Our responsibility

For us, it is important that our sustainability work is part of everything we do, it should permeate our entire business from the start of the products until the product reaches the end consumer. Our sustainability work must create added value for our customers, be appreciated by our employees and build long-term business relationships with our suppliers. We will always strive to improve and reduce our impact on the environment throughout our value chain as much as possible.

“Our wide range of products should make it easy for our customers to make active and sustainable choices”.

- Reinert Sörensson, founder of Swedemount. 

We continuously develop our sustainability work through external analysis, increased knowledge and understanding. We are constantly working to make better choices, to find new solutions and thus contribute to a better world as far as we can for people, animals and nature. We think it is important to take joint responsibility for the future health and environment of future generations through sustainable business.

ANIMAL WELFARE

Swedemount shall support animal rights in all parts of the value chain. Swedemount continuously evaluates what actions should be taken and what guidelines should apply to ensure an ethical approach to animals. All our suppliers must comply with national and international legislation regarding animal welfare. The requirements for our suppliers are good and ethical animal husbandry based on the five freedoms defined by the Farm Animal Welfare Council.

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst

2. Freedom from discomfort

3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease

4. Freedom to perform natural behavior

5. Freedom from fear and worr

WOOL

Swedemount has zero tolerance and strongly distances itself from mulesing and only works with suppliers who can guarantee mulesing-free wool. 

Mulesing - free wool is an ethical animal husbandry where mulesing does not occur and animals are not exposed to unnecessary suffering. Mulesing is a surgical procedure usually performed without anesthesia on Merino sheep to manage fly infestations.

REAL FUR

Real fur - Swedemount also distances itself from the use of real fur. Our products always contain “imitation fur”.

DOWN & FEATHERS

Swedemount strongly distances itself from down and feathers plucked from live birds or from birds that have been force-fed. We only accept down and feathers that are a by-product of the food industry and that the down and feathers are delivered with a certificate that ensures the origin, such as RDS - responsible down standard, IDFL - www.idfl.com or Allied Feather.

Since 2018, we have been members of the chemicals group, which provides us with regular information on current environmental and chemical-related issues concerning products and production. This means that we are constantly updated on the latest information, new findings and new legal requirements. The network is run by RISE in collaboration with member companies and experts from universities and authorities, for more information see:

https://www.ri.se/sv/vad-vi-gor/natverk/natverket-kemikaliegruppen

We also use several materials and accessories that are OEKO-TEX certified, the label means that the material or accessory does not contain any harmful chemicals. We are also phasing out environmentally harmful fluorocarbons and instead use fluorine-free alternatives for water-repellent surface treatments of the fabric such as Bionic Finish - ECO by Rudolf Kemi. Bionic - Finish - ECO is free of fluorocarbons and is biodegradable. We have also chosen not to use any antibacterial treatments on our products as these can be endocrine disruptors.

Technologies

MATERIALS

One of the major environmental challenges in the textile industry is that a lot of water and chemicals are used in the production of textiles, especially cotton. We are constantly reviewing our processes to increase the use of more sustainable materials in our garments. We continue to work towards our long-term goal of reducing our environmental impact and resource use throughout the production chain. We are constantly looking for new and better materials to develop our range in a more sustainable direction and we have continued our work with our previously set goals during the year.

ORGANIC COTTON

Organic cotton - When it comes to organic cotton, we have increased our share of garments made from organic cotton, thereby saving the earth's resources and improving the working environment for cotton farmers. The organic cotton we use is certified by BSI or GOTS.

For some of our products we use Sorona Eco Fiber. As part of the development to reduce the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, DuPont has developed a biopolymer, Sorona Eco fiber. Producing Sorona is 30% less energy intensive and greenhouse gas emissions are 60% lower compared to the production of nylon 6, resulting in less environmental impact. Since 2015, we have used Sorona eco fiber for some of our jackets and trousers as padding.

Spindyeing is a textile fiber dyeing technique that produces a fabric that is highly color-fast after washing and in use in sunlight, giving products a long life cycle. The technology reduces water use by 85%, chemical use by 75% and requires 40% less energy. Carbon emissions are one-fifth less than conventional dyeing methods, which means reducing chemicals and water use drastically and requiring less energy than traditional dyeing.

We also use Tencel material, from Lenzing. Tencel is made from a cellulose fiber from fast-growing trees such as beech and eucalyptus. In the manufacturing process, trees from sustainability-certified plantations are used. Fiber is produced in a closed system using minimal water and up to 99% of the chemicals used are recycled.