Sustainable clothing: How to recognize it and what to look out for

Sustainability is a topic close to our hearts – and surely to you too. Who wants to wear chemical-laden clothing that was manufactured under terrible working conditions and then transported halfway around the world? We want to address precisely that and show you what to look for when buying sustainable clothing – whether for your baby or yourself.

What criteria are important for sustainable clothing?

To truly describe clothing as sustainable, purely environmental aspects aren't enough. Sustainability goes much further, but naturally also encompasses the climate and the environment. It's also about people, fair treatment of one another, conserving resources, and avoiding waste and CO2 emissions. In other words, you should look for these characteristics in sustainable clothing:

• Made from renewable or sustainable raw materials (organic cotton, bamboo, organic linen, recycled polyester from PET bottles, etc.)
• Use of certified cotton and co.
• Fair trade of raw materials and fair production under good working conditions (Fair Fashion)
• High quality of the products, as longevity can save resources
• Environmentally friendly transport in all phases of production
• Equipping the garments with important seals

What materials are available for making sustainable clothing?

The list of sustainable materials is long. We've compiled the most important ones here to give you an initial overview.
What is important when it comes to sustainable materials?
As you know, sustainability is based on three pillars: environmental, economic, and social. Only when all three pillars are addressed can we speak of a truly sustainable material—and this applies to the entire value chain, from sowing (for plant-based raw materials), through production and processing, to finishing and transport.

Here are the most important and most commonly used materials in sustainable fashion. To ensure the authenticity of the origin, you should also look for the relevant seals, which we will introduce after the materials section.

ORGANIC cotton

Organic cotton is grown without genetically modified seeds, without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and uses significantly less water than conventional cotton production. In many cases, small regional farmers are supported in its cultivation, who often still handle everything from sowing to picking by hand, which also explains the significantly higher price of organic cotton. The material is particularly well-tolerated and virtually never causes allergies. It is also very durable and robust.

ORGANIC wool

With organic wool, particular attention is paid to species-appropriate animal husbandry. Shearing generally causes no pain for the animals—in fact, they are happy to be freed from their warm, heavy fur. With organic wool, particular care is also taken to ensure that the animals have sufficient space to roam and are fed naturally.

ORGANIC linen

Linen is made from flax and is therefore 100% vegan. In terms of water consumption, flax is significantly more resource-efficient than cotton. Just as with organic cotton, care is taken to avoid soil-polluting fertilizers and pesticides, as well as genetically modified seeds. The already complex manufacturing process is made even more time-consuming by the significantly increased manual labor and extremely gentle procedures, which justifies the higher price.

Polyester from recycled PET bottles

Upcycling at its finest: One kilogram of high-quality yarn is obtained from approximately eight PET bottles. The bottles, some of which are fished out of the ocean, are shredded and melted down. Because this process requires hardly any energy or water, the material is considered particularly resource-efficient. It is also more dimensionally stable, lighter, more robust, and more durable than linen or cotton, thus contributing to a longer textile lifespan.

SeaCell®

This vegan natural fiber is obtained from Icelandic brown algae, which is harvested in a very environmentally friendly way. What's truly special is that the particularly gentle processing preserves the algae's minerals and vital nutrients, which are released when the clothing is worn through body temperature and the skin's moisture. So, you're essentially wearing skincare in the form of clothing. That's truly unique. We'll probably hear a lot more about this fiber in the future, which is still very new to the market.

Lyocell and Modal

Lyocell is a vegan yarn obtained through a chemical process from the rapidly growing eucalyptus tree. Modal is made from local beechwood. The cellulose fibers are extracted from the wood using an organic solvent and then spun into yarn. It's important to note that the eucalyptus used in Lyocell and the beech used in Modal come from sustainable sources (no pesticides, no competition with animal habitats, and good working conditions). Lyocell is particularly well-suited for sportswear. Modal is interesting because the beechwood comes from our latitudes, eliminating long transport routes.

Hemp fiber

The hemp plant is very undemanding, requires little water, and grows very quickly almost anywhere. Robust clothing made from hemp fibers is widely used in sportswear and even in T-shirts.

Soy silk or vegan cashmere

Soy silk is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, this very soft and comfortable material is sustainable, as it is made exclusively from waste from soybean production. But here comes the big BUT: During production, some hazardous chemicals are used that can pollute the environment.

What important labels are there for sustainable clothing?

Unfortunately, the number of labels is almost overwhelming, and many of them lack a real basis or recognized selection criteria. However, there are also a number of highly recognized labels that we would like to introduce to you below, so you can make the right decisions and buy truly sustainable clothing :

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

GOTS is the world's leading standard in textile processing for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, supported by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. GOTS-certified end products can include fiber products, yarns, fabrics, clothing, home textiles, mattresses, personal care products, and food contact textiles, among others.

We are very proud to be GOTS certified. Our children need our protection and also our example. If they learn to treat the environment with care at an early age, they will be better able to apply this approach later in life. For our little ones, only the best is good enough.

NATURTEXTIL IVN certified BEST

A seal issued by the International Association of Natural Textiles (IUT) that covers the entire textile production chain from an ecological and socially responsible perspective. Manufacturers must have an environmental policy, the fibers must be 100% organic and natural, and no hazardous chemicals may be used.

Fairtrade (Cotton)

The well-known Fairtrade symbol is available for various raw materials such as tea, cocoa, coffee, and cotton. The general standards aim to ensure fair prices for producers, promote their social, economic, and ecological development, and ensure the environmental sustainability of certified products.

RWS - Responsible Wool Standard

The Textile Exchange, as the holder of the RWS seal for responsibly produced wool, is committed to recognizing farmers' best practices. RWS ensures that the wool comes from producers who care about animal welfare and that an overall sustainable approach is in place across the entire value chain.

Fair Wear

Fair Wear operates on many fronts. The Foundation is committed to collaborating with industry influencers, strengthening workers' rights, improving working conditions, raising wages, taking action in the production countries themselves, and ending discrimination.

Green button

The Green Button is a government-sponsored label overseen by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It focuses on sustainable clothing and adheres to a comprehensive catalog of criteria. A total of 46 demanding social and environmental standards must be met – from A for wastewater limits to Z for the prohibition of forced labor.

To ensure that the information provided by a seal actually applies to the respective manufacturer, you can often find a database on the seal's website that lists all producers and retailers who are actually certified under this seal.

Conclusion

There's a lot to consider and take into account when buying sustainable clothing. Ultimately, it's all about feeling good about what you're wearing and not having to worry about whether a child might have worked a 16-hour shift in its production, whether animals suffered, or whether the planet was harmed. We hope we've been able to actively support you in this.