Groceries Apparel positions itself as a vertically integrated, Los Angeles–based manufacturer using plant-based, non-toxic dyes - often upcycled from food waste.
1. Environmental
Sustainability
Groceries Apparel is a vertically integrated, Los Angeles–based manufacturer using plant-based, non-toxic dyes - often upcycled from food waste. Public disclosures emphasize local, “under-one-roof” operations and non-toxic chemistry but provide no brand-level environmental performance data (e.g., GHG emissions, water use, targets) and limited program-level verification (e.g., certifications or third-party audits).
IMPACT AREA 01
Materials
& Sourcing
- Groceries Apparel operates as a vertically integrated factory in Downtown Los Angeles, aiming to ensure standards are met in-house.
- Claims “100% non-toxic ingredients” in products and plant-based dyestuffs, including food-waste streams.
- Discloses multiple upcycled dye ingredients: avocado pits, onion skins, coffee grounds, carrot tops; also madder root and fermented indigo (sourced from Japan and India).
- Groceries Apparel uses a high proportion of lower-impact materials, including organic cotton.
- As for gaps: There are no disclosed third-party product certifications for materials (e.g., GOTS/GRS) on the provided sources.
- The item-level raw material composition in all items is transparent and available online for all products. However, the brand does not publish a detailed overview of its brand-wide fiber portfolio.
- According to our data analysis, approximately 89% of Groceries Apparel’s fibers are preferred plant-based materials, including Non-GMO Organic Cotton (≈30%), Organic Cotton (≈47%), Eucalyptus Tencel (≈12%), and Natural Hemp (≈6%).
- A small share (≈5%) consists of Spandex, used for elasticity in fitted garments.
IMPACT AREA 02
Climate
& Emissions
- Groceries Apparel does not publish regular sustainability reports, and no company-wide emissions data or reduction targets.
- Localized, vertically integrated model (“Zero Mile Radius” including design, digitizing, marking, cutting, sewing, dyeing, finishing & shipping under one roof) could reduce logistics impacts, but no quantified emissions benefits are provided.
- Gaps: No renewable energy use disclosure; no fuel/electricity mix data; no logistics or product-level footprint data.
IMPACT AREA 03
Water
& Chemicals
- Groceries Apparel has “completely eliminated all heavy metals & toxic chemicals” from its supply chain and operates its own dye house using 100% non-toxic ingredients; dyes are plant-based and include upcycled food waste streams.
- They highlight the intent to innovate in textile chemicals, referencing PFAS concerns; however, no formal restricted substances list (RSL/MRSL), certification (e.g., ZDHC, bluesign®, OEKO-TEX), testing data, or audit results are published in the provided sources.
- Gaps: No quantitative water use, wastewater treatment are disclosed.
IMPACT AREA 04
Circularity
& Waste
- Groceries Apparel emphasizes upcycling of food waste as dyestuff (avocado pits/skins, coffee grounds, onion skins, carrot tops).
- There is no evidence it takes action to minimize packaging.
- Gaps: No take-back/repair programs, recycled content targets, or packaging specifications disclosed in the provided sources.