Leather
The leather used to make our leather products is cowhide, which is a “by-product" or "co-product" of the meat industry.
Although cowhide can be considered a by-product of beef farms, we are fully aware that the livestock industry still carries a heavy burden of global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, processing genuine leather usually requires large amounts of water (on average 60L per hide), which places high demands on water management at the tanneries.
How do we at Get the Gallop work to improve?
Our manufacturers continuously purify the water used in the tanning process, and it is reused in a closed loop. We visit the suppliers often and personally inspect the handling of waste and water. In many countries, there are strict laws and regulations for water management during leather production/tanning.
We also work closely with our suppliers and plan our production in a way that minimizes leather waste and uses leftover leather to produce our saddle bags and leather accessories, etc.
The leather we use in our Hay Bags is European leather, and the next step is to achieve full transparency and traceability, all the way back to the farm where the leather comes from!
We are also looking at ways to compensate for the carbon emissions released along the way
Why not use vegan leather? Well, vegan leather is not completely environmentally friendly and is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels (most alternatives are plastic-based/oil-based), which also makes them non-biodegradable. We continuously follow the development of better leather alternatives and will make the change when one is found that also meets our requirements for quality and sustainability.
Wool
Wool, the super material! Natural, biodegradable, and renewable by design. Wool has been washed, woven, and worn since humans first started wearing clothes! Today, there are around 500 different sheep breeds* grazing around the world to produce different types of wool. All our wool products are made from 100% organic lamb wool from Klippan Yllefabrik in Riga, which sources its raw fibers from Sweden, Europe, and New Zealand. This organic certification means that the sheep have been raised on natural feed and that the use of antibiotics and pesticides has been strictly regulated. Furthermore, the farms have certified that they follow the Wool Integrity ProgrammeTM, designed to ensure compliance with the five freedoms for animal welfare:
- Freedom from thirst, hunger, and malnutrition
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury, or disease
- Freedom from distress
- Freedom to express normal behavior
To learn how to care for your wool items, visit our CARE page. Since our items are made from 100% wool, they can easily be reused or recycled. Contact us if you want to get rid of your wool garment; we are happy to take it back and reuse it.
*source: www.iwto.org
Cotton
Cotton is the most widely manufactured natural fiber in the world, and it is completely biodegradable. Despite its "natural" properties, growing conventional cotton crops requires large amounts of water, pesticides, and fertilizers, which contributes to soil nutrient depletion, water pollution, and poses a threat to the entire surrounding ecosystem. That is why all our cotton garments are made exclusively from GOTS-certified organic cotton, which guarantees fair and sustainable production throughout the supply chain. For more information about the standard, visit https://global-standard.org/the-standard/gots-key-features/organic-fibres
However, we are aware that organic cotton also has environmental costs. At this stage, we realize that it is difficult to buy environmentally and socially sustainable cotton, which means it may need to be replaced with another fiber for some of our items—something we are constantly looking for sustainable alternatives for.
Recycled polyester
Polyester is a synthetic material derived from crude oil and usually made from dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and ethylene glycol (EG), in other words... plastic! Because plastic is so cheap, the demand for polyester is enormous and has resulted in dramatic environmental consequences. Furthermore, items made from polyester (virgin or recycled) shed large amounts of microplastics. But the good thing is that polyester is (almost) infinitely recyclable! Which means that in the best of worlds, all the plastic waste in our rivers, beaches, and forests could be transformed into your favorite riding jacket or horse blanket! We are far from that reality, but the point is that even though polyester has been used extensively and quickly, it can be considered a “slow material” because of its durable and recyclable properties.
We always want to use recycled polyester to the greatest extent possible, which is certified by the Global Recycling Standard. To further reduce microplastic waste from your garment, see our CARE page for how you can wash fleece and reduce microplastics in our waters.
Viscose
Viscose is a plant-based material obtained after wood pulp is dissolved using sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide. The process of making viscose is extremely toxic to workers and releases a large amount of chemicals into the air and waterways, resulting in devastating environmental and health consequences.
Although some of our current items contain a small amount of viscose, we are constantly working to completely phase out viscose from our products in the future.
Soy wax (scented candle)
The candle is handmade from natural, environmentally friendly soy wax. The fragrance oil used is of high quality and consists of 50% essential oil and 50% fragrance oil.
About soy candles: Our soy candles are non-toxic and environmentally friendly; they are made from oil from soybeans, a renewable and biodegradable crop. The candles burn with a clean, clear flame and do not smoke. The burn time is longer than traditional candles, partly because soy candles burn at a lower temperature.
Care instructions
Our goal is to ensure that all our garments are durable and easy to care for so that they stay out of waste streams for as long as possible, but once the product is in your hands, only you can influence what happens! Give the product all the love and pride it deserves so that you can keep it forever. Just by using the product 3 times more than you normally would, you actually reduce its carbon footprint by 65%!* Read our care instructions for different materials and products here.
*(source: Mistra Future Fashion)
A few tips:
- Follow the golden rule of washing: as little and as gently as possible!
- To reduce microplastic emissions into the water, wash your synthetic clothes in a specific washing filter bag or add a microplastic filter to your washing machine. Only wash full loads and avoid delicate settings (these settings use more water, which causes more waste)
- Which detergent should you use? Try to find a detergent that does not contain phthalates, phosphates, or other non-biodegradable surfactants. Your skin, and the environment, will thank you (you can also check out these cool laundry balls!)
- For wool and cashmere: air them outside to remove odors. For minor stains, gently hand wash in cold water. Wool and cashmere are like magical self-cleaning materials straight from Mother Nature!
- Repair: Being able to fix your things is an invaluable skill that allows you to keep your products much longer (especially if you own a horse that needs a new blanket every year!). If you need help, please contact us; we are happy to help!
- The end: when you feel that your Get the Gallop product is worn out and can no longer be used, do not throw it away; write to us, and we will gladly take it back to give it a second life or recycle it! You can also drop it off at a second-hand store or a charity organization.
