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Our Process

How our rating index works

Well, put simply- we put our brands through the ringer. Thuja utilises two seperate rating index’s because not every business and brand is the same. ESPECIALLY larger brands comparatively to smaller. We make sure to take that into accout because we love underdogs. We’re one ourselves.

Over the course of a year, Thuja has created a unique rating index system that evaluates brands across 4 main categories.

  • The Product the brand creates
  • How the Climate and ecology are affected by the business’ practices
  • The brands’ social justice impact and inclusivity
  • 3rd party verifications and audits to ensure what these companies are saying is true.

 

We also passed along our rating index to industry experts to get their say for each respective category. This way, you know that we dive extensively into all areas to ensure maximum transparency.

All of our rating is done internally and independently, our brands have no say in their end result nor whether or not we decide to work with them.

Take a peak below to see exactly what we look at within each category.

  • Timeless style
    • We want brands to create products that we will wear for years, not just for a TikTok Trend.
  • Warranty policies
    • Does the company ensure their product is built to last, and do they stand by that claim?
  • Shipping materials
    • Is it biodegradable? Or full of plastic (gross).
  • Is the brand vocal about over-consumption
    • Companies shouldn’t be telling you that you need things you don’t. Sustainable companies embody the change they want to see through their message.
  • Percentage and type of sustainable materials used in their products
  • Resale and repair programs
    • How much do they embrace circularity?
  • Timeless style
    • We want brands to create products that we will wear for years, not just for a TikTok Trend.
  • Warranty policies
    • Does the company ensure their product is built to last, and do they stand by that claim?
  • Shipping materials
    • Is it biodegradable? Or full of plastic (gross).
  • Is the brand vocal about over-consumption
    • Companies shouldn’t be telling you that you need things you don’t. Sustainable companies embody the change they want to see through their message.
  • Percentage and type of sustainable materials used in their products
  • Resale and repair programs
    • How much do they embrace circularity?
  • Carbon emissions reduction plan
    • How are they planning in joining to fight to reduce our collective footprint?
  • Water and chemical reduction/protection
    • Do they understand and actively reduce the amount of water used to create their clothing?
  • PFC reduction
    • PFC is a nasty chemical used in many outdoor clothing brands for waterproofing. We like to see brands vocally shifting away from this.
  • Innovation and industry leading initiatives
    • Are they just following suit, or trend setting in terms of internal policies and self evaluations/ standards.
  • Sustainability reports and transparency
    • Are these completed annually? Are they made public to us?
  •  Labour conditions
    • How do they ensure the safety of their staff at headquarters and in factories
  • Risks around the country of production *
    • Are they aware of exploitative practices and wage theft in the country they produce their products in?
  • Social justice agreement and participation
    • How active and consistent are they in the fight for marginalized populations and their stakeholders.
  • Representation, support and equity of minorities within company and social media/ advertising
  • Union Support
    • Are their factories workers allowed to form unions? Do they actively suppress or support this?
  • Supply chain transparency
    • How big is their supply chain? Do they know who and where their product is made?

We love when brands openly communicate about their sustainability commitments, but do we have to blindly believe them? One way to ensure that brands are not just making bold claims around sustainability with no follow up is 3rd party verification.

Independent audit and organizations verifying carbon emissions, water pollution or labor conditions is stronger than just words. Not every 3rd party verification is good. Some are complacent and enables greenwashing. That is why we take all this into account in our rating system, with one goal: the more transparent, the better for you.

Let's have a conversation

We work with businesses on a case by case basis. We like to understand your current sustainability practices, and your future goals. We thoroughly and independently rate your company based on our stringent criteria. We will provide you with your results and our decision within 7 business days.

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