WHY A REPORT?
2020 IMPACT REPORT
We believe companies should be accountable for more than just profits. That’s why we’d like to share our sustainability reports so we can track our progress together.
Year summary:
Despite the many difficulties imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we achieved 77% of our goals in 2020 thanks to our determined work.
BASED ON 5PS OF REFLECT STUDIO
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 5PS, VISIT OUR SUSTAINABILITY PAGE
2020
Impact report
INDEX ↓
01. PRODUCT
↳ 01.1. MATERIAL USAGE IN 2020
↳ 01.2. NEW PRODUCTS IN 2020
↳ 01.3. GAME PLAN
↳ 01.3. GAME PLAN
02. PLANET
↳ 02.1. HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES OF 2020↳ 02.2. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ↳ 02.3. GAME PLAN
↳ 02.3. GAME PLAN
03. PEOPLE
↳ 03.1. HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES OF 2020↳ 03.2. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ↳ 02.3. GAME PLAN
↳ 02.3. GAME PLAN
04. PARTNERSHIPS
↳ 04.1. HIGHLIGHTS OF 2020
↳ 04.2. GAME PLAN
05. PROGRESS
↳ 05.1. HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES OF 2020
↳ 05.2. GAME PLAN
01.Product
As a manufacturing office, our material choices have the greatest impact. We continuously push for better fibres, better applications, better products. From the design stage to manufacturing, we are committed to creating environmentally responsible products.
↳ 01.1. Material usage in 2020
↳ 01.2. New products in 2020
→ New beeswax cloth and case set designed for WWF Market.
→ The home collection introduced to WWF Market, featuring pillow linings made from recycled polyvinyl chloride.
→ Children's collection introduced to WWF Market, featuring our signature hoodies and t-shirts. We want to widen our product range for children in 2021.
→ We sourced a new steel flask for WWF Market and we are very satisfied with its functionality and design.
→ We designed species embroidered beanies made of 100% organic cotton for WWF Market.
→ Switched to recycled PES material for our fleeces.
HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES
OF 2020
CATEGORY
01.PRODUCT
Highlights
↳ No overproduction and consumption
This year we avoided high volumes of production to encourage people to reduce production and consumption. Instead, we replenished stocks according to sales reports and demands.
↳ Recycled materials
We replaced all of the raw materials of our fleece products with recycled materials. We were not satisfied with the materials we were using in the previous years, therefore we switched to recycled polyester in the production of all of our fleece products.
↳ Our workshop
We opened our workshop, which was included in our 2019 plans so that we can manage our sample processes.
↳ Oeko-Tex 100 Standard certificate
We received the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard certificate, which certifies that we produce environmentally friendly products and that we do not use any harmful chemicals in our production processes. We are now official holders of this certificate, which was previously owned by our suppliers.
↳ A sustainable alternative in gifts
We came up with a more sustainable gift option for our customers and their relatives by issuing e-gift cards valid for 90 days.
↳ Inclusiveness in design
We have taken an important step towards inclusiveness by starting to offer options for XXS and XXL sizes in our products.
Challenges
↳ Ironing and packaging
We are still using recycled plastic for packaging products that have been ironed and folded. Our goal in 2021 is to switch to a biodegradable alternative but because these materials are not produced in Turkey, local supply is very limited.
↳ COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the sustainable fashion industry as it affected every other industry. All our processes slowed down due to the pandemic and we were faced with the challenge of working at half capacity. This situation negatively affected our entire supply chain.
FOR PRODUCT
Game Plan
01.
Material:
We will use nylon yarns produced from plastic waste such as Tencel, hemp and Econyl in our products, and we will prefer antibacterial and antiviral materials in finishing processes. We will also increase our use of deadstock * and up & recycled material.
* Deadstock fabrics are worn out and over-ordered fabrics from factories, other designers and warehouses. We order and use these left-over fabrics. By doing this we re-purpose these materials and put them in your closets rather than landfills.
02.
Collaborations:
We will collaborate with the Prince’s Island Sea Life and Sports Club Association (ADYSK), which aims to spread awareness about maritime and the protection of seas. We are also planning collaborations with BIOLIVE, a studio that combines technology and nature, and Ottan Studio, which works creatively on sustainability and design by focusing on biomaterials. Also, we will launch a collection of up-cycled bags designed from old sail fabrics with Hüner Aldemir's brand, Huner.
