Social Commitments
The social mission that drives us...
Our social mission, to help everyone have a safe night’s sleep, is the backbone of our business. It is the reason that rho exists, and is the guiding light that drives us forward, as we strive to contribute to important positive change within the fashion industry and wider society. We use our business values of compassion, transparency and accountability to guide all of our decisions and how we communicate with you, our customers. We approach our social impact from two key angles: our supply chain, and the retail of our products.
Supply Chain Impact
We intentionally chose to produce our loungewear with a Fair Trade, artisan manufacturer whose values align with our own. Mehera Shaw, based in Jaipur, are an incredible environmentally-conscious company that have a people-centered approach to sustainable production. They are a member of the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation, #1047), the Fair Trade Federation in the US and Craftmark. They produce everything in-house in accordance with Fair Labour Standards, which ensures:
— No forced labour or forced overtime
— All staff and artisans are full-time salaried employees and are always paid a living wage, on time.
— Clean and safe working conditions
— No excessive working hours
— No child labour Government of India supported pension funds for all staff
— No discrimination
Mehera Shaw also go above and beyond these standards by offering the following benefits to all of their staff and artisans:
— Staff bonuses paid 3 times annually (1/3 monthly salary)
— Full medical care benefits to all stitchers and their family members through a Government of India incentive program
— Emergency loans for education, illness and family concerns
— Paid holiday leave
— Clean drinking water, chai and lunch breaks
— Non-discriminatory working conditions and right of expression, clear advocacy and work policies
— Ongoing skills training for all staff and support for ongoing learning
We are so proud and grateful to work with such an incredible organisation who truly have sustainability at their core. It is a pleasure working with them and our relationship is built on trust, respect and appreciation for the artisan craft methods they use. By working with Mehera Shaw and hand block printing our fabrics, we actively support and promote small-scale decentralised production, artisan work and skills, celebrate the cultural identity of the workers involved in our supply chain, and support the preservation of heritage artisan crafts and traditions of India.
Click through to read more about how our fabrics are printed and how our loungewear is made.
We also want to let you know about the social standards which protect all the workers involved in growing, milling and weaving our GOTS organic cotton. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard and is the current, worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. It relies on on-site inspection and certification of all processors, manufacturers and traders involved, which is performed by independent specially accredited bodies. Every step of the production process, from the growing of the cotton to the spinning and milling of it, is all certified and every person involved is protected by the high quality GOTS environmental and social standards.
The social standards include but are not limited to:
— No child labour Guaranteed living wages
— Protection against excessive working hours and discrimination
— Safe and hygienic working conditions
Learn more about GOTS certified organic cotton and it's impact on the planet on our ‘Environmental Commitments’ page.
Product Retail Impact
In line with our vision to help everyone have a safe night’s sleep, we decided to partner with Kent-based charity Oasis, who are on a mission to keep victims of domestic abuse safe, help rebuild lives and create lasting change.
We donate £5 from every item we sell to Oasis to support the vital work they do, which includes running two refuges which offer families a safe night’s sleep, and providing an array of incredible support and prevention services.
On the first of every new month, we make a donation to Oasis based on the orders of the month before last, so that we have given all customers their 30 days return window.We also have a donate option on our shop page allowing you to contribute to this crucial cause, even if you are not making a purchase. You can read more about our social mission here.
If you or someone you know are affected by domestic abuse, or would like any more information on this topic please click here.
