Labels ensure transparency and help purchasers to make decisions. Want a clearer idea of what each label means? Here we briefly explain the most important labels and terms used to designate sustainable products in Transa’s range.
Click on the labels and terms to go straight to the explanation.
Food sector: natural product created via organic farming
Clothing sector: fibres produced via certified organic farming.
Material decomposes via biological activity, such as microorganisms or enzymes.
The world’s highest standard for environmental and consumer protection in textile production.
Certified chemical products and components (e.g. fabrics, accessories) may be labelled as ‘bluesign approved’.
Only products from system partners (bluesign members) that have had at least 90% of their processing performed in bluesign-certified factories may bear the bluesign® seal.
Vegetable or synthetic tannins are used in the production of this leather, but chromium salts are not. Leather labelled as ‘chrome-free tanned’ may contain a maximum of 0.1% chromium III.
‘CO₂ dyeing’ or ‘dry dyeing’ is a technology that uses recovered CO₂ as a dyeing medium in a closed-loop process. No chemicals, no water, no wastewater and, by extension, no wastewater treatment are necessary, and the technology is very energy-efficient.
The DOWN CODEX® is an internal Mountain Equipment standard for animal welfare, quality and sustainability. The main objective is to make the supply chains for down production transparent and to track the origin of the down. The 12-digit code on the products leads to detailed information on the website describing the origin, quality and texture of the down in the product in question.
Down Promise is an internal standard used by the Fjällräven brand to ensure compliance with its own animal welfare criteria. The standard guarantees factors such as the exclusion of live plucking and the traceability of the down.
‘CO₂ dyeing’ or ‘dry dyeing’ is a technology that uses recovered CO₂ as a dyeing medium in a closed-loop process. No chemicals, no water, no wastewater and, by extension, no wastewater treatment are necessary, and the technology is very energy-efficient.
Econyl is a recycled nylon fibre. Waste (e.g. ocean waste from old fishing nets) is converted into ECONYL® regenerated nylon. The fibre can be recycled an infinite number of times and is equivalent to nylon manufactured from scratch.
The Fair Labor Association (FLA) is an initiative to improve working conditions. Member companies undertake to implement the FLA Code of Conduct (requirements are based on the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO)) and to introduce an internal control system throughout their supply chain.
‘Fair Trade Certified’ is the certification of the US Fair Trade Factory Programme, which is part of Fair Trade USA. ‘Fair Trade Certified’ is a factory certification that aims to improve the livelihoods of workers. To receive certification, a factory must demonstrate that it meets the strict requirements of the Factory Production Standard in the areas of social and environmental standards, employee empowerment and economic development. In addition, for every product sold that is manufactured in a certified factory, a premium is paid into the Community Development Fund of the factory's workers. The workers decide in a democratic process what they want to use this money for.
The Fair Wear Foundation is a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at improving working conditions in the textile and clothing industry, with a focus on labour-intensive stages such as sewing.
The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organisation that promotes responsible forest management and certifies products from sustainable forestry.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) safeguards the organic origin of natural fibres (e.g. cotton) with organic status and covers every stage of their production. Textiles consisting of at least 70% organically produced natural fibres and meeting the requirements may bear the GOTS ‘Made with Organic’ seal. The addition ‘organic’ is awarded to products containing 95% or more organic fibres.
The VAUDE brand’s in-house Green Shape label stands for an environmentally friendly, functional product made from sustainable materials.
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) checks origin materials, production chains, environmental principles, social requirements and the labelling of textile products made from recycled materials.
The Grüner Knopf (Green Button) is a state seal (German Federal Government, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) that reflects certain social and environmental standards. Textile products marketed with the Grüner Knopf (Green Button) must already be certified under other credible third-party certification standards.
Climate-damaging greenhouse gases are completely compensated or offset by reducing greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. This is referred to as ‘climate-neutral’ or ‘climate-compensated’.
Recyclable materials can be kept in circulation, meaning that no or fewer primary raw materials are consumed. In addition, the value of the products is preserved for longer and less waste is generated.
The international association for environmental auditing in the leather industry, with the aim of ensuring transparency in the leather value chain and improving working conditions and environmental standards in tanneries and intermediaries.
