PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE RAW MATERIAL SOURCING
Sustainable raw material sourcing contributes significantly to the development of a more responsible and sustainable textile and clothing industry that takes into account the well-being of the environment, people and animals. For synthetic materials, this means the use of various recycling methods and, for natural fibres, organic agriculture as well as environmentally-friendly and ethical practices. In addition, innovations create more opportunities to utilise raw materials in new ways. Our sustainable raw material sourcing is based on a certified or licenced process. The hangtags on our products explain the main theme of our material sourcing principles, and the instructions for care provide detailed information about the product materials and their percentage in the product.
Recycled materials
The material contains recycled fibres, certified at the material or product level in the value chain. This label means that a product’s textiles contain at least 30%, 50% or 70% or full weight of certified or licenced recycled material. The additional information in the product’s instructions for care gives the specific recycling percentages for each material or layer. Alternatively, the information may concern the product’s primary material, lining material, padding or all of them together. The recycled material is sourced from excess material produced by the textile industry or consumer product waste, which is typically fibre made from recycled PET plastic bottles.
Organic materials
The textile contains organic material, certified at least at thread level in the value chain. This label means that a product’s textiles contain at least 30%, 50%,70% or 95% or full weight of certified organic material. The additional information in the product’s instructions for care gives the specific percentage of organic material for each material used. Organic production follows the principles of organic agriculture and does not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or genetically modified seeds.
Innovative materials – textile waste or new technology
The textile contains innovative recycled material sourced from textile waste or excess material produced by the textile industry. The material has been recycled mechanically, thermally or chemically into a new kind of textile fibre, or it utilises innovative technology. This label means that a product contains material that has been used innovatively according to the principles of a circular economy. The instructions for care specify the percentage of recycled material in the product’s primary material or provide information about the licenced technology used. The use of textile waste material supports the textile industry’s circular economy, and innovative technologies aim to promote sustainable development.
Innovative materials – biobased
The textile contains innovative biobased material that uses renewable natural resources instead of fossil-based raw materials. This label means that a product’s material is made from a partially or fully biobased raw material. The composition and additional information in the product’s instructions for care discuss the biobased component and its percentage in the material. In addition to innovative natural materials, biobased raw materials can be processed chemically into materials that resemble synthetic fibre and are classified as such. Such materials can also be used to replace elastane in products to make them more elastic mechanically, which improves their recyclability.
Responsibly sourced – plant-derived
The material contains plan-derived natural raw materials, whose sourcing is certified, licenced or compliant with a sustainable sourcing programme. This label means that the regenerated fibre used in a product’s material, such as viscose or lyocell, is a certified plant-derived raw material or the product’s material is a controlled cellulose-derived raw material, such as cotton, linen or hemp. The additional information in the product’s instructions for care specifies the sustainably sourced material. The sustainable sourcing of plant-derived materials can take into account considerations concerning society, land use, forestry and biodiversity.
Responsibly sourced – animal-derived
The material contains animal-derived natural raw materials, whose sourcing is certified and compliant with sustainable and ethical sourcing principles. This label means that a product contains a controlled animal-derived material, such as down feather, leather, wool or other fibres. The additional information in the product’s instructions for care specifies the animal-derived material used. The use of certified animal-derived materials promotes animal well-being. Sustainably certified sourcing also takes into account considerations of land use.