Sustainability & Transparency 

 

 

Our Mission

Niccolò P. launched in 2018 with a mission to re-interpret classic menswear for the smaller but better wardrobes of the future. We use only the highest quality natural materials all produced responsibly in Europe. The fine cottons used in our polo shirts and t-shirts are knitted in Italy and later sewn in Portugal; our leather belts are custom crafted entirely in Italy.

 

Small Batch Production in Europe

Niccolò P. makes exclusively in Europe in relatively small batches of 100-200 pieces per colour ensuring we are never overstocked. Our range is made up of mostly 'evergreen' items which we sell year after year. As a direct-to-consumer brand selling only online (at niccolo-p.com and across several multi-brand websites) and, selectively, at pop-up locations and events, we do not run seasonal sales to 'dump' unwanted stock or encourage over-consumption preferring instead to sell slower moving items over a longer period ensuring no waste. 

 

Supplier Transparency

Unlike most heritage brands, we provide full transparency on our suppliers (see the list here). Niccolò P. sources and manufactures exclusively in Europe using niche, mainly family-owned, highly skilled producers. We visit them regularly to help build personal relationships with the owners. This 'hands-on' approach (including formal compliance checks) ensures our factories operate to the highest industry standards. This is a commitment to transparency which allows you, our customer, to see exactly where in Europe the items you own are made.

 

Better Lasts Longer - Join the Pursuit of Less

We firmly believe that better made products last longer. This is something of a virtuous circle: higher quality materials outlast and look better for longer than lower quality ones - this is especially true in clothing. As a result, we tend to care for those better products more (whether by how we store them or clean them) which improves their longevity even further. Making fewer garments that last longer reduces the impact that the clothing industry has on our world. Join the pursuit of less. 

 

Packaging

All orders for polo shirts are sent in complimentary custom gift boxes. These recyclable cartons include a tear strip to open easily with double sided tape added so that the box can be easily re-sealed for returns. Each Niccolò P. garment is packaged in a recyclable clear plastic sleeve. This sleeve has a zip lock seal - perfect to use as a storage dust bag or while travelling as a shoe bag or for laundry items. We expect to transition to non-plastic sleeves in 2021 with an alternative which is robust enough to keep garments in perfect condition in storage pending sale.  

 

 

 

 

Managing Our Environmental Impact 

Efficient Manufacturing
We task our supplier partners with making manufacturing as waste-free as possible. This includes ensuring that when cutting patterns, the amount of fabric which is unused is reduced as far as possible. Unused fabric cuttings are then typically re-purposed for other uses such as in mattress toppers.   
 
Carbon Off-setting & Reduction
Niccolò P. offsets 100 per cent. of the annual carbon emissions of its staff and office. This is done through MyClimate, a Swiss-based carbon offset group. In addition, we make an annual donation to MyClimate which goes toward a project which provides efficient cooking stoves for rural communities in Kenya. A copy of our carbon offset certificate is available upon request.

 

 

Some of our suppliers have implemented their own energy/carbon emissions saving measures. For example, Gritti (supplier of the mother-of-pearl buttons used in all Niccolò P. polo shirts) has installed photovoltaic panels on its factory in Italy producing 260,000kWh of green electricity saving approximately 150 tons of CO2 emissions each year. 

Shipping By Road
We ship finished products by road as it is the method of moving goods available to us which has the lowest impact on the environment. All of Niccolò P.’s suppliers are based in Europe which (1) vastly reducing the distances that materials have to travel before they become finished product, and (2) reduces the shipping distance to our distribution centre in the UK. The clothing industry uses urgent couriers for smaller items more than most – we take the view that nothing is that urgent with proper planning so we prefer the slower, less environmentally impactful method of regular post.
 
