Below, we briefly explain some of the key certifications involved in our Greener Choice criteria so you can better understand what each certification really means.

The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is an independent global standard that was developed with the participation of animal welfare organisations and industry representatives. Down is only RDS-certified if the entire supply chain passes a third-party audit that ensures that holistic animal welfare is maintained from hatching to slaughter – including no live plucking or force-feeding.

The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a voluntary standard that addresses the welfare of sheep and the land on which they graze. The aim of the Responsible Wool Standard is to provide the industry with a tool to recognize the sustainable practices of farmers. The aim is to ensure that the wool comes from farms that take a progressive approach to managing their land, consider the welfare of the sheep holistically and comply with animal welfare criteria.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

The FSC is a global non-profit organisation that ensures that companies that use wood from an FSC-certified forest comply with its standards along the entire supply chain. The FSC has three different seals: FSC 100% (entirely from FSC-certified, well-managed forests), FSC Recycled (everything comes from recycled material) and FSC Mix (the product comes from FSC-certified forests, recycled material or controlled wood).

Preferred FibRE and Material Matrix

The Preferred Fiber and Material Matrix is a tool used by Textile Exchange to compare materials within a category on the basis of various indicators such as soil health, climate impact or biodiversity.

ZDHC

The ZDHC is a group of clothing and footwear brands and retailers working together to lead the industry towards the long-term elimination of chemicals of concern. The ZDHC was founded in 2011 in response to the Greenpeace DeTox campaign.

Bluesign

The aim of the bluesign® PRODUCT seal is to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry. It also stands for the safe production and processing of synthetic and natural fibers. Products that have been at least 90 percent processed in certified factories may bear the bluesign® PRODUCT seal.

Terracare

The German tannery Heinen, which supplies hiking boot brands such as Hanwag and Meindl, is a pioneer in the production of high-quality, sustainable leather for the outdoor sector. The company is best known for its terracare© label, the leading ingredient brand for leather produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The hides for this come almost exclusively from Germany, whereby the origin is 100% traceable via app. Heinen only uses REACH-certified auxiliary materials, recycles almost all production waste, has a process water treatment plant and only uses renewable energy.

Leather Working Group

In 2005, stakeholders from industry, trade, NGOs and scientific institutes joined forces and founded the Leather Working Group (LWG). Today, with over 2000 stakeholders in around 60 countries, the initiative is probably the most important monitoring body and driving force behind a sustainable and transparent leather industry. It develops environmental and social standards for various aspects of production and offers a certification program in which leather manufacturers and processors can have their processes and operating procedures assessed. Seals are awarded in the gold, silver and bronze categories – for environmental and social standards as well as for transparency and traceability.

Cradle to Cradle

The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard focuses on the circularity of products. It considers a product on the basis of five categories: Material Health, Materials Reuse, Renewable Energy and Carbon Management, Water Management and Social Sustainability. A product receives a performance level in each category (basic, bronze, silver, gold or platinum). The overall product label corresponds to the category with the lowest level.

Fair Labour Association

The FLA is a multi-stakeholder initiative of universities, NGOs and companies that evaluates social practices and monitors their implementation in the supply chain. The FLA Code of Conduct for Workplaces sets standards for decent working conditions in factories and on farms. The FLA Principles for Fair Labour Practices and Responsible Sourcing and Production define key business practices to ensure safe and sustainable supply chains. All FLA standards are based on the ILO core conventions and

Fair Trade

The aim of Fairtrade is to improve trading conditions for disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers in developing countries by enabling them to benefit from fair prices and long-term trading relationships. Fairtrade certification requires producers, traders and companies to meet social, environmental and economic standards. Certification is carried out by FLOCERT and a number of national Fairtrade organizations. The umbrella organisation FLO e.V. develops the criteria for fair trade, on the basis of which the seal is awarded, while national member organisations such as TransFair e.V. market the seal.

Fair Wear Foundation

The Fair Wear Foundation focuses on the social side of sustainability and supports the conditions for workers in the respective factories. The organisation works independently and focuses particularly on working conditions in clothing factories.

Global Recycled Standard (GRS)

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) was developed to meet the demand for verification of the percentage of recycled parts or ingredients in a given product. The GRS provides a track-and-trace certification system that ensures that claims made about a product are backed up with documented evidence.