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Our Commitment

Updated

OUR COMMITMENT 

Our goal from the beginning has been to create timeless high quality products that are made responsibly. We do not take shortcuts in the development of our caps and are proud of the close relationships we have formed with our suppliers and factories. Creating a product that is sustainable, ethically crafted and that has a longer lifespan is our top priority. It is our belief that customers should only purchase a cap when they need one - by choosing quality over quantity, we can increase the life of our products and contribute to a more sustainable industry. We continuously strive to improve every aspect of our business and will continue to search for innovative ways to improve our process.

 

OUR FABRICS

Our fabrics are sourced from the world’s leading textile mills. These producers are chosen for many reasons including the quality, feel, colour and sustainability of their materials. We have a Code of Conduct agreement we require all of our suppliers and factories to commit to. This agreement specifies requirements for them to operate at the highest standards of health and safety, discrimmination, fair labour and sustainability. 

 

A list of Varsity’s suppliers can be disclosed by request. However, due to increased competition, we reserve the right to withhold supplier information and disclosure will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please email us at request@varsityheadwear.com to request more information. 

 

THE FINAL ASSEMBLY

All of our products are assembled at our partner factory in Vietnam. We started working with this factory back in 2013 and since then have formed a close relationship with them. We are in continuous dialogue with the factory and this has resulted in the quality, details and designs our customers appreciate. Their craftsmanship is unlike anything else we can find in the world. Our team visits regularly and completes an annual review of Varsity’s Code of Conduct agreement. 

 

WHAT WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE

As a small business we are continually trying to improve our processes and reduce our impact. Here is our commitment to a more sustainable future. 

2020-2021 

  1. LOGISTICS 

Today our biggest challenge is the environmental footprint of the transportation of our goods. To meet lead times and reach customers more quickly, we are forced to ship components and caps across continents by air. When possible, we choose to ship by sea but it is limited. We are very conscious of the environmental impact our products have. We are working to reduce our footprint through more sustainable transportation and offsetting our CO2 emissions. 

 

  1. LIFECYCLE OF OUR PRODUCTS

We are dedicated to increasing the lifespan of our caps. They are designed intentionally to withstand the test of time by using top-of-the-line raw materials and refining the way they are assembled. However, we are always looking to discover new and innovative processes to increase the cap’s lifespan. Currently, we are researching different ways to handle our caps at the end of their life cycle in order to take full responsibility for the products we create and sell. We are looking into processes, systems, logistics, recycling and reuse of components. As a manufacturer of goods it is important that we take responsibility for our products and hope to contribute to innovation in our industry. 

 

  1. LONGEVITY OF PRODUCT 

It is important that once a cap has left Varsity Headwear, we have done everything in our control to increase its longevity. Once the cap reaches a customer, how they use it and care for it will highly influence how long it will last. We have designed ‘low maintenance’ features such as simplifying the composition and layering of the cap’s textile, so it's easier to clean. We offer our customers premium cleaning products such as brushes, cloths and soaps to encourage regular cap care. In addition, we offer products that assist with the storing and traveling of our caps to never compromise its form or fabrics. If there is ever a quality issue or if a cap has been damaged, we currently offer a repair service in Oslo and are looking at how we can offer this to our customer globally. 

 

  1. LEATHER

Traditional leather manufacturing, or the tanning industry as it's called, is a very old fashioned industry that uses significant chemicals and water in its treatment process. We are currently exploring more ecological tanneries and are testing sustainable leather cap strap options. A challenge has been the geographical location of these tanneries. They are located a great distance from our assembly factory, which causes increased transportation of goods. The additional transportation of goods quickly outweighs the benefit of using a more environmentally friendly tannery. We are committed to finding a more sustainable leather strap solution in 2021.

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO:

As a conscious consumer, you can help us improve. 

  1. Start by measuring your head accurately before you place an order to avoid unnecessary shipments for size exchanges or returns.

  2. Choose a cap that you know you will cherish and are motivated to care for. If you're not sure on what cap you want, please wait. We aim to be around for a long time. 

  3. Take care of your cap by following our care instructions (link), so you can prolong its life and utilize the cap to its fullest potential. 

  4. Help us improve! If you experience issues or have ideas on how our caps can be improved, please get in touch. No issue is too small. We love to learn and create better products. 

  5. Pass it on, if you're not regularly using your cap, please pass it on to someone that will continue to wear and care for it.