The Warehouse and Better Cotton

Cotton is one of the most popular commodities in the world. It is a renewable resource, but its production is vulnerable to poor environmental management and working conditions

Thanks to the work of Better Cotton, the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world, farmers in the cotton supply chain can have a voice and can work to improve the sustainability of this vital crop.

The Warehouse is proud to be a member of Better Cotton.

Through our membership fees, Better Cotton licensed farmers can produce cotton in a way that cares for the environment, minimising the negative effects of fertilisers and pesticides and caring for water, soil health and natural habitats. Better Cotton farmers also commit to decent work principles – conditions that support workers’ safety and wellbeing.

Supporting the people who create the products we sell, and minimising environmental harm is a priority for The Warehouse. When we joined Better Cotton in 2019, we made a public commitment to source 50% of our cotton as Better Cotton by 2024. We are pleased that we have been able to significantly exceed that goal.

Better Cotton advise us that in 2023 nearly 90% of our cotton was sourced as Better Cotton.

Our Better Cotton is sourced via a system of Mass Balance and is not physically traceable to end products.

Better Cotton Farmers experience profit increases for a variety of reasons, most commonly due to increased yields and/or optimised use of inputs (such as irrigation water, pesticides, or synthetic fertiliser).

2023 results

• In 2023 across its apparel and home textile ranges The Warehouse purchased about 3,475 tonnes of cotton fibre.
• Better Cotton advise us that 89.85 % of this was sourced as Better Cotton.
• In 2023, an estimated 2.29 billion litres of water were saved thanks to our sourcing of Better Cotton.
• In 2023, an estimated 1,400 kg of pesticides were avoided thanks to our sourcing of Better Cotton
• In 2023, Better Cotton Farmers benefited from an estimated 813,719 (NZ) dollars additional profit, thanks to our sourcing of Better Cotton.

The Warehouse is a member of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and has been using FSC certified wood and paper products since the early 2000s. FSC is the world's most trusted sustainable forest management solution and the original pioneer of forest certification.

Our FSC and FSC Mix certified paper and wood product ranges provide assurance of:

• Zero deforestation - Although trees are harvested, there is no net loss of forest over time.
• Environmental protection - FSC certification requires biodiversity to be maintained, and high conservation value areas, including old growth forests, to be protected.
• Indigenous peoples' rights respected - FSC certification requires forest inhabitants to be consulted and engaged, and cultural rights to be maintained.
• Fair wage and work environment for workers - FSC has a strong focus on securing workers' rights by incorporating core labour requirements into its system. These requirements include effective abolition of child labour, elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation, respect of freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

Learn more about Forest Stewardship Council: www.fsc.org

The Warehouse is working to add more recycled materials to our products and packaging.

Using recycled materials instead of raw materials is a way to reduce waste, conserve energy, reduce air and water pollution, and conserve natural resources. Products made with recycled materials have a smaller carbon footprint than those made with raw materials.

You can find recycled polyester in some of our active wear and winter outerwear. The recycled content comes from plastic bottles or waste polyester textiles.

In 2021 we introduced recycled cotton t shirt ranges. The recycled cotton was gathered from waste cotton fabric offcuts and then made into new yarn without using any new dyes, water or chemicals.

Whenever we make a recycled claim on our products, we always support it with a recognised certification like Global Recycle Standard or our teams gather evidence from suppliers to ensure we can stand behind our claims.

In some of The Warehouse clothing ranges you'll find the label LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose. This is a man-made fiber derived from wood pulp. It's also a great fabric choice for everyday use that drapes well and feels soft to touch.

Compared with generic viscose, the production of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ has a smaller environmental footprint*:

• Wood* - our natural and renewable raw material, wood and pulp, comes from certified and controlled sources from sustainably managed forests.
• Water* - up to 50% lower water impact and we clean up the water we use before returning it to nature.
• Air* - up to 50% lower CO2 emissions to air.

*These results were compared to generic viscose and calculated using the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) tools provided by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The Higg MSI tools assess impacts of materials to the point the materials are ready to be assembled into a product.

We know Kiwis want to see less packaging on the products they buy, and to be able to recycle packaging easily in their kerbside bins. Reducing our packaging is a big goal for us at The Warehouse.

In FY24 55% of the product packaging associated with our private-label sales met our packaging sustainability requirements. These requirements focus on re-designing and removing unnecessary packaging, eliminating packaging materials that are not kerbside recyclable and where packaging is needed, making sure it’s easy to be recycled at home or in one of our stores.

In 2024 we signed up to the Australasian Recycling Label to help Kiwi’s make the right disposal or recycling decisions

The Warehouse believes that beauty products should be cruelty-free. We are proud to be Leaping Bunny approved. A global programme, Leaping Bunny requires cruelty-free standards over and above legal requirements.

All of our own brand cosmetic and personal care products Good One are approved under the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny programme, the internationally recognisable gold standard for cruelty-free products. We adhere to a fixed cut-off date policy and proactively monitor our suppliers to ensure that our products continue to adhere to the Leaping Bunny criteria. Our supplier monitoring system is also independently audited.

For more information about Cruelty Free International, Leaping Bunny and Leaping Bunny criteria, please visit www.crueltyfreeinternational.org .

In FY24 we became Rainforest Alliance certified for our private-label coffee and cocoa products.

The Rainforest Alliance is working towards a world where people and nature thrive together. They are building a powerful alliance with farmers, businesses, consumers and others. The Rainforest Alliance seal means that farmers follow more sustainable farming practices that protect forests, improve their livelihood, promote human rights of farm workers, and help them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

To learn more about the Rainforest Alliance, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org..

Next time you are shopping for coffee and cocoa products in one of our stores, keep an eye out for our private-label products with the Rainforest Alliance seal.