The Shifting Gaia rating evaluates brands based on sustainable practices, ingredients and materials, and
social responsibility, among others. Below are a few factors influencing this brand's score:
Coat Checkroom makes outwear from RWS certified, regenerative wool.
Highlights
Sustainable material sourcing
High fair labor standards
Made-to-order business model
sustainability
score:
5.9 out of 10
details:
Packaging
Coat Checkroom provides little public detail about its packaging materials or policies.
Material Sustainability
Coat Checkroom demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable materials, especially in its signature wool coats. The brand’s primary material is 100% wool that is both Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified and NATIVA™ Regen certified, sourced from American regenerative farms. In addition, the brand incorporates recycled or upcycled materials in small components. For example, its wool cape uses recycled grosgrain ribbon for trim/piping. Notably, most lining fabrics and fasteners are still imported and not described as sustainable.
Energy Use and Footprint
Coat Checkroom’s business decisions help reduce the overall carbon footprint of its products, although the brand does not publish specific energy or emissions data. By keeping its entire wool supply chain and manufacturing within the United States, the brand minimizes long-distance transport. Coat Checkroom significantly lowers its footprint through localized production and regenerative agriculture, even though it has not made formal commitments to renewable energy.
Waste Management
The brand operates on a made-to-order (on-demand) production model, meaning garments are only made once a customer orders them. This approach virtually eliminates overproduction and excess inventory, tackling one of fashion’s biggest sources of waste. Even small material off-cuts have been repurposed in trims.
Business Model
Coat Checkroom’s business model is fundamentally built around sustainability and longevity, rather than fast-fashion turnover. It embraces a “slow fashion” ethos, producing fewer, higher-quality pieces that are intended to last for many years.
non-toxic
score:
6.0 out of 10
details:
Coat Checkroom does not explicitly advertise any non-toxic or chemical-free certifications for its materials, but the nature of its main material and processes confers some advantages. The primary fabric is natural wool, which is inherently free of microplastics and does not require the kind of toxic chemical processing that synthetic fabrics do (e.g. no petroleum-derived monomers, no solvent-heavy polyurethane coating for warmth). By favoring 100% wool (a natural, biodegradable fiber) over synthetic insulations or shell materials, the brand avoids many harmful substances often found in conventional outerwear.
social responsibility
score:
9.3 out of 10
details:
Fair labor practices are a cornerstone of Coat Checkroom’s operations. Every Coat Checkroom garment is ethically sewn in Chicago, Illinois by skilled workers earning a fair, living wage.
The brand’s wool supply is certified to the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), which means sheep are raised with high animal welfare standards – no cruel practices like mulesing, sufficient freedom and pasture access, and humane treatment verified by third-party audits.
Coat Checkroom’s community engagement is reflected in its support for local economies and its educational outreach about sustainable fashion, though it does not run a formal charitable program.
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