From 2020 through 2022 we worked with the sustainability advisory firm Eleven Radius to develop a long-term roadmap based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. After an extensive review with our team and consultants, we homed in on three areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact.

Supporting our suppliers

Developing strong relationships with our factories has been central to the way we operate since the beginning. All M.M.LaFleur vendors meet local wage and social-compliance requirements, and we regularly inquire about working conditions to ensure our partners uphold the standards that matter to us.

75% of garment workers are women, and only 2% of those workers are paid a living wage. This is an industry-wide problem we hope to change one step at a time, starting with our own supply chain.

• 79% of our factories have completed a social compliance audit covering environmental performance and employee working conditions. Learn more about our factories.
• We are assessing each partner with a living wage lens, beginning with our factories page, and will provide similar transparency around our mills.
• By 2026: set living wage goals across our supply chain.
• Ongoing: communicate our progress with customers annually.

Empowering our employees

As a women-owned and women-led company whose advisory board is 60% women, it matters to us that we have a significant and positive impact on our employees’ careers.

• Pay and leveling transparency: a transparent payscale and leveling system to eliminate the biases that lead to women receiving less pay for equal work. If you’d like to learn how we built it, contact peopleops@mmlafleur.com.
• Two-week annual office closure: two week-long HQ closures per year.
• Paid parental leave: 12 weeks for all new parents, regardless of gender.
• Hiring: hiring pools for all new roles include candidates from historically underrepresented groups.

Championing the success of women everywhere

We support women beyond our customers and employees through organizations including Bottomless Closet, the New York Liberty, the International Rescue Committee, Girl Scouts of the USA and She Should Run. Over the years we have donated more than $1M in financial support and clothing.

In 2020 and 2024 we ran Ready to Run, offering complimentary clothing loans to women running for office. And starting in 2023, we committed to donating 10% of our yearly profits to organizations that support and promote the success of women.

How you can help

• Learn about our partner organizations and consider donating if you’re able.
• Where possible, shop with companies that work closely with their suppliers and pay fair wages throughout their supply chains.
• If you’re an executive or HR professional interested in pay and leveling transparency, contact peopleops@mmlafleur.com.

The biggest waste in fashion comes from fast fashion, and as much as 85% of textile waste in the U.S. ends up in landfills. Since the beginning we’ve prided ourselves on producing thoughtful, timeless pieces built to last — in durability and in style — alongside complimentary styling services that help you identify the right clothes for your wardrobe.

Wardrobes, dress codes and sizes evolve, and at some point you may end up with a piece you no longer need. In 2021 we launched Second Act, a customer-to-customer resale marketplace for pre-loved M.M. clothing. For non-M.M. pieces, our ThredUp partnership lets you resell, donate or recycle.

• We are improving fit standardization, which reduces shipments back and forth to our warehouse.
• Provide customers with detailed instructions on responsible garment recycling.

How you can help

• Buy timeless pieces you think you’ll wear for a long time.
• When you’re done with a garment, consider donating it to Bottomless Closet or reselling it.

We prioritize preferred materials that have less environmental impact while maintaining the quality and longevity that has always mattered to us. Sometimes that means developing fabrics from recycled materials; sometimes it means partnering with Fabscrap, who we’ve worked with for six years, to responsibly recycle fabric scraps from development.

We’ve converted 63% of our core fabrics to preferred materials, including Recycled WonderTex, Eco Soft Wave, Better Than Denim and Washable Silk. 70% of our inventory ships from factory to warehouse by boat rather than plane, significantly reducing each garment’s carbon footprint. Our hangtags are 100% recycled paper, factory polybags are biodegradable, and our bubble mailers are 50% recycled and take less transit space than cardboard.

• By 2026: convert 100% of our highest-selling fabrics to preferred materials.
• By 2030: convert 100% of our fabrics to preferred materials.
• By 2030: become climate-neutral.
• Ongoing: work with Fabscrap to divert development fabric scraps from landfills — 9,649 lbs diverted as of the end of 2023.

How you can help

• Look for garments that use preferred materials such as recycled fibers, organic materials and biodegradable materials.
• Shop with brands that offer details about their fabrics and textile waste practices.