What Matters Most
We know you care about more than just your outfit’s appearance - that working conditions, environmental impact and personal health also determine where you shop for clothes. We map all of our manufacturing processes, sustainability efforts and charitable giving. We’re not perfect, but we believe that small actions can make a big impact.
Sustainable Developement Goals
We rely on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 goals designed to ease world problems like poverty, gender inequality, and climate change. The UN stresses the importance of reaching each of these goals by 2030 to achieve a healthier, more sustainable future for all people. At Grey State, we map all our manufacturing processes, sustainability efforts, and charitable giving onto these goals.
Truly great fashion starts with truly great materials
Superior quality and durability, paired with industry-leading standards of sustainability.
Earth-Friendly Fabric
Our clothes are fully traceable from the bale of cotton to the final product. Our integrated supply chain is geared to produce in a sustainable, responsible and transparent manner, allowing full traceability from fiber to finished product. We use the UN Sustainable Development Goals as our guide and strive to uphold the highest level of ethical and environmentally responsible business practices.
100% USA Cotton
Recycled Fabric
Natural, Non-Toxic Dyes
Not only is cotton USA of superior quality and durability, but it also follows industry leading standards of sustainability. Cotton USA farmers grow cotton on family owned farms, passed down through generations. They take pride in growing the highest caliber of cotton and leaving the land better than they found it. Cotton USA has the strictest government enforced regulations which means that farmers are held to peak standards. Every year, the US cotton industry seeks to improve its standards and reduce its environmental effects. Future goals include reducing energy usage by 15%, increasing water usage efficiency by 18%, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 39%. The US cotton industry was the first to test 100% of its bales––which means total transparency. Cotton USA farmers consistently improve their technology and techniques for a cleaner cotton and a better future.
Approximately 15% of fabric is wasted during the production process, usually to be burned or discarded into landfills. By recycling textile waste we save water, dyes, and chemicals that would have been needed to process “new” fabric. Because the waste fabric has already been colored, it can be sorted by color, shredded into fiber, and converted to yarn without using any additional water or chemicals. By recycling our used textiles, we give them new life, reducing waste and carbon emissions.
Our Natural Dyes are made with 100% traceable mineral dyes, these eco-friendly dyes are not only stunning, but they’re natural and biodegradable. Natural dyes are an excellent alternative to the petroleum-based dyes that dominate the fashion industry and, we believe, are a solid investment in the future. All of our mineral dyes are GOTS V approved and free of toxic heavy metals making them safe for workers and wearers alike. Plus, they can be processed at lower temperatures, which saves on water and energy use in manufacturing.
We put people first
We believe that everybody in our supply chain deserves fair wages, healthy working conditions, and a sense of dignity in their work.
Ethical Manufacturing Standards
We work with third party organizations that audit our factories on a regular basis to ensure we are abiding by all laws and regulations. We have 24-hour doctor-staffed medical centers in all our manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh to ensure easy access to health care.
All of our factories are certified by the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) program, which means that we adhere to WRAP’s 12 principles for safe, legal, and ethical manufacturing.
We provide childcare for parents at our production facilities. We also partner with Better Work Bangladesh and International Finance Corporation (IFC), whose GEAR (Gender Equality and Returns) initiative seeks to correct gender imbalances in Bangladesh’s garment industry. We work with GEAR to identify female floor workers well-suited to supervisory positions and then promote them.
We care about the planet
We know there’s a better way to make clothes, which is why we work hard to keep our environmental impact as low as possible.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions
Low Environmental Impact
By handling the entire manufacturing process ourselves, we’re able to dramatically reduce waste, energy use, and environmental pollution at every stage of production.
LEED assesses buildings and offers certificates to those which are meeting their standards of sustainability and efficiency. Our factory’s LEED certification ensures that our production facilities are safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly:
- Powered by solar energy
- Generates additional energy from fabric scraps to power our irons.
- Harvests local rainwater for its water needs.
- Biological effluent treatment plant where bacteria remove harmful chemicals from our garment factory’s wastewater ensuring that the water released into the environment is free of ecological harm.
Using upcycled textile waste to create soft, beautiful fabrics that feel luxurious while reducing our carbon footprint. Textile wastes are a heavy burden on our planet’s resources.
Approximately 15% of fabric is wasted during the production process, usually to be burned or discarded into landfills. By recycling textile waste we save water, dyes, and chemicals that would have been needed to process “new” fabric. Because the waste fabric has already been colored, it can be sorted by color, shredded into fiber, and converted to yarn without using any additional water or chemicals. By recycling our used textiles, we give them new life, reducing waste and carbon emissions.
Charitable Initiatives
We are Women owned and operated, empowering females and the planet.
Ways we give back
Donating a dollar from every Grey State purchase to plant a tree through One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization focused on reforestation. One Tree Planted is a non-profit organization focused on global reforestation. Their goal is simple: make it easy for people to understand the importance of trees and make it even easier to get trees in the ground. One Tree Planted works in communities around the globe, collaborating with locals and choosing the best tree species for a given environment. Trees are an essential part of our ecosystems, helping clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and providing habitat to over 80% of the world's biodiversity. Every tree planted makes a difference in restoring health to our Earth. Grey State is dedicated to doing our part–– that’s why for every Grey State purchase, $1 goes directly to planting a tree.
We contribute funding to Beautiful Mind, a school in Dhaka, Bangladesh for children with intellectual disabilities.
In Bangladesh, 42% of girls drop out of school before the tenth grade. This is why we fully fund Malek Chowdhury Memorial Girls’ School, in Gazipur, Bangladesh in the vicinity of our factories because for women, education is power.
One Tree Planted Partner
Grey State Blog
Ethical Fashion vs. Sustainable Fashion–Let’s Talk About It
There’s no shortage of buzzwords in the fashion lexicon, but two phrases seem to pop up more often these days: ethical fashion and sustainable fashion. At this point, you might be wondering, "what ...
Read more
A Seasonal Guide to Layering Dresses with Ease
Wondering how to layer dresses with your favorite pieces throughout the year? Our complete guide to seasonal layering has you covered—just like that go-to knit jacket in your closet. As the tempera...
Read more
A Simple Guide to Styling a Long Dress with Any Look
Long dresses give you a blank canvas. They can go from casual to classy with just a few changes. If you’re heading to brunch or a date night, there’s always a way to make it fit the occasion.In thi...
Read more