To truly be sustainable, a company needs to consider not only its impact on the environment, but also on lives.
Peruvian manufacturer Textil del Valle takes this to heart. The company—which counts Patagonia, Bonobos and Lacoste among its customers—wants to be the global leader in sustainable textile production. And to get there, it adheres to the idea of the triple bottom line, in which profit, planet and people are all nurtured equally.
“Sustainability is not part of our business; it is our business itself,” the company noted in a video.
To safeguard the planet, Textil del Valle reduces carbon by sourcing 100 percent of its energy from renewable resources, including solar panels. The company also generates 15 percent of its own energy needs. Further curbing carbon, Textil del Valle has purchased carbon credits to offset a total 18,678 tons of CO2.
Cutting back on waste, an on-site textile recycling plant repurposes 72,000 kilograms (around 159,000 pounds) of fabric per year. Tackling water consumption, 33 percent of wastewater gets cycled back into the production process, and an inverse osmosis plant recycles half of the water used for dyeing.
People are another priority for Textil del Valle. As part of this commitment, the company has programs to boost the quality of life for its more than 2,700 employees. In partnership with client Lululemon, Textil del Valle grows a vegetable garden for healthy eating, hosts yoga and nutrition classes and subsidizes bicycles as an active and green option for commuting.
Part of any healthy business is financial viability. Funds are needed to support projects in service of both environmental and social well-being. Textil del Valle continuously works to attract customers through innovation, leveraging its 35 years of experience to develop new production methods and bring equipment up to date.
One of the manufacturer’s competitive advantages is its vertical structure that covers the entire production process—from knitting to garment finishing. This model enables enhanced control over the value chain as well as flexibility, which is particularly valuable in these turbulent times.
“At TDV, we constantly transform ourselves to maintain our leadership and continue to be a strategic ally for our clients, innovating and growing in a competitive and responsible way,” the company explained.
Click the image above to watch the video to discover more about Textil del Valle’s approach to the triple bottom line, and see these initiatives in action.