FEWER THINGS. MADE RESPONSIBLY. BUILT TO LAST.

Our purpose is to make great clothing—pieces that you reach for every day, the ones you miss when they’re in the wash, the ones that make you feel like you’ve got this—because buying fewer things of higher quality is one of the most important ways we can care for the planet. By replacing your clothing and jeans less often, you’ll help reduce the use of resources and the creation of pollution that results from making new things. 

Our made in L.A. model helps even more. We save on carbon emissions by shipping fabric—instead of products—from overseas by sea instead of by air. Our fabric is cut and sewn in Los Angeles—which is powered by 55% renewable energy today and is moving towards 100% by 2045 [3]—then all our denim is finished in facilities utilizing energy-efficient equipment and/or solar power. 

Additionally, our goods produced locally operate under strict water usage regulations—because living in a drought-prone region means every drop counts. 

When you choose MOTHER, you’re supporting L.A.’s denim community, from longtime artisans to new-generation makers—and a supply chain that is increasingly focusing on reducing the environmental impacts of denim production.

Here are some highlights about how we are doing better: 

CARBON EMISSIONS

  • For the past three years, we’ve disclosed our emissions through the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). In 2024, we earned a B score, which is higher than the global, regional and industry average. 
  • We source premium denim from Japan, Italy and Turkey—then ship 90% of our raw materials by sea, not air (cutting emissions by up to 98% per ton mile) [4]. Overall, shipping fabric instead of finished product helps reduce upstream ocean transport by 50% [5]. 
  • 78% of denim units in our Spring 24 line were made with fabric from mills generating and/or purchasing at least 40% of their total energy from renewable sources [6].
  • 33% of our denim fabric was produced by one of our mill partners that runs on 100% renewable energy [7].
  • Our jeans are cut, sewn, washed and finished within 14 miles of HQ—powered by 55% renewable energy today and moving towards 100% by 2045.

WATER & CHEMICALS

MATERIALS: We’ve been working with the same denim mill partners for decades, and it’s exciting to see significant sustainability progress being made at this step in the supply chain. In our Spring 24 line, 100% of our top six denim mills—representing 88% of our domestic units—are 100% compliant with ZDHC Level 1 MRSL [8]. 23% of Spring 24 production used fabric from mills with ZDHC MRSL level 3 compliance [9].

WASHING & FINISHING: Being based in California means water isn’t something we take for granted. We’re thoughtful about how much we use—and what happens after. For spring 24, 100% of our domestic laundries are compliant with ZDHC Level 1 MRSL [10]. (SEE INSET)


WASH HOUSE PROGRESS

Wash houses are where denim gets its personality—stonewashed, faded, aged just right. It’s also where water and chemical use can spike, which is why we’re focused on doing it better. In spring 24, 100% of our domestic denim products were finished in more sustainable laundries [11]:

  • Chemicals: 100% of wash houses are compliant with ZDHC Level 1 MRSL [12].
  • Solar: 42% of the denim products were finished in a wash house that uses 92% solar power [13].
  • Energy: 58% of denim units were finished using energy efficient machinery [14].
  • Water: 100% of wash houses use water-efficient machines, and many often also use methods to reduce water consumption and chemical use such as enzymes, ozone and synthetic stones [15].


We've made major shifts in how our denim is finished—without sacrificing the look and feel you love. Here are some highlights from Spring 24:

  • 49% of our Spring 2024 denim is stonewashed; however, 100% of these are produced with a stonewashing process that uses enzymes to reduce water use when creating a worn-in effect [16]. 
  • Every stonewashed piece used enzymes to create a worn-in effect with up to 90% less water.

CIRCULARITY & WASTE

We are committed to reducing waste throughout our supply chain and operations—from fabric production to packaging. Today, 100% of our mills incorporate post-industrial waste. Our cutting and sewing facilities minimize waste and donate what’s left for insulation. Samples and damages are also strictly controlled and either donated or repurposed to minimize waste and ending up in landfills [17].

  • In 2021, we launched the 60% MOTHER, a capsule collection made with 60% overstock fabric from past seasons and 40% materials found at wholesale vintage recycling plants across Los Angeles in an effort to give discarded materials a second life. 
  • MOTHER single-use packaging such as hang-tags and poly-bags contains recycled materials including 100% recycled paper hang tags and 100% recycled LDPE poly bags.  

SMALL BUSINESS PATRONAGE IN LA

95% of our contractors are small operators [18]. Being a small business owner in Los Angeles who has to compete on an international scale is no easy task. To stand by our commitment to local craft, we provide education and training to help our contractors meet compliance and cater events to drive community.



FAIR WAGES

We’re committed to helping end the long-standing abuses in the garment industry. While most states do not have specific garment pay regulations, we are proud of the efforts the State of California has supported with the passage of SB 62, the Garment Worker Protection Act. This critical piece of legislation prohibits piece-rate pay in the garment industry and requires employers to pay workers at least the minimum wage at an hourly rate. Unique to Los Angeles, the minimum wage is evaluated annually based on Consumer Price Index, which means that wages increase based on the cost of living in Los Angeles. The minimum wage has increased on average 74% since 2016 [19].


SUPPLY CHAIN WORKING CONDITIONS

We work within our supply chain to ensure fair labor practices, worker safety and environmental standards compliance. We verify success through third party audits of our supply chain. Local contractors are audited every three months to ensure compliance with pay and safety regulations.

8. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 9. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 10. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 11. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 12. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 13. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 14. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 15. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 16. Based on self-reported data from suppliers. 17. Citation: based on self-reported supplier data and publicly available ESG reports. 18. Citation: Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity. Footnote: Small operators are defined using Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity's definition of a small business which is a business with $16M or less in average gross annual revenue receipts in the most recent 3 years with 100 employees or fewer; or manufacturer with 25 or fewer employees as defined by the State of California. MOTHER assessed our supply chain based on assumed 3-year revenue of suppliers. 19. Citation: Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs. Footnote: Minimum wage varies based on company size, we calculated the average increase based on a range of 70-78% for small and large organizations, respectively.

Motherland - Commitment