How can you tell if workwear is sustainable?

Certificates: the verifiable part

Certificates don’t tell the whole story, but they are the only part you can check for yourself. Shop products are labelled with the OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 — this confirms that the finished textile has been tested for harmful substances.

It is important to understand the scope of these labels: no single label covers everything. OEKO-TEX says nothing about working conditions, GOTS says nothing about transport routes, and GRS says nothing about harmful substances. If you understand how they work together, you can put these claims into context rather than simply trusting them.

There are significant differences in the level of commitment among the brands covered. Manufacturers such as Hakro and Mascot are setting an example in this area by publishing their own programmes and test reports.

Production conditions: why having your own staff on site makes a difference

The difference between a letter of intent and actual control lies in whether someone actually goes there. Since 2011, Kustom has maintained its own Swiss purchasing office in Shenzhen, staffed by trained local employees.

Every factory is personally visited and inspected before we enter into a partnership. Fair working conditions and high social standards are a prerequisite, not a matter for negotiation. This gives us exclusive access to certified production facilities — and enables ongoing quality control directly on the production line, rather than only upon receipt of goods in Switzerland.

This also answers the most critical question we are asked: Is manufacturing in China unfair in itself? No — what matters is whether someone is monitoring where production takes place. Without a local presence of our own, it all comes down to assurances on paper.

Transport route: the often-overlooked lever

The way goods are transported to Switzerland has a greater impact on the carbon footprint than most material-related decisions. As well as sea and air freight, we use rail transport as a significantly lower-carbon option — it takes somewhere between the time taken by ship and that taken by plane.

If you plan well in advance, you can choose your transport route carefully. This is one of the reasons why lead time also pays off from an environmental perspective: air freight is almost always a result of time pressure, not necessity.

Customs clearance is carried out under the Switzerland–China Free Trade Agreement.

The biggest factor remains the useful life

The most sustainable clothing is that which is worn for a long time. A sturdier garment with a durable finish that lasts for five years outperforms, in terms of its overall environmental impact, any certified garment that is replaced after a single season.

That is why the quality of materials, appropriate finishing and the availability of replacement items are all part of the sustainability equation — even if they are not listed on any label.

What we don’t yet offer

We do not currently have a satisfactory collection scheme for used textiles. We regard this as a real gap and are actively seeking a partnership in this area.

Until then, we’d rather be upfront about it than promise a solution that doesn’t yet exist. You can find specific figures relating to our own balance sheet in the Impact Report.