With 80 points needed to qualify for the award – the brand received a whopping 94.4 points on their assessment.
Limerick based fashion brand Aoife McNamara has become the first Irish clothing label to receive the B Corporation certification.
The widely recognised certification is run by B Lab, an international nonprofit network that celebrates businesses that are a force for good.
Since founding the company in 2019, receiving their B Corp status had been a huge goal for founder Aoife McNamara.
In a post on Instagram celebrating the achievement, Aoife said: “This step forward signifies our promise, not only to ourselves but to our cherished community. We pledge to be accountable, transparent, and devoted to improving our practices.”
The fashion brand received a staggering 94.4 points on their B Corp assessment. 80 is the number of points needed to qualify, where median score received by ordinary businesses is 50.9 – pushing Aoife’s brand to the forefront of sustainable fashion.
The assessment is done based on governance, workers, community, environment, and customers – all of which Aoife McNamara received nearly a perfect score.
Aoife McNamara joins Baileys, Danone, and Innocent as other B Corp certified Irish brands.
At the end of 2022, the brand released their first impact report made to highlight their transparency and their sustainable practices. It also highlighted their goals for the future (Including earning their B Corp certification).
In her statement for the report, she said: “We place a premium on creativity, beauty, and the well-being of both people and the planet. Our commitment to sustainability runs deep within every fibre of our operations.”
Based in a cottage in Adare, Aoife takes inspiration from her surroundings and tries to source most of her fabrics locally and sustainably.
Aside from selling clothes in the cottage, the brand also hosts plenty of events (many alcohol free) providing a nice way for people in the community to meet and spend time together. They frequently host yoga sessions, and gigs with Irish artists.