At CIOVITA, our commitment to sustainability is woven into our practices and community initiatives. Through the ECHO initiative, we aim to create a positive economic impact alongside our environmental efforts. Highlighted below are three key components of our economic commitment: our crash repair and replacement policy, the Whale Project and our internal production facilities.
Crash Repair & Replacement Policy
Accidents happen, and our crash repair and replacement policy ensures that customers receive support while minimising environmental impact. From a fabric patch over small cuts or tears to a new sleeve on a jacket or a replacement chamois in bibs with more miles to give, this focus on repair reduces waste and extends product life, aligning with our sustainable values. If repair isn’t feasible, we offer a 50% discount on replacements for items purchased within the last six months, taking the old damaged product back and including the off-cuts within our other projects. This promotes responsible consumption and reinforces the importance of a circular economy.
The Whale Project: Empowering Communities
The Whale Project exemplifies our economic sustainability commitment and connection to local communities. Originally tied to the FNB Wines2Whales event, this initiative has evolved into a partnership with the Botrivier community, which faces significant socio-economic challenges. By collaborating with local groups, we transform fabric off-cuts into unique handcrafted whales—both crochet baby whales and larger knitted whales.
This project achieves a triple win for sustainability:
- Waste Reduction: Repurposing fabric off-cuts minimises manufacturing waste.
- Economic Empowerment: Local artisans earn sustainable income, fostering financial independence.
- Community Support: Proceeds benefit the Botrivier community, supporting long-term development and wellbeing.
Internal production facilities
Having our own state-of-the-art production facility grants us complete control over the entire manufacturing process, ensuring that every garment we produce meets the highest standards of quality and durability. This not only offers our customers superior value, but also allows us to create meaningful employment opportunities in and around Cape Town. By providing job stability and fostering skills development, our production facility plays a vital role in supporting the local economy and uplifting the surrounding communities. From our own in-house "teaching" lines that upskills willing and interested individuals to a pivotal partnership within the Cape Clothing Cluster, the continued support from our loyal local and international customer base keeps our factory busy and allows nearly 100 full-time local machinists to provide for their families.
The road ahead
At CIOVITA, our ECHO initiative represents our ongoing journey to blend sustainable practices with economic empowerment. Through responsible choices like our repair and replacement policy, support for local artisans, and in-house production, we’re not just reducing waste but actively uplifting communities. Each step reinforces our commitment to a sustainable business model that provides for our people, invests in local talent, and builds value for our customers, ensuring a positive economic impact that will continue to grow.
