California Apparel News

World Water Day falls on March 22 and ecologically conscientious women's denim and elevated-basics brand Ética is putting its money into its mission through supporting Water.org. By donating 15 percent of all proceeds from website sales to the organization through March 22, Ética is simply stepping up its existing community-service and charitable efforts.

"Water.org has been on our radar for some time," said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Michelle Marsh. "Their messaging is clear, their results are measurable, and that really resonates with us. We are supporting Water.org to help families around the world get access to safe water and sanitation, simple as that."

No stranger to ethical manufacturing and practices, Ética has been known to work with groups such as 1% For The Planet, One Tree Planted, Friends of the LA River, Heal The Bay's Adopt-a-Beach program, TreePeople and My Friend's Place. By partnering with Water.org, Ética reinforced its commitment to cleaner water practices that it uses to make its products, according to Marsh.

"As a key initiative for Spring '20, we did a deep dive on the amount of freshwater used in typical denim production and pushed ourselves to improve both our water usage and the condition of our used water even further. We introduced new, low-impact wash techniques, eliminating toxic chemicals like caustic soda and potassium, and using botanical dyes for color."

Following this process, Marsh said that the factory water was at a level of cleanliness that was acceptable to be recycled for use at local farms, affording the opportunity to grow food for the community. Within its Spring 2020 collection, Ética included on earthy hues in tan, patina, and blush that were created from botanical dyes based in floral sources, barks and coffee root. In addition to sourcing natural items to create dyes, the Marsh explained that the company uses 90 percent less water than the industry standard during manufacturing. With each season, Ética aims to further reduce water usage and improve its wash methods.

"By taking a holistic approach to this problem, it can be easier for every manufacturer to make improvements where they can," Marsh said. "We know that the high-tech equipment we use can be a major investment, but sourcing alternative, low-impact or natural dyes, softeners and finishing enzymes might be a good option for some manufacturers. At the creative level, our design team has the freedom to research and experiment to find new ways to reduce water consumption every season."

Available via the Ética website, Spring 2020 pieces are priced from $42-$185 in sizes XS-L and 24-32.