Samsøe & Samsøe

Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Samsøe & Samsøe “It's a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses a medium proportion of lower-impact materials including organic cotton.
• To minimise waste, it reuses some of its textile offcuts.
• It’s set an intensity target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain but there’s no evidence it’s on track.
• It claims to use Leather Working Group certified tanneries but doesn’t specify details about its certification.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce water use.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Samsøe & Samsøe “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It sources most of its final stage of production from countries with extreme risk of labour abuse.
• It audits some of its supply chain including all of the final production stage.
• There’s no evidence it provides financial security to its suppliers, which can result in poor working conditions and wages.
• Its Code of Conduct covers some ILO Four Fundamental Freedoms principles.
• There’s no evidence it ensures workers are paid living wages in its supply chain.
• During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it did not disclose adequate policies or safeguards to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Samsøe & Samsøe “It's a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It has a formal policy but it is not aligned with the Five Domains of Animal Welfare.
• It appears to use leather, wool, cashmere, alpaca, mohair, and down.
• It uses some recycled or certified alternatives to conventional leather, cashmere, wool and mohair. 
• It doesn’t appear to use shearling.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Samsøe & Samsøe “Not Good Enough” overall.