PROCESSES
Manufacturer
The Swag manufactures its hero products from a SEDEX-certified, female-owned and led team in India. SEDEX is a not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to supporting companies to manage responsible sourcing throughout their supply chains. SEDEX operates the world’s largest ethical audit online platform for collecting and sharing ethical supply chain information. Using SEDEX allows members to improve workers’ rights, health and safety, and business ethics (such as anti-bribery and corruption) and mitigate environmental risks throughout each tier of their supply chain. SEDEX is also home to SMETA, one of the most widely used social audit procedures in the world.
The Swag’s organic product range is handmade with love out of India using GOTS certified (and intrinsically ECOCERT certified) organic cotton. GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. The Swag’s manufacturer is also ethical and fair trade compliant with SA 8000. The SA8000 Standard is based on internationally recognized standards of decent work, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ILO conventions, and national laws. SA8000 applies a management-systems approach to social performance and emphasises continual improvement—not checklist-style auditing.
Fabric
Most of our Swag products are made from unbleached and unseeded cotton. It is cotton fabric in its rawest and most natural state, and consumers can trust that it is non-toxic and non-allergenic (The Swag has been Australian Standard Lab tested in 2016). In April 2022, The Swag partnered with an organic cotton manufacturer to create Swag products usingGOTS certified organicunbleached and unseeded cotton. Our cotton is sourced from India. Conventional and organic cotton are both compostable. OurSwag Carry BagandSwag Wine Carry Bagare made with jute, an ethically sourced and durable and plant-based material that is compostable at the end of its long life.
Printing
The ink used for trimming, printing logo designs and instructions for “how to use” on all products is plant-based, meaning no harsh chemicals or solvent will harm anyone who touches or uses the product and will not leach into the fruit and vegetable stored inside The Swag. The Swing tags attached to our products are printed with a black vegetable-based printing ink, such as soybean or corn oil.
Packaging
We try our best to use the least amount of packaging. Most of our products come as they are with a kraft paper swing tag and jute twine. The Swag Dish Soap Bar and Swag Coconut Candle are packaged in kraft paper boxes which are recyclable and compostable. The satchel used to pack and ship our products is a comPOST satchel, made from biodegradable and compostable materials; corn starch, PLA (synthesised from corn) and PBAT (Polybutyrate Adipate Terephthalate). PLA (Polylactide) is a bio-based, biodegradable material made from renewable plant material (starches such as corn husks, rice straw and wheat straw). The unique design of the satchels make them reusable as carry bags.
Working Towards
Swag Australia is committed to manufacturing 20% of our range of cotton based products using 100% GOTS certified organic cotton by the end of 2025. We are also working towards manufacturing our products in several countries with a view to reduce our carbon footprint in global markets.
Our Culture
Diversity and Inclusion
The Swag is a female-founded, cause-driven Australian company. It is a diverse, interdisciplinary team of people brought together with a common purpose - to change the world. The company collaborates openly with great communication, the utmost integrity, vulnerability and pure compassion, and aims to inspire people around the world to live waste and plastic-free. The company truly cares about the legacy it leaves behind and believes in creating a better, positive world for everyone.
Social Work
Charity
Swag Australia is all about giving back. It’s heavily ingrained in everything we do. From giving back customers those extra days or weeks that fresh produce can last, to acting consciously and thoughtfully and making a real difference to the place we live and the earth as a whole.From July 2018 to December 2022, Swag Australia has donated over 18% of its net profit to support Destiny Rescue and will continue to donate a minimum of 5% of its net profits to the charity in the future.Destiny Rescue, a not-for-profit organisationthat frees children trapped in trafficking and provides ongoing support through rehabilitation programs in more than 7 countries.
In 2022, The Swag helped save 3144 children from human trafficking thanks to its donations to Destiny Rescue.Our partnership with Destiny Rescue began after our founder and managing director, Peita Pini, stumbled upon a documentary that highlighted the issue of child trafficking and slavery. After witnessing thousands of children being stripped of their freedom, she utilised this as her greatest motivator to launch The Swag. Not only did Pini want this business to create a positive impact for the world by combatting food waste and plastic pollution, but also to generate a revenue stream in order to rescue children trapped in slavery.
Carbon Footprint Offset
In 2022, The Swag helped save 3144 children from human trafficking thanks to its donations to Destiny Rescue.Our partnership with Destiny Rescue began after our founder and managing director, Peita Pini, stumbled upon a documentary that highlighted the issue of child trafficking and slavery. After witnessing thousands of children being stripped of their freedom, she utilised this as her greatest motivator to launch The Swag. Not only did Pini want this business to create a positive impact for the world by combatting food waste and plastic pollution, but also to generate a revenue stream in order to rescue children trapped in slavery.
Food Waste and Plastic Pollution
Swag Australia's core mission is to reduce food waste and empower people to live plastic free. Since July 2018, 40,307 tons of fruit and veg from going to landfill (and counting!) plus 22,349,536 single use plastic bags have been saved from going into landfill or our waterways.
Read our latest Annual Plastic & Food Waste Prevention Report for detailed data.
Working Towards
By 2030, Swag Australia will empower over 1 billion people to live waste & plastic-free, free over 10,000 children from sex trafficking and provide long term rehabilitation.
