IKKS x Trace For Good

Introduction

The IKKS group, consisting of the IKKS, I Code, and one step brands, has been implementing a robust CSR strategy since 2019. As a signatory of the Fashion Pact, it articulates its IKKS #ACTFORBETTER approach around 5 pillars:

Reduce carbon emissions
Develop more virtuous materials to reduce their environmental impact
Guarantee social standards throughout its supply chain
Make product information transparent and accessible to all
Reduce plastic usage

Traceability is a major issue for IKKS and a cornerstone of the group's commitments. It enables them to secure their processes and control their supply chains to ensure quality products. In addition to being a foundation of eco-design, it is a prerequisite for transparency towards consumers regarding the manufacturing conditions of the products.

This is why IKKS has been committed since 2022 to tracing its products. In order to save time in tracing more than 4000 references per year, the group has equipped itself with the Trace For Good tool to centralize the history of its traceability data and trace its products from the H24 collection.

Discover in this article how the Trace For Good tool aligns with each of the pillars of the IKKS #ACTFORBETTER approach.

1. Reduce Carbon Emissions

The priority of the #ACTFORBETTER initiative? To reduce IKKS's greenhouse gas emissions.

The group conducted its first carbon footprint assessment in 2019 to identify actions to deploy in order to reduce its emissions.

Impacts are primarily linked to the upstream of the supply chain, particularly raw materials: 21% of emissions come from virgin polyester, 11% from conventional cotton, and 10% from conventional wool.

This is why a traceability approach becomes crucial: reducing greenhouse gas emissions involves collecting precise data and implementing actions at all stages upstream of the supply chain.

2. Develop More Virtuous Materials

Following its carbon footprint assessment, IKKS defined priority actions to reduce the environmental impact of its products.

This begins with an ambitious approach to transform its raw material sourcing, highlighted by the group's carbon footprint assessment.

Firstly, IKKS committed to only using leather sourced from Leather Working Group (LWG) certified sources and tracing its leathers with Trace For Good to ensure they come from the agri-food industry, thus promoting waste valorization.

Additionally, the group closely collaborates with its manufacturers to ensure purchased raw materials meet certain standards, such as organic cotton certified by OCS (Organic Content Standard) or GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) labels, GRS (Global Recycled Standard) or RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) polyester, Ecovero viscose, recycled Manteco wool, etc.

Furthermore, IKKS works with its denim factories to implement environmental audits, water reprocessing, and less toxic production processes.

In this transition to a more responsible composition, Trace For Good's certificate management module plays a crucial role. Discussions were held with IKKS teams to configure automated certificate collection according to their specifications for each material.

Documents can be collected at the product, fiber, or production site level to meet the various certification levels required by IKKS (e.g., Leather Working Group production site, Ecovero transaction proofs, OCS or GOTS cotton).

Certificates are then automatically centralized after coherence checks to allow quality & CSR teams to track the progress of the collection.

3. Guarantee Social Standards Throughout the Supply Chain

IKKS collaborates with a vast network of 150 manufacturers spread across 17 countries. This entails engaging hundreds of upstream suppliers (dyeing, weaving, spinning, raw material production, tanning, etc.) in the recursive traceability process.

To ensure ethical and social standards throughout its supply chain, the brand requires social audits from all its suppliers.

It has also developed a code of conduct for its suppliers, primarily based on ICS standards.

Trace For Good's document management module automates the collection and centralization of the codes of conduct signed by these partners and the results of social audits to streamline IKKS's checks.

4. Make Product Information Transparent and Accessible to All

To meet increasing consumer demands and regulatory requirements (AGEC law, Environmental Labelling, Digital Product Passport, etc.), IKKS has decided to make information about its products accessible to all.

In this regard, Trace For Good traces all products from the 3 brands of the IKKS group: I.Code, IKKS, and one step.

QR codes are integrated into the labels, allowing immediate access to product sheets personalized by brand and compliant with regulations (AGEC QCE sheets). This information is also available from the H24 collection on three separate search engines (one for each brand: IKKS, I.Code and one step), available in English and French, to ensure data access for 2 years after the last unit is placed on the market, as required for compliance with the AGEC law.

To facilitate the integration of these QR codes into the production process, Trace For Good allows for the generation of QR codes in advance, anticipating the development of a "digital product passport".

Thanks to the Trace For Good tool, IKKS will be able to ensure compliance with various regulations involving its traceability data (environmental labeling, DPP).

5. Reduce Plastic Usage

Plastic is a pollutant for soil, water, and air.

Due to significant releases of plastic micro-particles into the ocean from washing textiles made from synthetic fibers, IKKS has taken significant steps to eliminate the use of virgin polyester in its collections by 2025, preferring natural alternatives.

Furthermore, to support its product eco-design efforts, IKKS has opted for in-store packaging certified 100% FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), ensuring that the paper used comes from sustainably managed forests.

To learn more about IKKS's 2025 objectives, please visit this page: IKKS 2025 Objectives

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