6 min read
How to read a supply chain
Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 — what each layer actually means when a brand claims transparency.
When a brand says 'we know our supply chain,' the question is: how deep? Tier 1 is final assembly — sewing the garment. Tier 2 is fabric production — weaving, knitting, dyeing. Tier 3 is yarn and fiber processing. Tier 4 is raw material — the farm or the oil well. Most 'transparent' brands cover Tier 1 only. The ones to trust publish at least Tier 2, ideally Tier 3.
Brands mentioned
ASKET
Stockholm, Sweden · $60–$250
Radical transparency. Permanent collection.
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Independent foundersNatural fibersDisclosed factoriesSlow fashion
Another Tomorrow
New York, NY · $300–$1500
Luxury with full supply-chain transparency.
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Women-ownedNatural fibersDisclosed factoriesGOTS
Kotn
Toronto, Canada · $30–$180
Direct-trade Egyptian cotton from the Nile Delta.
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Independent foundersNatural fibersB CorpFair Trade
Nudie Jeans
Gothenburg, Sweden · $129–$259
Denim with a repair-it-forever culture.
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Independent foundersNatural fibersCircular programsDisclosed factories