Leading the Charge Towards Sustainable and Ethical Knitwear Manufacturing in Peru
At Harkened, we firmly believe that sustainability is not just a buzzword—it's a journey towards a better future. As the world evolves, so must we, prioritizing smarter, healthier, and more ethically respectful practices in every aspect of our business. We want to make positive change in the knitwear manufacturing industry, creating economic opportunities for skilled makers across Peru.
The Future is Not Disposable
Sustainability is a journey and it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all model.
The world is changing, and as it does, it forces us to get smarter, healthier, more respectful.
We need to come together. Partnerships need to replace transactions. Ethics must upstage profitability. Resilience and willingness to embrace new paradigms need to temper fear and risk mitigation.
We believe fashion can be a vehicle for positive change.
We believe fashion can be a vehicle for positive change.
Current Achievements
Our Peruvian company Fibras Unidas, has held the Peru Fair Trade seal from 2019 to 2023 and was also awarded Great Place to Work for 2021-2022.
Harkened was also selected to participate in Nest’s 2023 Artisan Sustainability Accelerator, providing us with a suite of targeted programming to drive our growth and social impact in the handcraft sector.
Our yarn suppliers hold a range of certifications for materials, including: Responsible Standards for Wool, Alpaca and Mohair, OEKO TEX, GOTS, USDA Organic, Carbon Footprint and Peru Fair Trade.
Working Toward
For 2024 we are working toward achieving certification with Nest, being women-owned, B Corp and measuring our carbon footprint. We are also working on better reporting systems for supply chain transparency.
Our Give Back Program
Through our Give Back Project, we empower brands to give back to the knitting groups that create their garments. By donating a portion of their proceeds, brands help these small businesses acquire equipment like scales and industrial steamers, fostering growth and sustainability.
To date, over $9,000 has been reinvested into our supply chain, directly benefiting these small business leaders.
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Transparency is the Way Forward
Over the years, we have been taking stock of what we are doing well and where we can improve. We learned a few things that we are particularly proud of:
When we grow, so do our knitting leaders. 74% of our knitting leaders increased their sales from 2019 to 2020.
73% of our knitting leaders reported gaining “new know-how” including business management, knitting and soft skills.
We make use of materials that would otherwise go to waste. To date, over 600kg of leftover yarn have been reused by The Endery.