Introducing the LIVSN Supplier Code of Conduct

Hey friends - Wyatt here, LIVSN’s Sustainable Policy intern. I want to introduce you to one of the projects I've been working on in the background this summer, and the next step in LIVSN’s growth as a responsible brand: The LIVSN Code of Conduct.

This year at LIVSN we're really doubling down on understanding the impact that we have as a company, and developing internal processes to limit our negative effects and bolster more positive ones. You may have even helped our efforts by filling out a survey about your pants, part of our long term goal of conducting life cycle assessments to understand the downstream environmental impact of our products and customers.

Another step of that journey is strengthening the partnership we have with our suppliers, and communicating our expectations for their impact on their workers, their communities, and our environment. It’s important for us as LIVSN continues to grow, to be pragmatic in understanding how much leverage we have with our suppliers, but not lose sight of the idealist hope that they can be as passionate about these issues as we are.

There are a few key things I want to highlight, to hopefully give some insight into our thought process as we developed these standards. 

Section 1.2 is targeted mainly at our cut and sew factories where the pants on your legs are assembled. We seek out supply chain partners that share our values of social and environmental responsibility, and one way of verifying that is with third party certification. The manufacturer that has assembled the majority of our products is working towards step 2 of the HIGG Facility Social & Labor Module and, as a result of our encouragement, has completed step 1 of the HIGG Facility Environmental Module. As we expand our list of suppliers with the Fall/Winter 24 season, we are formalizing these expectations.

The language of this section was also created to allow as much flexibility for our partners as possible, so that certification is not just another hoop to jump through; we have offered a few pre-approved certifications, but if suppliers hold or are working towards alternatives, we want to support that. Requiring a specific certification of the dozens available forces unnecessary redundancy and only serves to create friction in our supply chain. There are already high barriers to entry in responsible manufacturing, and semantics shouldn’t be one of them.

One of the most difficult things about supply chain management is communicating your expectations to the entire network that goes into developing a product. Subcontracting is a common practice in which suppliers outsource certain tasks or small scale production to outside facilities. Often a supply chain is conceptualized as a straight line moving backwards through the development of a pair of pants (final product -> cut and sew -> fabric mill -> spinning -> raw material). A more accurate way to see it would look more like a family tree, splintering in many different directions with each step of the chain having its own relationships and suppliers.

Section 1.4 is included to ensure that our suppliers communicate these relationships to us, and communicate our expectations to any subcontractors they have. Our Code of Conduct has far less impact if only the first step of our supply chain adheres to it. Our hope is that even the smallest parts of our production process can live up to our values. That takes a lot of work on the part of LIVSN and our partners, but it increases our positive impact by magnitudes.

Section 5.3 is unique because it references an outside document not directly created by LIVSN. You may recognize the bluesign® label, but if this is the first you’re hearing of it, bluesign® was founded to provide standards on chemical safety in the textiles industry and beyond, providing Restricted Substances Lists (RSL) as well as tools for connecting verified textile producers with brands and suppliers. The bluesign® System Partnership is also available to brands allowing them to certify and label individual products, a program LIVSN is not a part of at this time but intends to be in the future.

Our decision to adopt the bluesign® RSL is partially out of necessity; with a one and a half person sustainability team, LIVSN doesn’t have the resources or expertise to develop a from-scratch RSL that is anywhere near the caliber of what bluesign® provides. However, we also believe this choice is the right one for chemical responsibility. Most brands that publish their Restricted Substances List follow the bluesign® RSL, some explicitly, others using almost identical content. We view this trend as a positive one. Industry standard practices like these are the most effective way to promote change, and as more brands hold themselves to this high bar, chemical responsibility can become the norm. 

LIVSN aims to be transparent with our customers about the steps we’re taking, and I encourage you to read the full document embedded here. This Code of Conduct was not created out of thin air, and is a product of inspiration from similar Codes of Conduct from some of the best in the outdoor industry. It is also grown out of our own personal and brand values, with many structural details drawn from standards set by the International Labor Organization. It is also by no means infallible. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, feel free to communicate them with us. I’m happy to do my best to justify our reasoning, and open to being persuaded that we were wrong.

From here I’ll let the code of conduct speak for itself. Thanks for reading!