Minimal Overhead – Doing Things Our Way
We don’t have permanent offices preferring our small team to use remote working technologies and occasional use of shared workspace when face-to-face collaboration is required (for example, when selecting colours). By reducing fixed overhead to an absolute bare minimum, we can remain focused on making high quality clothing at affordable prices and are never compelled to make financial decisions which are counter to our principles such as reducing the quality of materials used. Many direct-to-consumer brands eventually migrate to traditional retail channels (with high fixed costs) in a push for growth usually driven by the wants of third party investors – Niccolò P. has no external investors to push agendas we don’t support.
 
Excess Inventory Management
We are proud of the products we make which are designed with superior materials to stand the test of time. We never sell or dispose of ‘unwanted stock’ to third parties. Slower moving items are simply sold over a longer period of time and we never engage in widely reported practices of destroying garments.
 
Industry Certifications
We only use cotton in our polo shirts which has been knitted by producers who have been certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (the global standard in testing for harmful substances). In addition, we use cottons which are mercerised which enhances colour retention and thereby improves the life of the garment.

 

 

Gritti, the supplier of mother-of-pearl buttons used in all Niccolò P. polo shirts, sources its shell from sustainable farms which operate to Marine Stewardship Council standards. The company is also a member of the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) Program - this is an industry initiative to reduce the harmful effects on the environment of the clothing lifecycle. 

Supplier Code of Conduct

Niccolò P. works only with suppliers which are based in Europe and regularly visits these factories to ensure compliance with our supplier code of conduct set out below. 

Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking
The United Kingdom Government enacted the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the ‘Act’) in order to better tackle the crimes of modern slavery and human trafficking, in all of their forms. As well as consolidating the criminal offences relating to modern slavery and human trafficking, the Act also introduced a requirement for businesses to publish an annual statement setting out the steps taken by that business to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in the business or its supply chains.

Niccolò P. operates in the United Kingdom with suppliers in both Italy and Portugal. We ensure that we operate ethically respecting local laws and regulations and we develop a culture of best practice in operational management, customer responsiveness as well as ensuring that our approach to health and safety is consistent across all of our operations.

We do not tolerate modern slavery or human trafficking occurring anywhere in our supply chain. Niccolò P. is committed to: (a) only working with suppliers and other business partners who adopt the same high ethical standards as we adopt in our business; (b) promoting best practice in our procurement processes with the aim of eliminating the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking occurring in our supply chains; and (c) ensuring that our customers can be confident that the products that they purchase from us are free of any risk of modern slavery or human trafficking.

Policy On Child Labour
We require our suppliers to adhere to the standards set out by the International Labour Organisation as regards the employment of children and young people. In particular: (a) children must not be employed before they have reached the age of completion of compulsory schooling, and in any case not before the age of 15; and (b) those under 18 must not be required to perform hazardous duties.

We require all our staff, suppliers, contractors, agents and all other individuals and businesses with whom we work, to comply with this policy and our approach to modern slavery and human trafficking. We require all relevant individuals: (a) to read and ensure they understand this policy; (b) to report any behaviour which they believe may breach this policy to an appropriate person; (c) to communicate our policy to all relevant colleagues and business partners whenever appropriate; and (d) to ensure they carry out their roles in a way which enables Niccolò P. to comply with this policy.

We require all businesses with whom we work: (a) to adopt policies and procedures within their own businesses to enable them (and their staff) to comply with this policy; (b) to ensure that their staff hiring practices (including for the hiring of temporary staff via agencies or other similar providers) are designed to establish that all workers are giving their labour of their own free will and are not being controlled by others to any extent; (c) to adopt policies and procedures in relation to the selection and management of their own suppliers which aim to identify and manage the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking; (d) to maintain records to enable them to provide us with the information we need to publish an annual supply chain transparency statement; and (e) to monitor the success of the policies and procedures described above, in order to constantly raise standards.

Treatment Of People
Niccolò P. does not tolerate discrimination of people on any grounds whatsoever. We have zero tolerance for gender-based violence or harassment. Workers (whether for Niccolò P. or its suppliers) should be treated well and with respect during all times of employment. 

Consequences Of Breaching Policy
Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct. This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment and we may amend it at any time. We may terminate our relationship with suppliers and other business partners if they breach this policy.