Labels & Certificates: Identify sustainable fashion easily

Sustainability is in fashion! According to a new study by Capgemini, 80% of consumers state that they consider sustainability when buying new products. So the potential of the market is immense. However, there is often a discrepancy between what consumers say and what they do. In fact, consumers tend to choose cheap fast fashion products rather than the more sustainable option.

There are several reasons why intentions and actual actions do not match. First of all, fast fashion pieces are in many cases cheaper. When in doubt, quantity prevails over quality. Another reason is a lack of trust caused by companies that do greenwashing. Greenwashing means that the company is not as sustainable as they claim. In short, they take advantage of the sustainability trend and use it in their marketing strategy without improving their sustainable footprint. However, this decreases the trust of the buyers.

This problem could be solved by a uniform sustainability certificate. Most of us can hardly find their way through the label labyrinth. There are many different labels, each with different guidelines and criteria. That’s what makes it so difficult to recognize whether and to what extent the garment is sustainable.

To shed a light on the subject, we put together some of the most used certificates to make your purchase decision a little easier.*

FAIRTRADE COTTON

The Fairtrade Cotton Standard is probably the most famous certification. It refers to the cultivation of cotton. The criteria for the label are the payment of minimum prices and bonuses, optimization of working conditions, and the prohibition of child labor.

The cotton must consist of 100% organic fibers and may not contain chemicals that are harmful to health and the environment. The criteria are verified by FLO-Cert (independent certification).

GOTS

GOTS is the short form for Global Organic Textile Standard. It is one of the most important labels. Not only the production of the fabrics is considered, but the entire processing chain. Therefore the GOTS has a very high standard.

The textiles must consist of 95% biological natural fibers and must not contain any substances that are harmful to health and the environment. The production protects the resources so that the environmental impact is as low as possible. The social standards are based on the ILO core labor standards. The certification and control are also verified independently.

NATURTEXTIL BEST

Naturtextil Best is the strictest certification and is mainly found in German companies. It has very high ecological standards, considering the whole production chain. For example, the textiles must consist of 100% organic natural fibers, and no substances harmful to health or the environment may be processed.

The social standards are ensured by compliance with the ILO core labor standards and the payment of living wages. Compliance with the criteria is checked independently through audits.

FAIRWEAR FOUNDATION

Members of the Fairwear Foundation are obliged to implement the criteria of the initiative. The main focus here is on compliance with certain social standards in further processing. The criteria include compliance with ILO core labor standards and the payment of living wages.

For example, there must be no discrimination in the workplace, and forced labor or child labor are prohibited. The Fairwear Foundation supports companies in gradually integrating these measures into their business. This process is audited by independent certifiers.

COTTON MADE IN AFRICA

The Cotton made in Africa label refers not only to ecological but also to social standards. A great deal of importance is attached to social standards in particular. For example, child labor, the exploitation of people, and human trafficking are prohibited. Furthermore, there must be no discrimination in the workplace, and men and women must be paid equally.

The ecological standards state that soil fertility must be maintained and water must be protected. The use of pesticides that are harmful to health and the environment is also prohibited.

OEKO-TEX STANDARD

The Oeko-Tex standard is a widespread consumer protection label. It specifies that no substances harmful to health or the environment may be used in the processing of the fabrics. This means that consumers never come into contact with toxic chemicals.

This also applies to buttons and threads. The testing is done on the end product and is carried out independently. The criteria are updated and expanded annually to always take into account all new substances.

EU ECOLABEL

The EU Ecolabel belongs to the EU Flower. It stands for the reduction of substances that are harmful to the environment and health during the processing of fabrics. In addition, the label aims to reduce air and water pollution. The influence of the clothing on natural resources, biodiversity and global warming must be kept as low as possible. The testing is carried out by independent bodies.

SA8000

The SA8000 label follows the guidelines of the international human rights standard. The companies are evaluated based on their structure in 8 different key categories. The different categories include child labor, forced labor, health and safety, free association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and compensation.

NEUTRAL® RESPONSIBILITY

Neutral itself is also committed to sustainability. This means that they obtain their energy for the production of clothing from renewable energy sources in the form of wind power. This ensures that the environment is not polluted and the impact on climate change is kept to a minimum. Energy that is not needed is fed into the local grid.

To sum up

As you can see, there is not the ONE certificate that covers all criteria. There are different labels for different requirements. Many products are marked with several labels so that by combining them all important criteria are fulfilled.

Here you can find an overview of all certifications of fred & frida products. In total, the textiles have been awarded 6 different certifications.

Do you know of any other certifications that are not listed here? Let us know, so we can expand our knowledge together!

* We will constantly expand and adapt the list of labels and certifications so that you are always up to date.