We waterproof with a fluorine-free (PFC-free) durable water-repellent finish, part of a market segment that already captured 40 % of DWR sales in 2023 as brands phase out “forever chemicals” (marketgrowthreports.com, closedlooppartners.com).
At Plume, every decision— from fibre choice to delivery box— is measured against one simple question: does this lighten our footprint as surely as our ponchos lighten yours? The answer lives on this page. Below you’ll find the hard facts, third-party seals and forward looking targets that turn our “planet-first” mantra into daily practice.
Certified – and Circular – Materials
Our ponchos are woven from 100 % recycled polyester (rPET) spun out of post-consumer PET bottles, a process that uses about 59 % less energy than producing virgin polyester (weavabel.com) and prevents plastic entering landfill or oceans.
To back that claim we hold:
Certification
- Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
- OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100
What it Means
- ≥50 % recycled content plus strict chemical, social and environmental controls
- Screens finished fabric for 100+ harmful substances
Proof
- ≥50 % recycled content plus strict chemical, social and environmental controls
- Screens finished fabric for 100+ harmful substances
Responsible chemistry:
Ethical & Resource-Smart Manufacturing
- Above-living wages & safe conditions are written into our supplier contracts and verified by independent social-audit frameworks; paying a living wage is recognised as a key lever for fairer apparel supply chains (wearehumanlevel.com).
- Water-reuse loop: our specialist rainwear factory pipes treated process water into a closed circuit that cools and heats the building, cutting freshwater demand “drastically” (sigmadafclarifiers.com).
- Digital pattern placement keeps cutting waste below 4 %—versus an industry average of 10-20 %—by nesting pieces like a Tetris board before a single blade falls (bren.ucsb.edu).
- Small-batch production, no over-stock: we only manufacture what demand supports, a proven way to curb dead inventory and its embodied carbon.
Second Flight™ Circularity Programme
- Repair & Revive – lifetime repairs on seams, snaps and waterproof coating at cost price.
- Return & Re-earn – send any worn-out Plume piece back, receive a €15 credit; we upcycle usable panels or mechanically recycle the fibre into new yarns.
This mirrors best-practice take-back schemes that keep textiles in circulation longer and reduce virgin material demand (closedlooppartners.com).
Plastic-Free Packaging & Low-Impact Logistics
Your poncho folds into its own pouch and ships in a 100 % recyclable cardboard sleeve. Cardboard uses less energy to produce than plastic and comes from a renewable feedstock (asiapack.com). Eliminating polybags has already kept tonnes of single-use film out of waste streams.
We consolidate orders at an EU fulfilment hub and default to rail or sea freight, slashing the emissions footprint compared with air transport.
Climate Goals & Progress
Metric
- Scope 3 emissions / poncho
- Cutting waste
- Virgin plastic in product
2024 Baseline
- 100 %
- 4 %
- 0 %
2026 Target
- −20 %
- <3 %
- Hold 0 %
How We’ll Get there
- switch to renewable electricity at Tier-1, optimise packaging weight, prioritise seaborne freight
- AI-guided marker planning (bren.ucsb.edu)
- maintain rPET feedstock
Looking Forward
- Material innovation – testing bio-based membranes to replace all petro-derived layers without compromising waterproofing.
- Full supply-chain mapping – publishing Tier-2 and Tier-3 partner list by 2026 to deepen traceability.
- Science-Based Targets submission – committing our reduction pathway to SBTi scrutiny.
Have questions or ideas?
Explore our FAQ or write to sustainability@plumerain.com—we answer every query by the next business day. Together we can turn every storm into a lighter footprint.