03.
New products:
In 2021, WWF Market will feature baby products for the first time. We will create a swimsuit collection from recycled materials and design a collection of clothing from raw yarn and fabrics suitable for everyday use. We will also produce an up-cycled collection using abandoned, lost or discarded fishing nets called ghost nets, thus taking the first steps towards our goal of producing a collection using at least two dead stocks and up-cycled materials per year.
04.
New brand:
We are excited to announce our medical uniforms brand in June 2021. Currently under the design process, this new brand will be introducing functionality, modern design and sustainability to healthcare workers’ uniforms.
05.
Certifications:
We hope to attain the “PETA approved Vegan” certification for all our suitable products in 2021 to show that there are no raw materials derived from animal products.
02.Planet
Our principles are about evaluating our environmentally friendly approach. This includes how we manage the environmental impact of our business activities as well as our daily impact as a team, our water and energy usage, our paper consumption, our carbon emissions, our use of plastic products and our waste management.
HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES
OF 2020
CATEGORY
02.PLANET
Highlights
↳ From paper to digital:
To reduce our paper consumption, we changed from a paper return/exchange card to a digital alternative.
↳ New trees:
In 2020, we planted 130 trees for our employees' birthdays and 3.028 trees to help balance our carbon emissions.
↳ Packaging alternatives:
We started a research and development process for biodegradable packaging. We are now using cassava wrapping as an alternative to plastic bags. Cassava is a raw material that dissolves in hot water and can be converted into compost within 1-2 months.
↳ Green Office:
We took the first step to get a Green Office certificate from WWF, one of the top goals on our to-do list from 2020, and we are currently in the testing phase.
Challenges
↳ Lack of alternatives and producers
There are not enough options for sustainable products and packaging bags cargo in Turkey. That's why we are unable to take fast action in this regard.
↳ Problems at headquarters
We held meetings with the building owner and manager to obtain the electricity for our office from solar energy. In line with this goal, we were hoping to install panels on the roof of the building. However, we could not get the necessary permission. Also, due to the deficiencies in municipal services, we still could not provide the level of recycling system we wanted at our headquarters.
FOR PLANET
Game Plan
01.
New trees:
We aim to plant 10,000 trees in 2021.
02.
Green Office:
In 2021 we hope to obtain the Green Office certificate as part of our strategy to reduce the pressure of humanity on natural resources.
03.
Plastic usage:
We plan to find a suitable alternative to plastic garment bags by 2022. We aim to end the use of unnecessary plastic in packaging.
04.
Evaluation:
We aim to switch to software like GaBi to make more comprehensive and detailed life cycle evaluations for our products.
05.
Carbon emissions and renewable energy:
Though we hope for an increase in production in 2021, we will take the necessary steps to reduce our carbon emissions. We will also prefer more renewable energy and move to more sustainable alternatives instead of heaters and air conditioners.
03.People
People are about all stakeholders of Reflect Studio: our team, workers in the factories we manufacture with, our suppliers, our clients. We aim to evaluate our company’s choices on fair production, as well as our employee’s financial, physical, social well-being and safety. We want to establish a transparent relationship with our clients and invest in our services accordingly.
HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES
OF 2020
CATEGORY
03.PEOPLE
Highlights
↳ Atelier certificates:
Since some of our ateliers are small family-owned businesses, they do not have the opportunity to obtain certificates based on fair working principles such as ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative), BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) and Sedex. This is why we prepared a code of conduct based on the principles of ETI to ensure their working hours, compensation, health and safety conditions.
↳ Additional private health insurance:
We provided private health insurance to all members of our team.
↳ Donations:
We donated hoodies and t-shirts to village schools and earthquake zones.
↳ Sharing the profit:
In 2020, we shared 10% of our profit within our team.
Challenges
↳ Working remotely:
The concept of working remotely entered our lives for the first time in 2020 with the pandemic. As a result, we think we can adapt to the conditions easily, but since working remotely is a new concept for us, we had a hard time getting used to it.
