Sustainability

You are exposed to nature and its forces not only at work but also in everyday life. We want to treat our earth and its resources as carefully as possible and shape the future with nature in mind.

We are looking for meaningful and resource-saving solutions to ensure the sustainability of our clothing and our work processes. Together with our customers and suppliers, we put our resolutions into practice.

 

I Outer fabrics and materials

With our high-quality materials, we guarantee the longevity of our products.
For example, for our collection, we use YKK zippers, Cordura as a particularly durable material, 3M reflectors, fluorescent outer fabrics, and LOXX buttons. The proportion of recycled polyester according to Global Recycled Standards (GRS) is also constantly growing.
The listed materials mainly come from Taiwan and China, but also from Germany, among other places. For manufacturing, we use the most modern production methods.

 

 

II Production facilities

Our clothing is produced in China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. We have a long-standing collaboration with all production sites. The facilities are either BSCI or WARP certified. This means that the regulations regarding working conditions comply with both national and international standards.

With state-of-the-art 3D technology, we reduce lead times and keep the need for samples and courier costs as low as possible.
We are particularly proud of our 3D simulations. This process is as follows: After we have created a first sketch with all technical data, a first sample can be made. For this, a pattern must be created.
Based on the pattern, the garment is virtually sewn in a 3D program. We can now dress the garment on the computer - an avatar we set. During this process, we can create the first designs, simulate a fitting, develop detailed solutions, and try out different color variants and outer materials.
Product development can thus be represented more quickly and efficiently.
Experience can be used more easily for new developments, and the entire process of sample creation is made more sustainable.

Currently, the 3D simulations are used for illustration in the online shop.

Many of our production facilities are amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) audited. The aim of the audits is continuous and steady improvements in the social standards of the production facilities.

 

 

III Logistics

Undoubtedly, clothing travels long distances. We mainly carry this out with regular sea and train freight from China. Due to our location in Hamburg, the distances from the port of Hamburg to our warehouse are short.
Shipping to you takes place by courier or freight forwarding.
For the packaging of all trousers and jackets, we completely do without polybags.
For individual packaging, we have developed a reusable bag.
In the T-shirts and mid-layer jackets category, we will reduce individual packaging in the future to a narrow strip of PET that holds the rolled-up product together.
For individual shipping to our customers, we work with DHL. Standard commercial cardboard boxes, the bags already described, and PET strips are used as packaging. If necessary, wrapping paper is used.

IV A word

We believe in international supply chains and international trade. Over many years, we have built up very good customers and suppliers, both at European and international level.
We know the importance of our orders in the producing countries and have been following their development and progress for decades. Undoubtedly, the working worlds in Asia and Europe look different. Nevertheless, we unreservedly support our numerous production sites in Asia.

High-quality fabrics, for example, are manufactured in Taiwan or China and then processed in Bangladesh. This guarantees an international economic life on which many people depend.

Thus, every stage of value creation participates in the economic cycle, and even a low-wage country like Bangladesh can produce high-quality clothing. This corresponds to our fundamental understanding of respect and sustainability in international economic life.

 

Workers in a production facility in Bangladesh

On the topic of production in Bangladesh, TextilWirtschaft published a very interesting, worth reading article in October 2021. To read it, click here. The photos have been removed from the article for copyright reasons.
(Source: Nowicki, J. (2021). It makes me sad that our things end up in the trash. TextilWirtschaft, Issue 41 of October 14, 2021, pages 81-86.)