Gap introduces most sustainable collections to-date

American retailer Gap has launched its most sustainable capsule collection to date, featuring everyday essentials across adult, teen, kids, and babyGap.

Building upon the brand’s 2016 Gap for Good commitment to use less water and more sustainable materials, the ‘Generation Good’ capsule is made of organic and recycled fabrics and has been manufactured using less waste, less water, lower emissions, and better materials, alongside initiatives that support its workers.

The collection, Gap stresses showcases its commitment to its sustainability journey by driving change with products that are “well made and responsibly sourced”. To do that, it states it needs to take the brand back to its roots with its tried-and-true favourites - jeans and T-shirts.

“We obsess over fabric, details, and quality,” Gap states in the press release. “Each piece lasts a lifetime, whether it’s in your closet or someone else’s. We take pride in sourcing and reducing.”

Since 2019, Gap has used 5 percent recycled cotton in denim and 100 percent organic cotton in kids and baby styles, in addition to 100 percent recycled nylon in selected outerwear.

In addition to its ‘Generation Good’ collection, Gap has also launched five exclusive denim styles as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign challenge, which represents Gap’s most sustainable denim collection to-date.

The collection, which is 100 percent derived from natural fibres, has been “made to be made again” with Gap adding that they have leverage many learnings about circular and sustainable design that informed the larger ‘Generation Good’ capsule.

The denim styles in partnership with Ellen MacArthur Foundation have been manufactured as part of Gap’s Washwell programme, which uses at least 20 percent less water than a standard wash, as well as being made using chemicals certified to meet zero discharge of hazardous chemicals standards.

In addition, Gap adds that each denim style has been designed with removable hardware so it can be fully recycled into something new.

Currently, 91 percent of Gap denim is part of its water-saving Washwell programme, which it notes is better than its original 2021 goal of 75 percent.

This is Gap’s latest commitment to sustainability, in December 2020, the retail group committed to using only 100 percent sustainably-sourced cotton by 2025 across its brands Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta.

Images: courtesy of Gap