Swedish fashion brand Acne Studios has achieved B-Corp certification, joining a growing group of fashion companies committed to improving their environmental and social impact.

Achieving B-Corp status was no easy feat for Acne Studios, the brand underscored in a press release today. To earn the certification, companies must answer more than 300 detailed questions on topics ranging from environmental impact and governance to treatment of employees and customers. It took the Stockholm-based fashion house’s team 24 months to meet the requirements of B Lab, the nonprofit network that awards the certification.

Acne Studios achieved a score of 83.2, just above the 80 threshold required for B-Corp certification. By comparison, Patagonia, often praised for its sustainability and social impact, achieved an impressive score of 166, while Dutch brand Mud Jeans scored 124.7. A reassessment is conducted every three years to ensure that companies continue to meet the set standards and improve their social and environmental performance.

Mattias Magnusson, CEO of Acne Studios, shared: “As a brand, we have a responsibility to drive change and play our part in creating a more sustainable fashion industry. This is a commitment we implement in all facets of our business, from design to production, partners and ethical standards. The B-Corp certification recognises the steps we have taken and provides us with a solid framework to further strengthen our social and environmental commitments.”

Acne, which stands for Ambition to Create Novel Expressions, Studios was founded in 1997 by Johnny Johansson. The designer designed 100 pairs of jeans with red stitching and handed them out to friends and family. The jeans were picked up by major fashion magazines and the line was soon expanded to include men's and women's clothing. Acne Studios now has branches in leading fashion cities such as London, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Osaka, Paris, Seoul and New York. IDG Capital and IT Group hold a total of 41 percent of the shares in Acne Studios.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.NL. It was translated to English using an AI tool called Genesis and edited by Rachel Douglass..