Stefan with his grandfather in 1975

Our roots

Speaking of beginnings: We’d like to take you on a brief journey back in time to the moment when the foundation for our holistic approach to sustainability was laid—namely, during the childhood of our CEO, Stefan. Stefan is passionate about sustainability. This becomes clear in every conversation and discussion with him. He’s one of those people who can captivate you with his enthusiasm, sweep you along, and definitely blow you away every now and then—because he knows exactly what he wants and where his path is headed. This passion and awareness of environmental protection were instilled in him by his grandfather when he was just a child. On top of that, his hometown of Dornbirn was still a textile hub at the time, and he witnessed firsthand how untreated wastewater and other byproducts from production were discharged directly into the Dornbirner Ache. Although this was normal back then, he found it somewhat strange and questionable even at the time.

Our boss Stefan is passionate about sustainability I Photo: Angela Lamprecht

We are not keeping anything from you:

At the beginning of his career, Stefan was also one of those people who went ahead with production without much consideration for the environment. Over the years, however, he realized more and more that something was very wrong here and that he simply could no longer reconcile the "normal way" with his conscience. It was clear to him: we would do things differently. But that wasn't so easy at the time and took a lot of persuasion, perseverance and support.

Because... you can't do it alone

With globalization, jobs shifted overseas, and it became increasingly difficult to monitor working conditions and ensure sustainable farming practices—especially since the legal regulations in the textile hubs allowed, and unfortunately still allow, far too much leeway for environmental pollution, exploitation, and appalling working conditions. As a relatively small company, we quickly realized that we had no chance on our own to break down the entrenched structures in these countries and ensure compliance with our standards. The solution: We sought out partners in the form of independent certifiers and auditors. While this costs a lot of money, it was clear to us that this was the only way we could offer ourselves and our customers the transparency we desire and that they deserve. And only in this way can we be certain that we are truly operating sustainably and not, perhaps unintentionally, engaging in greenwashing. After extensive research, we chose what we believe to be the most rigorous independent organizations in the industry, each with their own areas of expertise. Some certifications, such as GOTS and Cradle to Cradle Certified®, apply to specific products (as indicated on the respective product pages), while our membership in the Fair Wear Foundation applies to our entire company.

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bedding | Photos: Lisa Mathis

Back to the future

And where has that led us? Not only do we have an incredibly wide range of organic products and advocate for fair working conditions, but in 2019 we also launched our first Cradle to Cradle Certified® GOLD line (bed linens and terry cloth). Our C2C bedding even made it to the finals of the German Sustainability Award. What makes it special? According to a study by the University of Innsbruck (2021), our C2C bedding made from GOTS-certified organic cotton is completely biodegradable under laboratory conditions. At the end of its life cycle, it leaves no harmful residues in the soil; instead, through composting, it even provides valuable nutrients for a new generation of plants.

This is what we mean by a sustainable home textiles industry—and our journey is far from over.