The certification comes via B Lab, the not-for-profit organisation behind the B Corp movement, with Gilda & Pearl having met “rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit”. The brand also finished “well above the minimum [B Corporation] requirements” with a score of 107.6. A business must score at least 80 out of a possible 200 points in an online survey of roughly 200 questions, as well as pass an interview with B Lab. 

With the certification a strong selling point for the British market, Gilda & Pearl said it further boosts its credentials as a manufacturer “entirely in partnership with women-owned ateliers in the UK, ensuring living wages in its production processes”. It uses carefully sourced materials, including upcycled trims and OEKO-TEX silks, and has “continuously committed to the highest standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from supply chain practices to input materials”. The brand now becomes part of an exclusive but expanding B Corp community of 6,900 businesses globally which also includes brands such as Patagonia and The Body Shop. Founder and Creative Director Diane Houston said: “My goal in starting Gilda & Pearl was always to make beautiful things whilst having some kind of positive rather than negative impact. “However, due to the nature of our manufacturing process, Gilda &Pearl’s very carefully considered approach has been very difficult to officially certify in the past since the mechanisms are usually designed for large factories with bigger teams. The thorough and holistic approach of the B Corp process has allowed us to certify our approach officially at long last, without negatively impacting any of our suppliers.”