Material choices matter both from a quality and environmental perspective. The production of materials accounts for a significant share of carbon dioxide emissions in our company. In addition, there are other environmental impacts related to materials in terms of water and chemical use, microplastics and waste, for example. We strive to take sustainability into account in material choices and to minimize adverse environmental impacts caused by materials in a variety of ways.
When choosing and sourcing materials for our products, we aim to take the following into account in particular:
Raw material sourcing
Full chain-of-custody traceability and verifiability
Circular economy aspect
Measurable quality of the material – durability and longevity
Chemical safety
Manufacturing processes and the finished product
Luhta Sportswear Company's material sourcing is guided by the in-house Material Sourcing Guide. The guide defines minimum requirements and recommended options for material sourcing for all our brands. These should always be based on third-party verification. We recognize that we have a lot of work to do on our material choices to reach our goal of circular economy-aligned collections. We have created a plan and we are working with our brands to significantly increase the proportion of recycled materials, for example, in our collections in the coming seasons.
Innovation in the Use of Materials
Innovation is at the heart of future-oriented materials development. All our brands and product development teams have access to the shared material library that supports the selection of eco-friendly and circular economy-aligned materials. The material library helps us to make more informed choices while maintaining the quality, longevity and aesthetics of our brands. We are constantly exploring new options for the use of recyclable, biobased and renewable materials. The textile sector and its innovations are evolving rapidly, and we believe that developments in the coming years will bring us many new solutions. We actively follow developments in the sector.
No Harmful Chemicals
We comply with EU chemical legislation, such as the REACH and POP Regulations, and we closely monitor updates to the SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) list of hazardous substances and take them into account in our operations. We use the AFIRM Group’s international RSL list of restricted substances to guide our procurement and manage the use of hazardous substances in the manufacture of materials. As part of our chemical management, we also pay special attention to PFC or PFAS compounds, which have been central to the production of technical outdoor products. We focus on eliminating PFAS compounds from water-repellent treatments and technical membrane structures. We require our suppliers to provide alternative solutions that do not contain these compounds. We continuously monitor and assess the impact of legislative changes related to chemical restrictions on our processes and supply chain.
Microplastics
Synthetic materials are often used in technical interlayer products and outerwear to ensure their functionality and comfort in different weather conditions and to increase their lifetime. However, these materials have the environmental disadvantage of releasing microplastics into water bodies during production and washing. Microplastic emissions are best minimized through quality material choices and correct product use. So far, we have introduced new innovative material alternatives to Luhta's Material Library, for example to traditional fleece. We have also explored possibilities for testing and measuring the microplastic content of products and ways to prevent the release of microplastics during washing. We guide our customers to avoid microplastics by buying quality products designed for their intended use and washing them only when necessary.
Materials of Animal Origin
Materials of animal origin are very marginal in relation to the materials we use and our total procurement. However, it is very important for us to ensure that animal rights are respected in all materials of animal origin used in our products. In our Supplier and Partner Code of Conduct and our Animal Welfare Policy, we set specific requirements on animal rights to which our suppliers and partners must adhere. To ensure animal rights, we scrutinize certificates of origin, i.e. third-party certifications. We also set clear guidelines and minimum requirements for our product development teams on ethical sourcing with respect to animal rights.
Read more about materials and our related work in our Sustainability Review.