The LWG, an international association for environmental auditing in the leather industry, awards medal certifications in gold, silver and bronze. Points are awarded in different categories, which then lead to gold, silver or bronze. Areas such as chemicals management, air and noise emissions, and health and safety are audited and given points.
The LWG, an international association for environmental auditing in the leather industry, awards medal certifications in gold, silver and bronze. Points are awarded in different categories, which then lead to gold, silver or bronze. Areas such as chemicals management, air and noise emissions, and health and safety are audited and given points.
NetPlus® (from Buereo) is a recycled nylon fibre. It is made from unusable nets collected from fishing villages in South America and then processed into 100% recycled nylon pellets. These pellets can then be turned into moulded plastic products, components or fibres.
An independent testing and certification system for raw, intermediate and finished textile products at all stages of processing.
The Leather Standard by OEKO-TEX® is a globally harmonised testing and certification system for leather products at all stages of production, including the accessories used.
Made in Green by Oeko-Tex is a traceable label for textiles tested for harmful substances and the use of sustainable and socially compatible production practices during the manufacturing process.
Sustainable Textile Production (STeP) is a certification system for production plants encompassing all the processing stages of ready-to-wear textile products. The aim of the label is to permanently implement environmentally friendly production processes in production facilities in the textile and leather industry and to promote occupational safety and socially acceptable working conditions.
Products without fire retardants.
Mulesing is a practice that removes flaps of skin around a sheep’s tail to prevent flystrike. However, this process is not used in the production of any Transa products.
The Ortovox Wool Promise (OWP) is an internal Ortovox brand standard for transparency – for the company itself, for retailers and for customers. The wool standard states that the farm production systems fully meet the quality requirements of ORTOVOX.
This product is not intentionally treated with PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds) and does not contain any PFAS-based membrane or DWR impregnation.
Contains components that are not intentionally treated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
Product does not contain any PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds)-based DWR impregnation.
Vegetable tannins are used in this leather, but chromium salts are not.
The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is a voluntary industry standard for animal welfare that requires the down and feathers used to have ethically sound origins and excludes, for example, live plucking or forced fattening.
Waste products (products that are no longer usable) can be recycled or their raw materials can be recycled into secondary raw materials.
Transa ensures maximum recycling of these products. We feed your discontinued product into established recycling processes so that it can be recycled into secondary raw materials.
Materials consisting of recycled waste (post-consumer or post-industrial).
Recycled down is obtained from down and feathers that were originally used in consumer items such as cushions, blankets or clothing. Through recycling, the reprocessed down is returned to the market as insulation material. Damaged feathers and down fibres that are no longer suitable as filling material are sorted out and sent for other forms of recycling.
The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a voluntary industry standard that recognises farmers’ best practices. It ensures that the wool comes from farms that take an advanced approach to the management of their land, practice holistic respect for the welfare of sheep, and respect the ‘five freedoms’ (according to Webster) of animal welfare.
In the resource-saving solution dyeing process (also known as spin-jet dyeing), the dyes and the nylon or polyester granules are mixed together before they are spun into yarn.
In resource-saving spin-jet dyeing (also known as solution dyeing), the dyes and the nylon or polyester granules are mixed together before they are spun into yarn.
The Global Traceable Down Standard (TDS) focuses on compliance with statutory animal welfare regulations. It ensures that down does not come from farms practicing forced feeding or live plucking. The TDS creates a framework for a down supply chain that safeguards animal welfare and allows constituents to be traced from the parent farm to the factory.
Tanning is carried out in accordance with strict environmental guidelines using only CO₂-neutral energy. Part of the cost of terracare® ZERO CO₂ leather supports CO₂ neutralisation reforestation programmes that are verified by independent environmental organisations.
terracare® is the leading ingredient brand for durable leather manufactured in an exemplary fashion that causes as little damage to people and the environment as possible.
Free from animal constituents.
Zero Impact Leather by DANI is tanned without heavy metals and in an energy-efficient way. The CO₂ emissions from production are neutralised by reforestation projects.
Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals is a membership organisation that aims to eliminate harmful substances from the value chain. It requires and monitors that hazardous chemicals are not used or are only used in defined concentrations.
ZQ Merino is a wool standard (awarded by the non-profit organisation New Zealand Merino Company (NZM)) that guarantees animal welfare, environmental compatibility, fibre quality, traceability and social responsibility.
(With the TransaCard always free of charge)