Femnet e.V.

FEMNET and the Global Nature Fund hosted the #FairWearWorks conference Consistently sustainable - fair textiles in the company The aim is to open a productive dialogue between the theory and practice of sustainable textile purchasing and to network various actors in eco-fair procurement.

The event, which took place in cooperation with the Schäder Foundation on 22 September 2022 in Darmstadt, focused on the question of what contribution a sustainable and fair purchase of textiles can make as part of a holistic sustainability strategy for participants from academia, business, politics and civil society.

Through sustainable procurement management, companies can set their course for future viability.

The fact sheet provides an overview of future-oriented innovations, such as new fibers, modern circular economy or the digital tracking of textile supply chains.

Whether as protective clothing, bedding or merchandise items: Textiles are indispensable in many industries. It is well known that these are often produced under conditions that exploit people and the environment. Last but not least, the increasing interest of the public in aspects of sustainability is driving more and more companies to commit to socially and environmentally friendly production.

Solar systems on the stadium roof, less garbage with reusable dishes, the bratwurst from the organic farmer around the corner - in recent years, the commitment of professional sports to more sustainability has increased sharply. However, measures on purchasing practices and in particular on sustainable textile procurement have so far been rare.

Against this background, the study addresses the question of whether and how sustainable procurement of merchandising and team sportswear is feasible in professional sports. It analyses whether textiles are already purchased from a social and ecological point of view and records the challenges faced by clubs and associations. With a few exceptions, clubs of the respective first leagues as well as the top and league associations from football, handball, basketball and ice hockey were considered.

The feasibility study on sustainable textile procurement in professional sports was carried out by FEMNET on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Whether it's workwear, merchandise or laundry: Through sustainable textile purchasing, your company can make a contribution to responsible business. In this factsheet, we present established sustainability standards that enable you to identify socially and ecologically produced textiles.

Whether safety shoes, various types of workwear, bed linen for hotels, tablecloths for restaurants or merchandise items, such as cloth bags: German companies buy a wide range of textiles. The manufacturing process of all these textiles involves social and environmental risks. With consciously made purchasing decisions in the company, buyers can help to reduce them.

There are 2,334 sports clubs in Berlin that are dedicated to various sports disciplines such as football, basketball or tennis. Together they share not only the passion for sport, but also the wearing of jerseys or the use of sports equipment such as balls or mats. Many of these clubs also offer merchandise items. However, the question arises whether their manufacturing conditions are taken into account when purchasing these products. To what extent are the effects of the production of these items on people and the environment included in the purchase decision? And what happens to the items that no longer correspond to the current design?

FEMNET e.V., cum ratione gGmbH and the Action Alliance Fairer Handel Berlin conducted a survey on these topics in spring 2023. The brochure presents the results and gives tips for the sustainable design of shopping in your own sports club. For this purpose, the brochure contains a sample purchasing guideline as well as links to digital tools that help with product evaluation.