Responsibility
For TONI and Relaxed, this means more than just taking a critical look at the materials we process and bring to market. We also focus on our responsibility towards our employees, our environment and, last but not least, our customers.
As forward-looking labels, we inspire fashion-conscious customers aged 50+ with our high standards of fit, aesthetics and quality, and we are aware of our economic, social and, above all, ecological responsibility when creating our collections. As is so often the case, the journey is the destination – especially when it comes to responsibility. We are consistently pursuing this path. For a better future.
Fabrics & Trims
With future generations in mind and for a clean environment, we are doing everything we can to make the textile value chain of our products as appropriate as possible.
Raw material
We maintain long-term, trusting partnerships with our fabric suppliers, who are mainly based in Europe or countries close to Europe and also manufacture there. Short transport routes save time and valuable resources and greatly reduce environmental impact. It goes without saying that we check every fabric for prohibited dyes or pesticides before production. In addition, we require binding information from our suppliers confirming that the materials supplied are completely free of harmful substances, and we carry out our own tests at recognised institutes.
Wash & Labels
Authentic looks, which are particularly sought after for denim, can only be achieved through technical washing processes. We carry this out in advanced laundries that are certified according to OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100. Our partners attach great importance to reducing energy and water consumption and to the careful use of chemicals.
And even the little things matter: TONI leather labels are made of more than 90% Viridis©, a polymer based on renewable raw materials (corn, FSC viscose and PU) and recycled leather. The remaining 10% of the labels are by-products of the food industry.
Production
For us, responsibility is closely linked to the people involved in manufacturing our clothing. During on-site visits, we personally ensure that the following legal requirements are met:
• No forced labour
• No child labour
• No discrimination
• Fair wage equalisation
• Compliance with the ILO*
Almost 70% of our manufacturing companies are based in Europe.
*International Labour Organization: International Labour Organization - Compliance with international social standards (www.ilo.org)
It is important to us to support ecological, fair and social production in developing countries too. For this reason, we deliberately do not ignore these in our production. We manufacture part of our products in one of our production facilities in Vietnam, DBW (Deutsche Bekleidungswerke). These were established in 2016 by our parent company, Royal Spirit Group LTD Hong Kong.
This production facility is equipped with state-of-the-art social and hygiene rooms as well as air conditioning. The high-tech production park, a solar system and its own water treatment plant make DBW a model company - not least in terms of environmental protection. It is therefore not surprising that the company is a highly sought-after employer.
Memberships
Social responsibility plays a central role in our corporate philosophy. We are very proud to be a member of renowned organisations such as Better Cotton™ , amfori and OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 which are committed to a sustainable and responsible supply chain. We have been complying with ILO Standards for decades.
However, despite all our joy at what we have achieved, we are also aware that there is still a long way to go to reach our sustainable goals in some areas. Nevertheless, the journey is the goal and we are pursuing it with all our resources.
Our partnership with Better Cotton™ reflects our commitment to environmentally friendly cotton production, which not only improves the quality of our products, but also reduces the living conditions of farmers and our ecological footprint. We have already achieved our 2025 target of sourcing 50% of our cotton requirements in this way by 2023.
Through our membership of amfori we are actively committed to ethical trade and social responsibility in our global supply chain. This is described in detail in the amfori Code of Conduct. amfori BSCI enables us to ensure that our business practices respect social standards and human rights. amfori BEPI uses various tools to support us in our aim to improve the environmental conditions at our suppliers. These include the areas of energy and water consumption, chemical and waste water management.
The OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 process involves intensive testing for harmful substances with regard to product and consumer safety. Not only fabrics and trims, but also other treatments such as washing processes must be certified. Only then is this label justified. It is a long way until every single part of a garment can fulfil these strict requirements, but we go this way together with our suppliers.
The basic principles and rights at work according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) are another important aspect of our social responsibility. We support the ILO standards to ensure that the working conditions of our employees worldwide are fair.
Our commitment to these organisations and principles reflects our desire to have a positive social and environmental impact. We strive to create a sustainable future while providing high quality products.
Visions with TURNS
Visions are the archive of the future. Thom Renzie
As a future-orientated company, we have many visions. Some things remain visions, others become reality - often because there are many people with the same goals.
There are numerous innovative ideas. One example is the fibre cycle project by TURNS®, which we support as a regional project partner.
TURNS®'s mission is to exploit the potential of every fibre and extend its life cycle through fibre-to-fibre recycling. With the help of AI-supported material analysis, used textiles are sorted according to fibre type, colour and quality and thus assigned to their ideal material cycle before they are reprocessed. In this way, unusable clothing (which is collected in used clothing boxes, among other places) is turned into valuable raw material for new fibres, fabrics and ultimately new clothing. This enables a genuine textile circular economy.
Together
Step by Step - We are there!
Within the W&O Group, we have around 300 colleagues at our headquarters in Forchheim, who do their best every day across all brands to ensure that our processes run smoothly and successfully.
It is often the little things that make us happy, do good and have a big impact.
Company fitness
Yogi teams meet to stretch and enjoy doing something good for themselves in a relaxed way.
The regular preventive care provided by our company doctor, for example in the form of vaccinations, eye tests and workplace optimisation, makes a valuable contribution to our health.
Water dispenser
The introduction of water dispensers has greatly reduced the consumption of plastic bottles throughout the company.
Our employees really enjoy this refreshing attention from our management - especially on hot days.
Think before you print
Paper is an important raw material. That is why we have optimised our printers throughout the company and do without unnecessary printouts. We print on front and back pages and in black and white instead of colour. We carefully separate waste paper, collect it and recycle it.
Posters, catalogues or other prints that unavoidably accumulate in our industry are made available for separate paper collection campaigns that benefit the youth work of local sports clubs.
In many areas we have switched from print production to digital media.
Resources used
Converted from an unused traditional building into a modern logistics warehouse, W&O now uses a building at the headquarters as a dispatch warehouse.
This on-site logistics shortens supply chains, which not only saves time and costs, but also has a lasting impact on the environment.
Packing
Our products should be presented in a high-quality manner and arrive at your door in the best possible condition.. We manage this with FSC-certified natural cardboard boxes that use very little printing ink. For our orders from the online shop, we generally proceed according to the motto ’no plastic – it’s fantastic‘ and pack completely without plastic for the sake of nature.