Creating a sustainable future must begin now. At Mitch Dowd, we are working hard to reduce our impact on the planet. As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, we have created our ECO range of undies and socks. They are all made from recycled cotton or recycled Repreve polyester. In addition to this, 100% of our ECO range is certified carbon neutral by the Carbon Reduction Institute. All of our Mitch Dowd garments, as well as our office, will be totally carbon neutral by 2023.
We looked at all aspects of our design, production, distribution and office processes to see where we can improve. As well as the yarns in the ECO range, our swing tickets are made from recycled card and are certified by the FSC. Our TIC hangers are also recycled. Most importantly, our garments are of the highest quality and made to last longer than most. We have a 3-step pledge.
- Our ECO range is carbon neutral.
- The complete Mitch Dowd range will be carbon neutral by end 2021.
- The Mitch Dowd office will be carbon neutral by end 2022.
Mitch is the driver of this change:
“I’m so happy that we at Mitch Dowd are again releasing an ECO range. In 2008 we launched a successful range called GREEN. It included sleepwear and underwear for men, women, children and infants, which were made from environmentally friendly fabric such as Organic Cotton, Bamboo and Milk. At that time we worked with the Carbon Reduction Institute to off-set our emissions through the planting of trees in Australia. Now we release our ECO range of men’s underwear and socks, which is made from recycled cotton and recycled plastic bottles. We are again partnering with The Carbon Reduction Institute, offsetting emissions through wind farms in China and clean energy from biomass in India. As an artist who works in the environment, the health of our planet is paramount to me. I live in a rammed earth house with a solar battery system, as well as a treatment system for all water from the house. My studio is a straw bale building, on an environmentally protected piece of land. It’s always my hope to keep my personal beliefs and life in line with the business’s beliefs. The ECO range goes a long way in doing that, and will reach that goal in 2023 when the entire Mitch Dowd product range & offices become carbon neutral.” Mitch
We are working towards a better cleaner future for our children, and their children’s children. The only emissions coming out of our undies will be yours!
Climate Change Action
The Mitch Dowd ECO range of undies and socks are certified carbon neutral by the Carbon Reduction Institute (CRI) under the NoCO2 Program. To achieve Carbon Neutral Product certification, Mitch Dowd undertook the following process:
- Commissioned a Hybrid Life Cycle Assessment of their products from CRI to quantify the carbon footprint of their ECO range of products. CRI’s assessment relied upon delivery-specific data from Mitch Dowd, as well as published sources of relevant data and emissions factors.
- Committed to offset the emissions associated with their ECO range of products through the purchase of units in approved projects under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or Gold Standard (GS) on a quarterly basis, and
- Committed to ongoing reporting and auditing of their product emissions through quarterly sales reporting
What does Carbon Neutral Service Certification mean?
By meeting the requirements of the NoCO2 Program, the Mitch Dowd ECO range of products are certified as Carbon Neutral Products by CRI; can be promoted and marketed as such and can display the Carbon Neutral Product Logo issued by CRI.
What Carbon Credit Projects does Mitch Dowd purchase offsets from?
China Wind
The China Wind Project provides a renewable, clean energy source for power generation. Wind projects partially displace electricity currently generated from grid connected conventional fossil fuel based thermal power plants, thereby reducing overall emissions. Furthermore, by reducing harmful pollutants in the atmosphere, the China Wind Project also provides public health and local environmental benefits. Such projects also provide economic benefits through increased investment in renewable energy and employment opportunities.
India Clean Energy from Biomass
The aim of Biomass projects is to utilize agricultural waste or other non-renewable biomass residues as fuel to generate power and to lower the plants’ dependence on the local grid for electricity. Before the implementation of the project, the electricity needs of such plants were met by power from a coal dominated grid. To meet the rising energy demands in production, a new efficient biomass boiler was installed together with a steam turbine, producing both steam and electricity. The new boilers are fuelled with locally available agricultural waste instead of traditional, emission intensive coal.
Before the start of the project, these agricultural residues were not used. They were either burned without harnessing the resulting thermal energy, or simply left to decay, thereby generating methane emissions. The plant’s steam and electricity requirements can be now supplied by the new cogeneration unit. The investment required for the installation of the new cogeneration unit could not have been raised were it not for the revenue from sales of carbon credits.
Certifications
Carbon Neutral Product