Textile certifications
KAYA&KATO, its supply chains and its products are audited annually by independent auditors against the certifications listed below. We believe that no single certification is sufficient on its own; it is the combination of standards that matters.
Global Recycle Standard (GRS)
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) verifies the recycled content of finished and intermediate products and includes social, environmental and chemical requirements for production.
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a globally applied standard for textiles made from organically produced natural fibres such as organic cotton. It defines environmental requirements throughout the textile production chain as well as social criteria.
OEKO-TEX 100
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is an internationally recognised testing system used to test textiles for regulated and potentially harmful substances. At KAYA&KATO, the scope and requirements correspond to Product Class II for products with direct skin contact. STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the world’s most widely used labels for textiles tested for harmful substances.
OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN
OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN is an internationally recognised, traceable product label for textiles tested for harmful substances and manufactured in certified and audited production facilities. The label identifies textiles produced in more socially responsible facilities. A unique product ID or QR code also enables supply-chain transparency.
Clean Ocean Collection
Using recycled plastics as a component of high-quality textiles is the foundation of our Clean Ocean collection.
For our workwear, we develop special blended fabrics combining recycled synthetic fibres with natural fibres. For our Clean Ocean fabrics, we use SEAQUAL® YARN supplied by SEAQUAL.
SEAQUAL® YARN consists of 10% SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC. This is recycled material made from plastic waste recovered from the sea and other waterways through the SEAQUAL INITIATIVE. The remaining 90% of the yarn consists of recycled PET from land-based sources.
Strengthening ready-made clothing – „Enabling“ principle
KAYA&KATO developed and introduced its “Enabling” principle in 2019. Based on its own risk analysis, the company may begin working with garment manufacturers that are not yet certified. During the collaboration, new partners are supported in improving or introducing standards. The aim is to go through the certification process together after approximately one year. This approach has already been implemented successfully in the Czech Republic and North Macedonia.
Digitalisation and sustainability: the "Textile Trust" blockchain
With support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), KAYA&KATO and IBM jointly implemented the “Textile Trust” cooperation project. The project examined whether blockchain-based solutions could contribute to transparent documentation of textile supply chains and how development-policy aspects could be strengthened. The aim was to increase transparency, traceability and trust in products for companies and consumers. The cooperation project thus laid the foundation for a platform for the textile industry as a whole.
Project: Supporting refugees in Northern Uganda
Together with Caritas Gulu, KAYA&KATO supported refugee projects in Adjumani and Palabek in northern Uganda, around 30 kilometres from the border with South Sudan. Refugees lived there alongside host communities and cultivated allocated plots of land.
Together with our customers, we co-financed a tricycle that was shared by several farmers to transport surplus harvests to the nearest markets for sale.