Sustainability Effort
At Outerboro we try our best to help the environment and reduce carbon footprint anyway that we can. It’s not possible to create products without using energy or natural resources, but we can still do our best to minimize the impact at every stage.
We strongly believe that a well-made, quality garment should last a long time and replace the need for many cheaply-made garments that may only last a few wears.
We do this by brainstorming what a purpose-driven, quality product should accomplish and thoroughly test the products ourselves instead of blindly chasing trends releasing products for the sake of releasing something new.
Bluesign-certified supply chain and OekoTex100 standard
Most our factory and supplier are BlueSign / OekoTex100-certified, which means
we adhere to a strict guideline on environmental health and safety in the manufacturing of textiles. In short, it means responsible manufacturing. As a consumer, you can be confident that you are purchasing the most environmentally friendly and socially conscious version of the garment. Learn more about Bluesign and OekoTex100.
Local supply-chain and manufacturing: Designed and Made in Taiwan
The majority of our suppliers and manufacturers are based in Taipei, Taiwan, also where all of our garments are produced. This is to minimize carbon emissions to a minimum by reducing the amount of emissions generated by unnecessary shipping.
All raw materials except the merino wool that we use are sourced within 380 km of our factories, keeping shipping to a minimum.
Fabrics and Materials
Fabrics: Most fabrics we use are supplied by Bluesign-approved mills.
- We use 100% Natural Merino wool from New Zealand
- Recycled Polyester from PET bottles in Taiwan
- Recycled Coffee Grounds spun into Yarn for anti-odor and quick-dry effects
Materials: All the materials we use for packaging are both recycled or recyclable.
- FSC certified paper, paper that has been produced under strict standards in order to meet social and environmental standards are used for our packaging and printed materials. Click here to learn more about FSC papers.
- Minimal packaging and EVA bags (100% bio-degradable) are used.
- Partnered with Klean Kanteen water bottles to encourage minimal plastic bottle usage.
DWR
Joining an industry-wide effort to reduce the impact on the environment, we chose not to use the “long-chain C8” DWR, a standard DWR that was used for years by many. Despite its excellent performance, the byproduct of C8 DWR are toxic and persist in the environment, which makes it unacceptable to use. Instead, we use a “short-chain C4 and C6” DWR, which breaks down much faster in the environment. Currently, this is the best DWR option in terms of performance and minimal impact on environment.
Did you know?
Most of the energy and water deriving from a garment comes from consumers’ care of the clothing.
- Using DWR means less water and less energy is used during the cleaning phase of the garments’ life cycle, where most resources are used.
- DWR makes a garment “look newer” for longer period of time too.
- DWR and other technologies such as anti-odor/bacteria also makes frequent washing unnecessary which in effect reduces wasted energy and resources.
Bike Messenger Delivery for Taipei Area
In order to minimize carbon emission, all our Taipei orders are delivered by Fassenger Bike Messenger Service.