↳ Workshop follow-ups:
Although we had our family-owned ateliers sign the Reflect Studio's code of conduct, we can’t track how well it is applied in daily workflows.
FOR PEOPLE
Game Plan
01.
Kumbara:
In 2021 we aim to restart our Kumbara meetings which we held every week in the previous years. We believe that this practice, which is based on sharing cultural and scientific content that the team members follow, will be useful in matters such as establishing a common written and visual language and developing our code of conduct.
02.
Increase Interaction:
We would like to increase our interaction with our followers by publishing more blog content on our Medium account.
04.Partnerships
When leveraging the brand identities of institutions through aesthetic, functional and sustainable products, we take pride in doing so exclusively through our partnerships with non-governmental organizations. Our partnerships also cover our associations with independent, 3rd party platforms to better evaluate our impact as objectively as possible.
HIGHLIGHTS
OF 2020
CATEGORY
04.PARTNERSHIPS
Highlights
↳ Celebrating 2 years with WWF-Turkey:
As of December 2020, we celebrated the second anniversary of our partnership with WWF-Turkey. As the sole, official licensor of the NGO, we have significantly contributed to WWF-Turkey’s local operations and projects that aim to conserve natural habitat and various species. To discover more about our partnership, visit reflectstudio.com/wwf
↳ Amnesty Store:
We had listed working with other NGOs in the same model as WWF for our 2020 game plan. We achieved that goal in June 2020 when we became the sole official licensor of Amnesty Turkey. In 2020, we’ve created two collections and will widen our product portfolio in 2021. We are happy to financially support Amnesty-Turkey in their campaigns.
↳ Planting trees with TEMA:
We are continuing in our efforts to plant trees to offset the carbon generated from our operations. To do that, we partnered with TEMA, the non-governmental organization for reforestation and the protection of natural habitats in Turkey and planted 3158 trees in 2020 alone.
↳ New collaborations:
We expanded our partnerships and started working on a special multidisciplinary project with a Berlin-based studio. Details to be announced soon. Stay tuned.
↳ One year in the B-Corp family:
In 2020 we celebrated the 1st anniversary of being a part of the B-Corp family. We accomplished our goals of sustainable production and radical transparency by keeping a respectful and conscious attitude at every stage of production, both environmentally and socially. Being a member of B-Corp is a stamp of approval that this attitude is accepted worldwide and this approval comes as a result of a detailed examination process.
↳ Supporting ADYSK:
We purchased underwater drones for the Prince’s Island Sea Life and Sports Club Association to support the fight to clear our oceans of ghost nets.
↳ UNDP collaborations:
We partnered with the United Nations Development Programme which helps local organizations in their goal to reach Sustainable Development Goals. In March 2020, UNDP partnered with the Turkish Basketball Federation to integrate the UN Climate Action series into sports. For the game played between Turkey and Netherlands, Reflect Studio designed and produced t-shirts and towels to be worn and used by team players, as well as recycled paper cups for cafeterias.
FOR PEOPLE
Game Plan
01.
Scalability of partnerships:
In 2020 we accomplished replicating our WWF licensing model for Amnesty Store. In 2021 we are hoping to develop a system that will allow us to scale this model with other global NGOs. We provide a full-service approach that requires diligent and customized work.
05.Progress
Progress at Reflect Studio stands for all our efforts and investments in our quest to build better products, with fair and transparent processes. Progress exists for us to classify, evaluate and enhance our activities within all other 4Ps and move forward continuously.
HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES
OF 2020
CATEGORY
05.PROGRESS
Highlights
↳ In-house workshop:
In 2020, we committed to opening an in-house space where we would experiment with different materials and moulds, as well as print & embroidery applications and sewing techniques. We accomplished this goal thus allowing us to build better products.
Challenges
↳ COVID-19 and remote working:
In 2020 we expanded our team from 18 team members to 32. We were quickly able to adapt to the concept of remote working with the COVID-19 pandemic.
FOR PEOPLE
Game Plan
01.
RS branded R&D:
In 2020, we committed to launching our own RS branded R&D collection. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the time to do so. This year we want to recommit ourselves to this game plan, no matter how busy we get, with the hope of expanding our creativity in innovative production methods.