Sustainability is not a regional issue
March 8, 2022
In discussions with customers, sustainability, transparency of the supply chain, CSR or circular economy are among the defining topics.
Very often we find that the view of many companies or institutions willing to buy ignores the complexity of the textile chain and very often in new projects or in tenders only European production is required. The geographic borders do not correspond to those of the EU, but rather all countries of Southeastern Europe including Turkey are usually understood to be included.
Suddenly, it is no longer a question of the circumstances under which production takes place, but rather the location of the clothing production becomes the main criterion. Many products can and should be sensibly sourced regionally, but the idea that this also applies to clothing to the same extent is misleading. We are happy to refer you to our blog post on sustainably produced clothing.
In our opinion, sustainability cannot and should not refer exclusively to regional, national or European manufacturing. Sustainability means shaping all our ecological and economic actions in such a way that equal or ideally better living conditions are guaranteed for all present and future generations. And this not only on our doorstep, but everywhere.
In the textile and clothing industry, there are now a number of promising recycling activities and fortunately this is happening worldwide, including of course in Europe. At the moment, some of these new techniques are not yet ready for large volumes, and likewise there are still major challenges for multifiber blends, i.e. garments made from multiple raw materials, but the next few years will bring exciting new opportunities in all areas.
However, whichever way we look at it, the global demand for textile raw materials will of course not decrease and the most important materials such as cotton or polyester cannot be sourced regionally.
In order to do justice to the ecological factor, it is necessary to promote those initiatives that deal with organic or at least GMO-free sustainable cotton, it is necessary to implement strict environmental protection measures for fiber production, regardless of their location. Investments in fibers made from natural materials, such as Tencel fibers produced from cellulose by the Austrian company Lenzing AG, are also welcome. The new production facility in Thailand is a very good example of an environmentally friendly production plant.
However, the economy factor is just as crucial in an overall view. An insistence on European production - at least for yarns, fabrics and ready-made textiles or garments - requires that pricing allows for fair wages at all stages of the textile chain. Unfortunately, we very often find that this requirement is completely negated and companies and institutions expect European manufacturing and an Asian price level. In this context we refer again to the work of the Clean Clothes Campaign (https://cleanclothes.org/poverty-wages).
Those companies with which we work are not only appropriately audited and certified, these companies are model companies in their respective countries, sustainability and corporate social responsibility including living wages are part of the corporate philosophy and these can be verified by our customers at any time due to the supply chain transparency we offer.
We ask potential customers and tendering institutions not to be guided by misconceived sustainability arguments in upcoming apparel procurement projects. A global view is needed and we are always happy to present our understanding and arguments in discussions.