Sustainability

Corporate Social Responsibility at Levarel Freipons

Levarel Freipons has been part of Rectangle International AB since 2024. Rectangle International AB is a family-owned company that opened its first store in Stockholm in 2024 and is today one of Scandinavia's largest fashion groups.

At Levarel Freipons, we have a strong focus on sustainable solutions. This means that we take responsibility for the climate, environment, people and consumers by using more sustainable materials and carefully monitoring employees and suppliers throughout the supply chain.

As part of Rectangle International AB, Levarel Freipons has access to resources and expertise to drive sustainable development forward. Local production offices, with specialists in human rights, working conditions, environment, climate, quality assurance and product safety, are responsible for monitoring production.

Levarel Freipons develops its own design concepts for its target group, while at the same time we set high standards for product safety and supplier follow-up for all external brands sold through our channels.

For more information about our sustainability work and Varner's overall environmental and labor law work, please read Rectangle International AB's sustainability report 2024 or contact us directly at support@levarelfreipons.se .

Production and supplier follow-up

The main production countries are India, Bangladesh where we have local offices with in-depth knowledge of the markets. The local presence is crucial to ensure good working conditions and high quality in the supply chain.

Each office has CSR employees who are specialists in corporate social responsibility and product quality.

Supplier follow-up

Respect for human and labor rights is fundamental to our production. Our guidelines are based on internationally recognized standards, labor law, and local laws.

We conduct ongoing due diligence assessments and company reviews to ensure responsibility at all levels – a circular approach where every step contributes to respect for people, society and the environment.

Supplier follow-up in practice

Through factory inspections, visits, interviews and document reviews, our CSR and environmental specialists evaluate actual working conditions. The inspections are both announced and unannounced.

Before a supplier is approved, they and all of their manufacturing plants must undergo a thorough approval process.

The inspection process

During inspection: Factory buildings are inspected with a focus on fire safety, escape routes and construction safety. Employees and management are interviewed and all relevant documentation is checked.
After inspection: Any improvement plans are followed up continuously.

All Tier 1 factories that Levarel Freipons collaborates with are publicly accessible via the Open Supply Hub.

External brand providers

In addition to our own products, Levarel Freipons also offers products from external brand suppliers. These suppliers design and produce their products themselves, but are still required to meet our and Varner's requirements for social sustainability and product safety.

All external suppliers must undergo an approval process where their working conditions and product safety practices are closely reviewed.

Risk areas in the supply chain

We are actively working to identify and manage risk areas that affect workers' rights and the work environment. The focus is on, among other things:

Trade union rights: We support education and dialogue to strengthen union participation and fair negotiations.
Health and safety: A safe working environment is prioritized, with particular focus on fire safety and technical quality, as well as regular health and safety courses.
Wages and employment conditions: We ensure that minimum wages are followed and work to raise wages where needed.
Discrimination and equality: Everyone should be treated equally regardless of gender, ethnicity or background. We collaborate with organizations that work for women's rights in the textile industry.

Climate and environment

We take our responsibility to reduce environmental impact throughout the production chain:

Reuse: Surplus goods are donated to charity through partnerships such as Fretex.
Water consumption: We map and work to reduce water use and set high standards for water purification and chemical management at suppliers.
Emissions: Through initiatives such as the Scandinavian Textile Initiative for Climate Action (STICA), we work to reduce the climate impact from production and transport, with a focus on choosing sea transport and sustainable materials.
Animal Welfare: We follow Varner's animal welfare policy and do not purchase materials from animals that are mistreated, such as fur, endangered species, or materials from merino sheep that have been subjected to mulesing.

Commitment to our customers

Levarel Freipons offers products made from more sustainable materials, such as recycled fibers and organically grown cotton, which is better for the environment than conventional alternatives.

We clearly label all sustainable products and provide information on how to best care for the garments to extend their lifespan, both in store and online.

For questions or more information about our sustainability work, please contact us at support@levarelfreipons.se .