RÆSTART REPORT 1.0
COMMUNITY / July 22, 2020
Exactly three months ago on Earth Day, we announced a RÆSTART. A bold manifesto for change and opportunity to reset, focusing on our three key pillars; DISRUPTION, INNOVATION and INSPIRATION with tangible actions towards a better future.
Today, we’re updating you with the progress we’ve made over the past three months. We want to be transparent and more importantly, we want to be accountable for our decisions. We know meaningful change will take time and effort to achieve, and results will not be instant. We want you, our community, to join us on this mission - this is only the beginning and together we’re stronger.
DISRUPTION — Actions over words
Post COVID-19 we’ll be facing a bigger environmental and inventory crisis than ever before. We launched RÆFOUND for London Fashion Week Digital as a provocation to the industry as a whole. A radical new part to our business which was born out of the question; What could be more radical than making nothing at all?
As a reaction to the proliferation of single use plastic in the wake of COVID-19 we launched a reusable face covering in partnership with the British Fashion Council and Bags Of Ethics and five other British designers, with a joint ambition to raise £1 million with 100% of sale profits going to NHS Charities Together, BFC Foundation Fashion Fund and Wings of Hope. We’re well on our way to meeting this target.
We won 'Brand of The Year' (<£30m turnover) at the inaugural Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards in recognition of the work we’ve been doing in championing responsible design since 2009. We’re proud of the Award but we’re equally proud that this is an acknowledgement from an industry that knows it needs to change.
INNOVATION — Make less, make better
We continue to experiment with digital craft in a bid to democratise design and make it accessible for all. We released the patterns of our popular panda and shark mascots for free, resulting in mascots made globally. We also released a DIY reversible bucket hat with Depop in light of the growing interest in craft, resale and DIY.
For next season, we’ve made the decision to not produce anything new and instead focus solely on what we already have. Our SS21 collection is an opportunity to RÆJUVENATE, taking radical steps to use the materials the past has gifted us to craft for the future.
We’ve joined the Zero Emissions Network; a free local initiative designed to help London businesses and residents save money, reduce emissions and improve air quality.
INSPIRATION — Transparency and the next generation
We’re proud to have joined the 1% for the Planet movement, and are now contributing 1% of total annual turnover to grassroots environmental groups.
We have committed to book all future travel through Travel Perk’s “GreenPerk” to offset 100% of our business travel carbon emissions and get real-time, actionable information on our company’s carbon impact.
At the height of COVID-19, we launched our accessible digital event series #RÆBURNConnects to learn and share knowledge. Alongside our longstanding Lab tours, we hope to educate and inspire, to work transparently with new agents of change and give platforms to the next generation.
As always, this is about involving you, our community. We want you to be a part of the mission and welcome your feedback. We will update you once again in three months’ time with more tangible progress.
For now, stay safe and stay creative.
Christopher and all at RÆBURN.