Minimum

The brand has its own code of conduct which all its suppliers and manufacturers must adhere to. This document lays out strict guidelines regarding working conditions (a strict ban on child labour), animal welfare, the use of chemicals, and the ethical sourcing of materials. By doing this, Minimum wants to oblige all its collaborators to treat their employees and the environment with respect.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of transparency, it is currently difficult to tell whether their code of conduct is successful in ensuring their production chain is ethical. We don’t know where production takes place and whether there are regular checks or visits to these sites. Minimum’s code of conduct is a step in the right direction, but due to a lack of concrete, quantified requirements and transparency, the brand still falls short here.

Minimum uses GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard) organic cotton in its collections. This certificate guarantees that the cotton is organic and regulates the use of pesticides, GMOs and water consumption. This certificate also encompasses the working conditions of the cotton farms. The working conditions of products made from GOTS-certified cotton are therefore likely reasonably good. Read all about the different certificates available for cotton here.

Minimum also uses other sustainable materials in its collections, such as recycled cotton, Ecovero viscose, Tencel and recycled polyester. The brand would like to increase the proportion of sustainable materials with each collection. A step in the right direction! 

Unfortunately, not all the materials they use are sustainable. Several of their products are currently made from conventional (non-organic) cotton along with synthetic materials like polyester and polyamide. Make sure you always check the label of their clothes to see how sustainable they really are! 

Minimum has released a capsule collection that is completely circular. The IMPACT 01 RE:MADE collection was made from their own production waste. Textile scraps were cut into fibres to spin new yarns allowing Minimum to cut down on the waste they create and reduce their demand for raw materials.

All their clothes which are made from natural materials are also biodegradable. Recycled polyester is circular as it’s made from used PET bottles. Unfortunately though, clothes made from recycled polyester do release microplastics when they’re washed. Learn more about the impact of recycled polyester here.

However, not all Minimum products are that circular. Clothes which are composed of multiple materials are harder to recycle after use. For example, when natural materials, like cotton or wool, are mixed with polyester or polyamide, the different materials must then be separated from each other before they can be recycled. 

Unfortunately, Minimum does not provide any information about the manufacturers and suppliers it works with so we cannot estimate the length of the supply chain.

Minimum’s code of conduct includes provisions on animal welfare. They state that no animals should feel pain, stress, hunger or thirst for the materials used in their collections. The brand has also forbidden animal-testing. They also only use leather that is a by-product of the dairy and meat industry. Their wool is mulesing-free and always comes from adult sheep. Fur and angora are both completely banned from their collections.

Minimum focuses on quality and pays attention to detail. The brand wants to enable people to dress fashionably without having to break the bank or compromise on quality. Minimum strives to channel its minimalist style into all its collections while keeping an eye on global trends and styles.

You can also find tips and tricks on their website to help you care for your clothes, allowing you to keep your purchases beautiful for longer. 

The brand only scores 25% from us on transparency. The brand is reasonably open about its materials and code of conduct, but it is very dependent on the product. It is a pity that no information is shared about the production locations.