STAND TALL FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
WE DO AT LEE.
We passionately challenge ourselves and bring people together to create a stronger, more sustainable future.
OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMPANY GOALS BY 2025-2030
FOR A WORLD THAT WORKSTM
We celebrate our products when they meet at least one of the 3 pillars from our global design standards and during the manufacturing processes, all chemicals used must be checked for ZDHC MRSL compliance.
PREFERRED MATERIALS
One way to meet our For A World That WorksTM Standard is for a product to have at least 70% of fabric material sourced from our Preferred Material List.
Cotton in our Preferred Material List includes cotton grown under advanced agriculture practises, recycled cotton from validated post-consumer or post-industrial sources or cotton certified under organic or other frameworks. We use natural fibers such as hemp and linen as a complement to cotton. We also use synthetic fibers based on natural woodpulp such as lyocell and modal, which are produced with less water an energy as compared to traditional cotton. Learn more about the fibers that make our Preferred Materials List.
Learn moreLOW IMPACT FABRIC
Another way to meet our For A World That WorksTM Standard is when the fabric comes from a denim mill (prior to cut and sew) that has achieved at least a 90% reduction in fresh water from a 2018-2019 baseline.
Our Indigood® Program measures, validates, and annually monitors the freshwater consumption of denim mills, seeking to conserve millions of liters and driving change across the industry. The savings must be verified by an independent third-party through our Indigood® Program. Learn more about our Indigood fresh water savings program.
LEARN MORELOW IMPACT FINISHING
We internally monitor our wash processes using a third-party software platform Environmental Impact Measure (EIM) from Jeanologia.
This tool assesses water, energy, chemistry and worker health areas and calculates an overall “Impact Score” To meet our For A World That WorksTM Standard for low impact finishing, the products must be processed by finishing techniques which have achieved a “Low Impact” score.
GLOSSARY
While Lee’s material footprint includes very few animal-derived materials, we believe in treating animals with care and respect and actively promote and pursue further development and use of viable commercial substitutes to animal-derived materials. In cases where we use animal derived materials in our products, we are committed to ensuring the animal’s ethical treatmen.
Our sustainability platform that unites Lee’s legacy of innovation and purpose with a new vision of the future. Through purposeful design, meaningful partnerships, and a commitment to the planet, Lee will bring people together to create more sustainable future.
We are committed to the responsible use of forest-derived materials. Lee prioritizes the use of certified-sustainable sources, with a preference for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified materials. We also actively reduce virgin material use and increase materials with recycled content, with a priority to include both post-consumer recycled materials and innovative solutions including alternative fiber sources such as agriculture residues. Read our policy here.
To ensure social responsibility and environmental sustainability within our complex supply chain, we expect our contract supplier factories to comply with our Terms of Engagement and our Global Compliance Principles , which are regularly audited by our internal and third-party auditors. These Principles are brought to life through our Factory Facility Guidelines and Factory Audit Procedures. Our goal is for every supplier factory to operate with the same high standards as our owned manufacturing facilities.
Durable, comfortable and natural compliment fiber to cotton. Hemp requieres less water to grow as compared to conventional cotton.
Indigood® denim fabric must come from a denim mill that has achieved at least 90% reduction in fresh water use from an independent third-party established 2018-2019 baseline.
Jacron is vegan leather alternative made from cellulose and is used as a substitute for leather patches on some of our jeans.
The newest way to mimic a lived-in look, lasers can be used to create whiskers, holes, or patterns. The advanced process digitizes design and development, easily distressing a pair of Lee jeans in a few minutes.
Cotton certified to have been grown from non-genetically modified seeds, with minimal fertilizers and pesticides such as GOTS certified, OCS certified cotton.
Regenerative cotton uses farming practises that help to keep the land fertile, restore biodiversity and add carbon to the soil while aiming to secure the wealth of those who live on it.
Cotton from validated sources of postindustrial or post-consumer. Recycled cotton prevents additional textile waste and requires fewer resources than virgin cotton.
Nylon made from recycled materials, which may include fabric scraps, fishing nets, or old clothes
Polyester made from recycled materials.
Our owned and operated facilities will be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2025. Through our parent company, Kontoor Brands, we are in the process of establishing a Science Based Target.
Restricted Substance List: Lee requires our suppliers and business partners to certify their compliance to our Restricted Substance List (RSL). The RSL is an integral part of quality and Manufacturing Control Programs in chemical management. Read our RSL here.
ZDHC MRSL – Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Manufacturing Restricted Substances List is a list of chemical substances banned from intentional use in the processing of textile materials, leather, rubber, foam, adhesives and trims used in textiles, apparel, and footwear industry. Intentional use means the substance used deliberately in a chemical product to achieve a desired look or functionality.