Dressmann to become 'world’s biggest retailer' of Fairtrade cotton

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 28, 2017

Norwegian menswear retailer Dressmann said Tuesday that it’s set to become the world’s biggest fashion retailer of Fairtrade certified cotton when it launches a new range of T-shirts, boxer shorts and socks. 

It has also committed to sourcing 100% sustainable cotton by 2025 and said Fairtrade cotton farmers in India will benefit from increased sales of such cotton It plans to invest in education projects and in increasing environmentally-friendly production.
 
The Fairtrade label will initially launch on its basics garments but it intends  to introduce more clothing lines in the certified cotton by 2018, according to its sustainability head Chessa Nilsen.

This is a significant move as the company is one of the leading fashion chains for menswear in Northern Europe. The new range of tees, boxers and socks will debut in up to 500 stores in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Austria and Germany.

All the Fairtrade certified cotton in the garments will be able to be physically traced all the way back to the farmers’ cooperative.
 
Fairtrade’s Global Cotton Manager Subindu Garkhel said that such a commitment from a large company is key: “It’s exactly when big volumes such as these are traded on Fairtrade terms that [we] can have a truly transformative impact on cotton farming communities and their environment across Africa, Asia and Latin America.”