Leader brand Schöffel celebrates 10th anniversary

AMSTERDAM/ SCHWABMÜNCHEN –  Today, clothing brand Schöffel is celebrating its 10-year membership of Fair Wear Foundation. ‘Schöffel is showing that it’s possible to make clothes in a better way’, says Fair Wear Director Alexander Kohnstamm.

The German brand remains in Fair Wear’s ‘Leader’ category for the sixth year in a row, continuing its work as a sustainability frontrunner in the industry. ‘Fair Wear is about putting the people who make our clothes front and centre. Our approach is that our member companies understand the labour conditions in their supply chains and work to improve these, step by step. And that is exactly what Schöffel is doing’, says Alexander Kohnstamm.

The family company joined Fair Wear exactly one decade ago on 8 February. Owner Peter Schöffel became a member to be able to work better with factories on improving labour conditions. ‘We wanted to use our influence to make a real change’, he says. The past year has not been easy for Schöffel. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the garment industry hard. Brands are still struggling, while the impact on garment workers has been devastating. Schöffel profited from the long-term relationships with suppliers, cooperatively looking for solutions. They didn’t cancel any orders, sent advance payments, and were able to reschedule production time slots for several styles so the factories could continue producing.

In Schöffel’s next Performance Check, Fair Wear will assess how the brand handled the crisis and how staff implemented Fair Wear guidance. Kohnstamm: ‘It’s more important than ever that we support our members in upholding their obligations towards garment workers, to remain critical while at the same time celebrate milestones like this 10-year anniversary.’

A few milestones from the 10 year partnership between Schöffel and Fair Wear:

• Fewer production partners, more long-term relationships
• No use of subcontracting
• Leader brand for six years in a row
• More transparency 
• Reduction of overtime on the factory floor
• Training on workers’ rights
• Advanced work on occupational safety

Recently, Peter Schöffel and Alexander Kohnstamm gave insight into the successful partnership between Schöffel and Fair Wear in an interview for ISPO. Read the interview here.