In the Freshlabels offer, you can already find 40 brands from all over the world that have received our Sustainable tag. We award it on the basis of meeting more than half of our criteria by which we evaluate various aspects of sustainable production. In addition, brands marked with the Sustainable tag are divided into two levels according to their score. Because we want the entire system to be transparent, we provide information about the brands even if they have not yet reached the tag or completed the questionnaire.
Material is an essential parameter of sustainable fashion. Sustainable can mean something different for everyone, but our perception of sustainable material is that it should not burden the environment, whether through chemical fertilization and excessive water consumption or the production of new synthetic fiber. Due to the required properties for a certain type of clothing (especially for activewear), in some cases it is not possible to ensure 100% composition only of sustainable materials. That is why we set the limit at 66%.
Due to the fact that the material is often completed by dyeing, it is necessary that the criterion of a sustainable material also includes gentle dyeing. Such dyeing may be of an organic nature or cannot harm the environment or the workers handling the colour.
Not only environmental friendliness but also social responsibility is an important aspect of a sustainable business. That is why we ask brands if more than two thirds of their products are manufactured in factories, where regular audits guarantee safe working conditions, respect for human rights and adequate wages. Since without complete knowledge of all suppliers and subcontractors, it is not possible to determine with certainty whether the brand meets the criteria, we accompanied the first 3 questions with the question of knowledge of the production chain. Thus, a brand can only receive the full number of points for material and production issues if it has a fully transparent supply chain.
Transparency of production is the key to a more responsible future for the fashion industry. Therefore, in our questionnaire, we assess the extent to which brands know their supply chain. Level 3 means that the brand knows its supply chain down to the level of raw materials (cotton growers, paper box suppliers, etc.) Level 2 means knowledge of semi-finished suppliers (cotton fibber suppliers, paper boxes, etc.) Level 1 represents basic knowledge of the supply chain only to the level of the finished fabric or printed paper box.
One of the causes of the climate crisis is the excessive traffic caused by the fashion industry. Therefore, we evaluate in which radio the production process takes place. The distance of the complete production chain from the transport of the raw material to the delivery of the final product to the warehouse should not exceed 10,000 km (which is the distance corresponding to one quarter of the Earth's circumference) for a positive evaluation. A brand can earn a positive rating even if its activities compensate for the carbon footprint and thus neutralize its negative impact on the environment.
We like brands that, in addition to responsible production, also contribute to a better environment for other people. Each brand that is engaged in relevant CSR activities, for example, has its own foundation or supports other non-profit organizations, receives 0.5 extra points from us.
Certificates confirm the additional control of certification authorities in the form of random audits and inspections at suppliers. However, in order to obtain them, a large investment or a certain volume of production is often required. In order not to discriminate against smaller brands that cannot afford certification, we award a symbolic 0.5 points for certificates. However, it is important to keep in mind that certificates are a hallmark of quality and to take them into account.
