Think. Then think again. This is something we do every day. We are constantly thinking about how to make our products even better. But clothing production also comes with a big responsibility. We are responsible for doing what we are best at: designing and producing lightweight work clothing and corporate clothing, while keeping our methods as sustainable as possible.
Actually, nothing could be more natural. Like most people, we want to be able to tell our children and grandchildren that we did our best to promote a more sustainable world. Hang on – what if we tried that instead?
Today’s circular economy forces us to think carefully. Thinking a little smarter takes you a little further. That’s one of Texstar’s mottos. We call it the Texstar Way. It also includes our philosophy on sustainability. Some call it CSR. We call it caring.
Many aspects of production have an impact on the environment. These aspects include choice of materials, the amount of waste produced, the chemical additives used and the actual production methods used, which can include dyeing, production technology and energy consumption. The chosen transport methods also affect the environment. Transport can be rationalised by ordering larger batches. This is one of the reasons why Texstar has one of the market’s best-stocked warehouses.
Another important factor is product packaging. We use recyclable packaging whenever possible.
Most people will know from watching TV how bad working conditions can be in textile factories around the world. To enable us to thoroughly monitor day-to-day working conditions in our production facilities, we favour long-term collaboration with selected factories where we have full control of production. Moreover, we are members of the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), the leading global organisation for open and sustainable trade with members in more than 40 countries. The BSCI’s mission is to help organisations enhance human prosperity, use natural resources responsibly and drive open trade globally. For more information about the BSCI’s work and our common Code of Conduct, visit amfori.org.
Texstar actively works to influence local conditions, and by choosing our products you make an important contribution to driving positive development in local communities. Employees in local facilities must have favourable working conditions, both in terms of safety and wages, and must be free to organise trade unions. Needless to say, the same principles apply in Sweden: Texstar should be a good company to work for.
We comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and expect our subcontractors to do the same. Among other things, this means zero tolerance of child labour and discrimination, an approach which may seem natural to us in Sweden. We encourage diversity and value a workplace where everyone can contribute different perspectives and competences, regardless of gender, culture, sexual orientation or training. We care.
Finance is crucial to a company’s survival. We aim to be part of a financial system that generates profits both for the employees in our organisation and for our customers. When an organisation has healthy finances, its operations generate long-term benefits for all stakeholders without compromising on social and environmental sustainability.
Texstar is environmentally certified according to ISO ISO14001:2015, which demonstrates our ambition to continuously improve and develop our environmental management so that everyone in the company works in the same direction. Our environmental policy also helps our subcontractors comply with our environmental goals. Our ISO certification supports us in achieving our continuous environmental improvement goals.
REACH is a European Union regulation aimed at reducing the diffusion of hazardous chemicals. REACH requires all old and new chemicals on the market to be registered, evaluated and authorised. This means that Texstar is required to:
■ register the chemicals we manufacture or import
■ prepare and supply a safety data sheet or equivalent information to the recipients of the chemicals
■ ascertain whether a permit is required for the chemical in question
■ if we want to continue using or releasing a chemical in a market where a permit is required, we must apply for a permit
■ keep abreast with any limitations that apply to the chemical or mixtures containing it.
You can read more about REACH on the website of the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemikalieinspektionen), www.kemi.se/en.
Amfori BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) brings together over 2,000 retailers, importers, brands and associations from more than 40 countries. Amfori’s mission is to enable each of its members to enhance human prosperity, use natural resources responsibly and drive open trade globally.
Clothing production is a global process in which the various stages of production – from raw materials to finished products – are often located in different parts of the world. Oeko-Tex is an international organisation where textile products are tested and certified through all stages of production by independent international institutes. The Oeko-Tex criteria catalogue is aimed at creating a collective vision regarding potentially harmful substances.
Oeko-Tex provides companies in the textile and clothing industry with a set of common assessment standards, while giving end consumers the benefit of tested safety, for instance in the form of skin-friendly clothing.
The requirements of the standard vary according to the intended use of the end product, and are divided into four product classes. Texstar products meet all the requirements in Product Class II regarding the materials and components used. This gives you assurance that Texstar clothing is safe to wear against your skin. Read more about Oeko-Tex on www.oeko-tex.com
See our Environmental Policy here.
Here you can read our evironmental policies in German and Dutch.
GOTS imposes strict requirements throughout the production chain with regard to both environmental impact and working conditions in the textile and clothing industries. GOTS supports organic, sustainable farming without the use of toxic pesticides and fertilisers, with the vision of achieving ecologically sustainable production in terms of materials, packaging and logistics. Read more on global-standard.org.
STICA (The Swedish Textile Initiative for Climate Action) works to support companies in the textiles industry to pursue the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit the increase in global temperature by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).