MATERIALS
AND PRODUCTION
ØKO AMSTEDAM
MAKE IT FAIR
The fast fashion industry currently releases ten per cent of the annual global carbon emissions. The impacts from the industry include over ninety million tonnes of waste produced and eighty trillion litres of freshwater consumed per year. Furthermore, a large part of fast fashion is produced under inhuman working conditions. (United Nations, 2019)
MAKE IT FAIR
When fashion continues on its current path, it will further increase its world’s carbon footprint by 50% by 2030.
Our aim is to continuously improve our positive impact on society and the environment by fostering organic production and fair labour conditions in environments where fast fashion giants are still dominating. Thus, the goal is not only to minimise the negative impact but also to contribute to positive change in the industry. By offering affordable and fair fashion, we try to safeguard rather than exploit the planet’s resources and people and make sustainable products available for everyone.
ØKO AMSTEDAM
MAKE IT FAIR
The fast fashion industry currently releases ten per cent of the annual global carbon emissions. The impacts from the industry include over ninety million tonnes of waste produced and eighty trillion litres of freshwater consumed per year. Furthermore, a large part of fast fashion is produced under inhuman working conditions. (United Nations, 2019)
MAKE IT FAIR
When fashion continues on its current path, it will further increase its world’s carbon footprint by 50% by 2030.
Our aim is to continuously improve our positive impact on society and the environment by fostering organic production and fair labour conditions in environments where fast fashion giants are still dominating. Thus, the goal is not only to minimise the negative impact but also to contribute to positive change in the industry. By offering affordable and fair fashion, we try to safeguard rather than exploit the planet’s resources and people and make sustainable products available for everyone.
MATERIALS
We believe that fair textiles and sustainability is, first and foremost, a question of transparency. We acquire our raw textiles from the Belgian apparel company Stanley/Stella. In cooperation with Stanley/Stella and our local embroider located in North Holland, our goal is to achieve a fully sustainable supply chain. Although we still realise that the road ahead of us is still long, we try our best to offer you the most sustainable products possible.
ORGANIC MATERIALS
Firstly, we chose to work sustainably, offering only 100% organic cotton because for Øko Amsterdam, using textiles sourced from conventional cotton production cannot be ethically justified.
In short, organic cotton originates from non-genetically-modified seeds and is grown without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilisers. Furthermore, our organic cotton production sticks to natural farming methods, such as crop rotation, which benefits not only the soil and ecological environment, but also promotes good health and quality of life for farmers and local communities. By avoiding insecticides, fertilisers or pesticides flowing into the soil and nearby river basins, freshwater used for our textiles will not be wasted. The water used will not be considered a lost input resource, as it can be used again and can return to the soil without causing any harm. Thus, by sticking to organic cotton, we protect the quality of one of our planet’s scarce freshwater resources and safeguard livelihood on our planet.
PRODUCTION
Transparency is a fundamental component of any sustainability policy. However, it’s a long journey from the cotton field to your final Øko Amsterdam t-shirt. In order to ensure the sustainability and CO2 Impact of our t-shirts, we chose very carefully who to work with. We chose Stanley/Stella as our main textiles supplier due to their transparency in production and collaboration with NGOs to drive change in the textile industry. The organic cotton for our shirts is sourced from India goes through several stages as it moves from the cotton farm to a finished embroidered product to you.
Committing to stay
in Bangladesh
When mentioning Bangladesh, you might have become sceptical - can we produce genuinely sustainable products in the capital of fast fashion?
Our answer is not to ignore Bangladesh’s problems and combine our sustainability ambitions with Stanleys and Stella’s physical presence and inherent local knowledge. This means that we can help to drive positive change in the textile production in Bangladesh.
We know that we can only drive change and a lasting positive impact on the working conditions of the fashion industry in Bangladesh by maintaining and developing our relationships with local suppliers. At the present moment, Stanley and Stella work with only six partner factories in Bangladesh and one in China, ensuring to build supportive, long-term and collaborative relationships with them (c.f. Stanley/Stella Sustainability Report 2021).
Fair Wear
Foundation (FWF)
In our view, it was most outstanding when choosing a partner that Stanley/Stella is a member of the FWF, which is an independent organisation that works with apparel brands, garment workers and textile industry influencers to improve labour conditions in garment factories. The FWF is active in Bangladesh, where they audit and evaluate factories and support trade unions to lobby European governments and other organisations to increase wages and improve working conditions.
In addition, to ensure responsible production methods, the supply chain of our products is certified by various independent bodies and standards. Each of these certifications demonstrates how your Øko Amsterdam Product helps build healthy environmental practices and greater respect for the planet.
read more about FWF
Other Certificates:
