Our take on Petit Bateau’s ethical and sustainable approach

Non-exhaustive list.

Percentage of eco-friendly products in the whole collection

Information published by Petit Bateau:

Petit Bateau states that it uses 30% eco-friendly materials in its collections. Among the non eco-friendly materials Petit Bateau mainly uses are conventional cotton, polyester and polyamide. 90% of Petit Bateau's collections are made from cotton. The environmental impact of the materials Petit Bateau uses therefore comes mostly from its use of conventional cotton.

That said, the eco-friendly materials include linen and the recycled fabric used in some items, though still only in very small amounts.

The organic cotton is not backed by a label, so we cannot confirm that this range is organic.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ Petit Bateau seems committed to changing the materials it uses, notably by offering clothes in organic cotton.

🔴 However, Petit Bateau could go further by favouring more eco-friendly materials. For example, using only organic or recycled cotton could help the brand reduce its environmental impact.

What's more, the organic cotton currently used does not seem to be certified by a suitable label (GOTS or OCS), which can cause confusion with the OEKO-TEX label. The OEKO-TEX label does not guarantee that a product is organic, only that it contains no toxic substances. However, the brand may be in the process of getting certified.

Approach to environmental labels

Information published by Petit Bateau:

Petit Bateau has been certified by the OEKO-TEX label for over ten years. This guarantees that the brand's items contain no toxic substances.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ Petit Bateau thus seems committed to not using toxic products to make its clothes and to protecting the health of consumers and workers.

🔴 However, the brand could go further by certifying the organic cotton it uses. It seems that this cotton is not (or not yet) certified, even though the brand highlights its use of organic cotton and says it carries out regular tests with two European laboratories.

Product life cycle and other environmental initiatives:

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The Petit Bateau blog gives access to a range of resources: childcare and education, and answers to questions about the brand's environmental policy.

The brand is committed to recycling its products. With the Revendre mes Petit Bateau app, the brand offers a free service for selling second-hand Petit Bateau products. The brand also mentions recycling its production waste, which is turned into insulation materials or padding for car seats.

As for its energy policy, the brand gives information on how it manages water and packaging. On the water side first, Petit Bateau highlights its use of clean technologies at its Saint-Joseph factory in Troyes (automatic dye kitchen, short liquor ratio machines) and at its textile production factory in Marrakech (water purifier). As for packaging, the brand no longer uses plastic bags, which it replaced in January 2019 with 100% natural, recyclable and biodegradable bags (a mix of recycled paper, virgin cellulose from sustainably managed forests and apple residue). 100% recycled polyethylene bags made in France are used for the sales and in the factory outlets.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ Petit Bateau seems to be committed to an overall approach, notably to reduce its environmental footprint and the waste caused by its production.

Support for environmental NGOs or charities

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand gives no information on this subject.

R&D efforts and laboratory testing

Information published by Petit Bateau:

Petit Bateau says it is looking into upcycling textile waste (re-knitting), and more broadly into possible eco-friendly initiatives.

The brand tests the durability of its products: for example, the buttons on its children's items can withstand a pull of 7kg.

The brand also mentions regular tests in two European laboratories to guarantee the cotton's composition and the absence of pesticides.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ Petit Bateau seems committed to the durability of its clothes. It could be useful to give this information directly on the product pages of the clothes concerned.

Transparency about manufacturing sites

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand gives no information about where its items are made on its product pages. The Saint-Joseph factory in Troyes is the brand's historic production site, and its main activity is knitting. 38% of the materials used by the brand are knitted at the factory in Troyes, France. For the remaining 62% and for the manufacturing stage, little information is available. Petit Bateau mentions its factory in Marrakech, Morocco, set up in 1989, but gives no details on how many garments are actually made in Morocco.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ The brand seems to be gradually committing to transparency about its manufacturing sites.

🔴 Today, however, the brand could go further by at least sharing the country and code of conduct of its manufacturing factories, as well as the number of workers and the type of products made in those factories.

Furthermore, the over-use of French flags and the stronger communication about the Saint-Joseph factory can mislead consumers. Although 38% of the knits are French, the majority is still produced abroad, and most of the manufacturing also seems to be done in Morocco.

Approach to labels and social audits

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand does not mention any particular social label. However, Petit Bateau states that every supplier signs the "Groupe Rocher Business Code of Conduct" and renews its audits every 3 years, based on standards such as SMETA or the Ecovadis platform.

💬 Our opinion:

🔴 Petit Bateau seems to carry out internal audits and shares very little about the audit reports. We cannot tell whether these audits are carried out by external firms or by auditors from the brand itself. In the latter case, there could be a conflict of interest.

Traceability of the entire supply chain

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand gives no information on this subject. It is not possible to know where the raw materials used come from, nor where the raw material production factories are located. Furthermore, Petit Bateau gives no information on the tier of the suppliers the brand deals with directly.

💬 Our opinion:

🔴 To move towards an eco-responsible commitment, the brand could share more precise information on the exact origin of each raw material used and on the tiers of suppliers in contact with the brand.

Support for NGOs or associations working to improve workers' social conditions

Information published by Petit Bateau:

Petit Bateau supports Bibliothèque Sans Frontière, which gives everyone access to reading and culture.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ Through these initiatives, Petit Bateau seems to be socially committed, although the brand could go further by giving more information on how it works with Bibliothèque Sans Frontière.

Ownership

Information published by Petit Bateau:

Since 1988, Petit Bateau has belonged to Groupe Rocher, chaired by Brice Rocher.

Governance

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand gives no information on this subject.

Sales and marketing

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand holds sales (up to 50% off), but is open about its sales policy: the "seasonal companions" go on sale, but not the brand's iconic pieces. The brand is also committed to reselling its own second-hand clothes.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ With this kind of sale, Petit Bateau helps consumers understand why and how certain items are reduced, and does not seem to apply it across the board. To reduce overproduction, it could be worth making part of the production made to order or available for pre-order.

Raising awareness and educating about overconsumption

Information published by Petit Bateau:

The brand offers video tutorials to learn how to look after your clothes (sewing, washing, upcycling, etc.). The original idea behind Petit Bateau clothes is also to offer garments made to last.

💬 Our opinion:

✅ Petit Bateau works on the durability of its items and can take care of products at the end of their life, helping to limit textile waste.

This article was written by: Anna Demont, Beryl Tirali and Marie Nguyen.