyeing of natural materials requires less amount of colors compared to artificial fibers. However, as in all textile production the fabric is washed during the manufacturing process, which requires water and detergents. Even though dry cleaning is recommended for silk materials, we suggest you carefully hand wash your Wangari scarf in cold water when needed.
About our jewelry production
Our main production unit is located in Hong Kong, where our creative ideas and collection design sketches come to life together with our highly trusted SMETA and RJC-certified partner for fine jewelry manufacturing. Wangari´s jewelry is made from natural and recyclable materials such as gold and silver. We strive to only work with 100% recycled silver, and have a no-waste policy during the production chain. For instance, the metal scraps produced during the treeing process will be recycled back into the system for making other exquisite pieces of jewelry.
Packaging is an inevitable part of our business. We are choosing the Biodegradable d2w Technology for protection of extra sensitive jewelry during transportations, which accelerates the natural process of oxidation when it is no longer in use, leaving the environment with no toxic residues and microplastics.
Transportations
We are a digital-first enterprise. We try to minimize the number of travels, physical meetings abroad, and prefer to use technology for communication when possible.
Our accessories are transported primarily by sea, with DHL as preferred logistics partner. They are continuously developing smarter and more sustainable solutions for the shipping routines. These are their words about the scope of business:
”DHL believes that environmental protection and business success are not just compatible, they are closely interlinked. Sustainability has long been a competitive factor: Consumers increasingly consider environmental aspects in their purchasing decisions. The same applies to investors who consult sustainability rankings when looking for viable investment options.
Based on our Carbon Reports we can analyze our customers' entire logistics chain, and work with them to optimize trade routes and transportation modes to reduce their carbon footprint. Additionally, we suggest ways to improve their overall environmental performance. As a global company with operations in all segments of the logistics industry, we are able to offer these services worldwide.”
Social sustainability
In 2018 Wangari launched the impact initiative “Reach for Good” to support various projects through verified nonprofit organizations dedicated to create a better future for people, planet and wildlife. A possibility for companies, customers and influencers to empower social change through the passion for fashion.
Until today, Wangari has supported nonprofit organizations such as The Wildhood Foundation, Ung Cancer, Tjejzonen, Mind and Ellas Hjältar with more than 120 000 SEK, and a PR-value of above 3MSEK.