Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS) has become the UK.’s largest circular and sustainable fashion fulfilment hub to attain B Corporation status.
ACS is redesigning the future of fashion by providing a solution to the industry’s sustainability crisis through renewal, rental, and resale. Environmental considerations are at the core of ACS, and the brand’s innovative approach to developing a circular fashion model has helped secure the coveted B Corp status.
Considered to be the gold standard of environmental and social performance, the B Corp certification process is rigorous, and evidence based. Applicants are required to complete an assessment of over 200 questions, for which they will receive a score. Only businesses that achieve a B Impact Assessment score of 80 or above can advance through the process. This score is made up of points that are attributed across several categories, including Governance, Workers, Community, Customers and Environment.
ACS is proud to announce that, following this in-depth process, the business was awarded an incredibly high score of 150.9 points. This score directly results from ACS’s dedication to transforming the fashion industry from the traditional take-make-dispose model towards a solution that extends the life of textiles and diverts clothing from landfills. The business is also committed to developing environmentally innovative production processes and employs sustainable cleaning practices and microplastic filters that minimise water pollution. ACS is also creating a biodiversity area with beehives, wildflowers and a wormery within its main facility.
In addition to reducing the fashion industry’s impact on the planet, ACS is also delivering social innovation through highly rewarding employment opportunities. These include an online academy hiring modern apprentices, Scottish Prison Service placements and supportive employment opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers.
ACS CEO, Andrew Rough, says, “Achieving B Corp status has been a critical goal for Advanced Clothing Solutions, and we are immensely proud to have secured this prestigious certification. There are currently only 6,106 B Corp-certified companies worldwide. To be counted among these forward-thinking brands is an amazing endorsement of our efforts. It has been a long road to achieving this incredible milestone, and we will continue to refine and improve our practices to ensure that we maintain our high B Impact Assessment score.
“We firmly believe that circular fashion is the industry’s future, and our model will enable brands and retailers to introduce a scalable rental or resale model that is good for both people and the planet.”