Lingerie brand Nudea, which earned B-Corp status in February 2022 has shared plans to become fully circular over the next seven years in its first sustainability report.
Nudea, which was founded in the UK and expanded into North America in 2019, admits there are only “limited” second-life options for underwear garments, but says it believes it has a “responsibility to lead a change in an industry whose only outlet for disposal is landfill”.
The lingerie brand says its path to becoming circular involves four strategies:
- Using materials designed to last
- Making recycling available for bras at their end-of-life
- Encouraging buyers to choose quality over quantity
- Giving consumers advice on how to care for their underwear to make it last longer.
Nudea already includes a wash bag with every purchase and detailed instructions to prolong garment life. It also allows consumers to recycle any bra from any brand via Terracycle’s Zero Waste Box solution. Between May and December 2022 it recycled 850 bras in this way.
Building on Nudea's B-Corp status and plans to become circular by 2030
The report claims that Nudea has “one of the highest scores in apparel” amongst B-Corp brands with an overall score of 103.
The brand makes 47% of its products in Portugal, 38% in China, 12% in India and 3% in Bulgaria. As a B-Corp, all factories sign a supplier code of conduct committing them to paying fair wages and safe working conditions.
The brand also says that it visits its Tier 1 & 2 suppliers “at least” once every three years to ensure they are complying with the code of conduct.
Last year, Nudea also launched its first sleepwear collection, made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, sourced in Tamil Nadu, India. The new report says the success of this launch has made sleepwear a “mainstream” category for the brand and announced ambitions to grow in this area.
Carbon neutral to fully circular
Nudea has previously announced its carbon neutral status, which it achieved in 2021. The report shares plans to use only “natural or recycled” fabrics in all products by 2026. Nudea also says that 55% of its products met this standard in 2022.
The report also announced plans to swap from compostable polybag packaging – which can only be composted through industrial methods, which most households in the UK and US cannot access – to a home compostable plastics or paper solution.
Nudea’s report also shared plans to expand its Urb-It eco-friendly deliveries in London to five other major UK cities by the end of 2024.
Nudea's aim to drive transformative change
Nudea’s CEO and founder Priya Downes says: “Earning our B-Corp certified status in February 2022 was a remarkable milestone so early in our journey, affirming our commitment to building a business centred around environmental consciousness and social responsibility.
“As a B-Corp certified brand, we are proud to be driving transformative change within the lingerie industry. Over the past three years, we have made significant strides, spearheading sustainability projects that fill us with pride. In the midst of a turbulent 2023, the tension between business growth and sustainability has escalated, making it even more crucial for us to stay steadfast in our mission to support customers, stakeholders, and the planet."
