The Suppliers
Silk is essentially a biodegradable fabric, but to keep it that way, care must be taken to ensure the least possible addition of chemicals when it is processed.
Pongees silks are sourced globally from leading specialist weavers and knitters in China, France, India, Italy and the UK. Its suppliers are required to disclose the material characteristics, health and safety information of the products supplied, in compliance with the relevant trading standards legislation, such as OEKO-TEX* and REACH*. Suppliers must also produce on demand a Material Safety Data Sheet (MDS) certification for the dyestuffs and chemicals used in the production process.
In addition to mulberry silks, Pongees offers a range of Wild Silks. These are woven on hand looms in village communities in India, a great contribution to employment at a local level.
The Environment and Customers
To reduce the impact of its operations on the environment, Pongees has in place (and requires of its suppliers) internal policies and procedures covering waste minimisation, the re-use, recovery and recycling of materials and the treatment of effluent and wastewater.
Pongees utilises extremely accurate cutting machinery, to eliminate wastage and reduce costs for customers. Delivery charges are minimised and carbon emissions reduced by using an electric van to deliver orders for collection from its London showroom and direct to customers in the capital.
Pongees’ website features high resolution photography, enabling customers to easily identify the quality and shade they need. The customer service team maintains an extensive list of UK companies providing ancillary services, such as pleating, dyeing, printing, embroidery, haberdashery and garment manufacturing, to encourage designers to source closer to home and to make the silk journey as easy as possible.
Pongees HQ is located in Crossways Business Park in Dartford, which is carefully managed to maximise its attractiveness to flora and fauna. The location includes bat boxes, nesting areas and lakes with water voles and fish. This provides a relaxing space for staff and visitors, as well as a very positive contribution to the local environment.
The Workforce
Pongees believes that everyone should be treated with respect and work in a safe environment.
It requires its supply chain partners to adhere to the following standards:
Future Goals
Pongees will continue to increase the proportion of input materials that are obtained from sustainable sources and explore new fabrics that have minimal environmental impact.
* REACH is the regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
* OEKO-TEX offers certificates and services to verify the safety, both for human health and the environment, of products and their production processes.
