Ralph Lauren

Jan 23, 2021

Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American apparel and footwear company that creates mid-segment and luxury shoes, clothing, bags, sunglasses, fragrances, watches, and other accessories.

American fashion designer, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman Ralph Lauren started the company in 1967 in New York City to sell his collection of men's ties.

The company believes in global citizenship and sustainability. It rethinks its impact on the environment and society by utilizing creativity, the power of design, and innovative technologies to drive change.

Ralph Lauren owns several global luxury brands, including Club Monaco, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren, RL Home Collections, and RL Fragrances.

The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has committed USD 10 million to help communities around the world. It also donates 1.5 million clothing products to frontline workers and families in need worldwide.

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Sustainability Rating: 7/10

Rating FAQ

Category: Clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, jewelry

For: Women, men, children

Type: Basics, denim, swimwear, dresses, loungewear, outerwear, knitwear, sleepwear, sneakers, boots, flats, heels, sandals

Style: Casual, chic

Quality: Medium

Price: $$

Sizes: 2XS-XL, 0-16 (US), 4-20 (UK), 32-48 (EU), 4-20 (AU)

Fabrics: Cotton, linen, hemp, ramie, jute, lyocell, modal, viscose, acetate, cupro, polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, rubber, leather, wool, silk, down

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical & Fair: Yes

Recycling: Yes

Producing country: Cambodia, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam

Certifications: BCI, GOTS, OCS, GRS, RCS, FSC, RWS, TDS, ZDHC

Sustainability Practices

"We believe that business has a critical role to play in creating an equitable and sustainable future. In 2019, we launched Design the Change, our strategy to accelerate our work across citizenship and sustainability.

Design the change is anchored in commitments that will drive progress across our three focus areas: Creating Timeless Style, Protecting the Environment, and Championing Better Lives."

Ralph Lauren is taking action to create a culture of belonging where everyone can be their best selves and succeed, both in the workplace and its communities.

It is taking steps to mitigate its environmental footprint and water use, wastewater discharge, hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, air emissions, and chemicals.

Ralph Lauren commits to integrating zero waste principles across its business. It aims to divert waste from landfills through recycling and upcycling, reducing waste at its source, and implementing other best practices.

Its retail stores continue to recycle to divert waste from landfill. 100% of its stores in North America continue to have recycling programs.

Ralph Lauren is also developing a reusable shipping package pilot as part of its effort to reduce shipping packaging waste. The box contains sustainably sourced materials such as recycled cardboard and responsible wood from FSC certified sustainable forests.

Ralph Lauren continues to increase the proportion of sustainable materials it sources. It supports innovation to make more responsible and sustainable products.

Ralph Lauren only uses a medium proportion of natural and sustainable materials, such as organic cotton, linen, hemp, ramie, and jute. It also uses recycled fabrics, such as regenerated nylon and recycled polyester.

Some of its organic fabrics are GOTS or OCS certified, widely recognized certification standards that guarantee sustainable processes, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible conditions.

Ralph Lauren also uses semi-synthetic regenerated fibers, such as lyocell, modal, viscose, cupro, and acetate, made from renewable materials extracted from wood pulp from FSC certified sustainable forests.

However, many of the fabrics it uses are still highly polluting synthetic petroleum-based fibers, such as polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane.

Ralph Lauren has Operating Guidelines and Fair Treatment Policies that apply to all its suppliers and subcontractors. It measures performance and compliance with its work practices.

Ralph Lauren monitors compliance with its Operating Standards through independent third-party audits together with audits conducted by its in-house team and assessments from Better Work.

The fashion corporation is working with suppliers to develop transparent human resource systems for wages in its factories. It also undertakes several wage studies in its key sourcing regions to deepen its understanding of workers' pay levels and needs.

Ralph Lauren doesn't use any exotic animal skin, or hair, fur, angora. But it uses leather, wool, silk, and down feathers to manufacture many of its products.

These animal-derived materials are cruel and unethical. They also harm the environment by producing greenhouse gases and wastes. More sustainable alternatives exist.

Sustainability Goals

Ralph Lauren signed the "We Are Still In" declaration and the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. It pledges to limit its emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals.

Ralph Lauren is also a G7 Fashion Pact member, a group of fashion leaders working to stop global warming, restore biodiversity, and protect the oceans.

It aims to reduce its carbon emissions across its global supply chain by 30% by 2030.

By 2025, 100% of its polyester will be recycled polyester. And 100% of its viscose will be sustainably sourced and verified through CanopyStyle audits.

Ralph Lauren aims to source 100% sustainable cotton and achieve 100% sustainable input chemistry by enabling Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) to phase out hazardous chemicals by 2025.

The fashion corporation plans 100% renewable electricity for owned and operated offices, distribution centers, and stores by 2025.

Ralph Lauren wants to reach zero waste to landfill across its distribution centers by 2023.

100% of its packaging material will be recyclable, reusable, or sustainably sourced by 2025.

Ralph Lauren also aims to reduce its total water use across its operations and value chain by 20% or more by 2025, compared to the 2020 baseline.

The fashion corporation coordinates with factories to improve worker well-being and career progression through its Better Life programs. It aims to make these empowerment and life-skills programs available to 250,000 workers across its supply chain by 2030.

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Discover Ralph Lauren's sustainable collections at ralphlauren.com.

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