Introducing BAM DNA

Organic cotton is grown without pesticides, uses less energy and significantly less water than conventional cotton. Cotton farms are often small holdings with the cotton sold on to processing companies. We can't identify each of the hundreds of small farms who likely supply BAM's cotton. Instead, we rely on transaction certificates to trace back to country level and guarantee our cotton is organic.

Mechanically recycled cotton reduces amount of textile waste ending up in landfill and reduces the need for new cotton to be grown. The production process also has a relatively low carbon impact compared to other forms of textile recycling. The cotton material is collected and then sorted. Any foreign contaminants are removed. The remaining material is shredded in a special machine that mechanically takes the cotton scraps back to fibre form.

Bamboo is an inherently lower impact crop than hardwood trees because it needs little to no irrigation or pesticides, grows rapidly so needs less land, can be harvested without damaging root systems and surrounding habitats, and even has the potential to store carbon and regenerate soil health. We've mapped the sources of our bamboo and we're actively working to ensure responsible cultivation practices and as well as assessing the exact benefits of bamboo cultivation.

Synthetic fibres are generally made from petroleum, which is made from non-renewable fossil fuels. We've used a small amount in this product to give your garment better performance and durability. As of 2022, virgin synthetic fibres make up less than 5% of BAM's total fibre usage. We aim to eliminate them completely by 2030 and are actively exploring recycled or lower impact alternatives that we can use without compromising on performance.

Cotton plants need to go through a process called ginning, where the seed is removed from the fibre. This usually happens in the same region as the farms, before the bales are sent to yarn mills to be cleaned, carded (combed), and spun into yarn.

Once recycled cotton is shredded back down to fibres, it is usually blended with virgin fibre and spun into yarn. Blending with virgin fibre improves the yarn to a high enough quality to be used for clothing. It's hard to trace the exact source of recycled materials. We rely on transaction certificates to verify the recycled content of our materials as well as to verify the responsible social, environmental, and chemical practices used in their production.

Jigao Jilin were the first company to produce viscose from bamboo and continue to lead the way as a responsible viscose producer in China. They are rated joint 3rd best on the Canopy Hot Button Report which ranks viscose and MMCF producers on environmental performance and commitment to protecting ancient and endangered forests. They also hold OekoTex Step level 3 certification – one of the most rigorous industry audits assessing the use of chemicals, quality management, environmental and social impact. They have completed an EU BAT assessment and are in the process of completing the ZDHC MMCF module.

Elastane comes from petroleum derived from fossil fuels. In addition to being an unsustainable material it can also contaminate textile recycling streams and won't biodegrade in landfill. We are actively searching for lower impact alternatives, in the meantime strictly limiting our use of elastane when needed for performance – to improve fit, allow the garment to retain its shape over time, prolong the life of the garment and keep it in use longer.

One of the largest mills in the country producing yarn and fabric. They measure their carbon footprint with specific targets to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions. Two sites have solar panels installed. They are implementing a detailed life cycle assessment of their operations and will share this data with customers. This transparency is essential to BAM. It lets us measure the impact of our products more accurately and then plan how to reduce it.

This fabric mill in the China's Shandong province has been specialising in weaving and dyeing denim for 33 years. They are signed up to the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) Gateway and Supplier to Zero program. They rank as “better” on our scale of “good, better, best” because they are embedding best practices into their production methods and are transparent in reporting their wastewater and chemical handling policies.

This fabric mill in the China's Shandong province has been specialising in weaving and dyeing denim for 33 years. They are signed up to the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) Gateway and Supplier to Zero program. They rank as “better” on our scale of “good, better, best” because they are embedding best practices into their production methods and are transparent in reporting their wastewater and chemical handling policies.

We sourced this denim product from our trusted supplier, Golden Empire. They subcontract out the stitching to this specialist denim factory to ensure we get the best quality product. Even though we do not have a direct relationship with this factory, we monitor them in the same way as all our garment factories using audits and utilising the Fair Wear Foundation's tools.

We identified this supplier as part of our supply chain mapping. This facility is a wet processor using water and chemicals in their processing. They are signed up to the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) Gateway and transparently reporting on their wastewater testing and chemical management. We are encouraging them to engage further with the Supplier to Zero program which will provide them with more tools and advice on best practice.

BAM are a certified B-Corp. We launched the Employee Ownership Trust in 2021 which means our employees now equally share ownership of 10% of the company. BAM is a living wage employer in the UK and is accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.