Sustainable raw materials at OLYMP
Our most important raw material: Cotton
"We source 77 percent of the cotton for our products through the Better Cotton Initiative, thereby promoting sustainable cotton cultivation. We intend to increase this figure."
Johann Trischberger,Technical Director Production, Sourcing and Corporate Responsibility at OLYMP
Our commitment at a glance
The Better Cotton Initiative is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to promote the cultivation and use of sustainably produced cotton worldwide. Its work focuses on training initiatives that provide the cotton growers with comprehensive knowledge about the sustainable management of their farmland, and the improvement of working conditions in the regions of origin around the globe. The growing number of members and the increasing demand for Better Cotton are intended to encourage ever more cotton farmers to convert to sustainable growing methods.
Our target: at least 80 percent of sustainably and fairly produced cotton
Sourcing our cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative: the principle of mass balance
In 2019, 77 percent of our cotton was already sourced via the BCI.
In 2020 it will be at least 80 percent.
For 2021 we are also aiming for at least 80 percent sourcing through Better Cotton.
In addition to our commitment to sustainable cotton as member of the Better Cotton Initiative, we will begin with the introduction of organic cotton in our OLYMP casual segment in 2021.
Sourcing cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative is based on the principle of mass balance. BCI cotton is grown by specially trained and tested cotton farmers and is fed into the textile value chain as licensed cotton. When it is worked into yarns, fabrics and finished products, Better Cotton may be mixed with conventional cotton. In the end product, it is therefore not possible to prove which part consists of which type of cotton. However, using a digital platform, it is possible to ensure that the amount of Better Cotton declared is not less than the amount that is actually in circulation. In brief: The balance between the purchased and the sold amount must always correspond. Hence the term “mass balance”.
This means in effect: The cultivation of ecological and socially acceptable cotton is promoted to the same extent that OLYMP purchases BCI cotton.