HAKRO is Fair Wear Leader
We have some great news that makes us really, really proud. After just three years, we have raised our Fair Wear status from ‘Good’ to ‘Leader’. This shows us that we are on the right track to offer the people behind our products good, safe and fair working and living conditions. Since 2021, HAKRO has been a member of Fair Wear, an internationally recognised multi-stakeholder initiative that audits textile companies and their production facilities for compliance with social standards. Our commitment to fair working conditions is scrutinised in an annual Brand Performance Check and our progress in implementing the Fair Wear Code of Conduct is documented. Fair Wear sets high standards for labour rights and social responsibility in the industry. As a member of this global initiative, we are committed to strictly adhering to these standards and working continuously with our production partners to improve them even further. The ‘Leader’ status that we achieved in 2024 confirms that we are on the right path and motivates us to further strengthen our commitment to fair working conditions and sustainable practices.
Learn moreHELLO AGAIN: HAKRO closes the textile loop
HAKRO is one of the first German textile companies to implement a genuine circular economy together with customers and partners. The workwear supplier takes back worn-out products and uses their recycled fibres for its new circular label HELLO AGAIN. Around 5.8 million tonnes of used textiles are produced every year in Europe alone. The majority of this is thermally utilised in waste incineration. This means that huge quantities of valuable resources are lost. Recycling is the order of the day, yet today less than 1 per cent of used textile fibres are processed into new clothing. Up to now, there has been a lack of logistical structures and technical possibilities to process the fibres of used clothing in a closed cycle and use them for the production of new textiles.HAKRO is known for its particularly durable workwear. As part of the resource-intensive textile industry, the company is aware of its responsibility towards the environment, climate and society. HAKRO clothing is developed for the heavy demands of everyday working life and is produced under fair conditions. It lasts much longer than average clothing, but at some point even a long-lasting HAKRO garment is worn out. That is why HAKRO is actively looking for solutions that will enable the fibres used in its products to be reused several times in the future. There are already examples in other sectors. The principle of material cycles has proven itself in paper, glass and PET recycling. Together with the fibre recycling start-up TURNS®, HAKRO has now been able to establish its own closed material cycle for cotton fibres. In the long term, the circular recycling of all HAKRO material blends and products is planned. HAKRO Managing Director Carmen Kroll comments: ‘As a manufacturer of high-quality workwear, we are committed to a sustainable value chain. This goes beyond the last working day of the textiles. Until now, we have unfortunately had little influence on the disposal of our products. We are therefore very pleased to now be able to offer our customers a sustainable end-of-life solution.We have found the best partner for this in the start-up TURNS®. The recycling experts offer an innovative all-round carefree solution, they handle the entire logistics and control the quality of the recycling process. I was impressed by the concept of the two founders right from the start. That's why I'm delighted to be able to support them as a business angel.’The TURNS® fibre cycle starts with AI-based material recognition. The used textiles are first sorted according to colour and fibre properties, then the fibres are removed from the material using fine needles and processed with fresh, sustainable cotton to create new yarns and cotton knitwear. Some work steps currently still have to be carried out by hand, which is labour-intensive, but the entire recycling process should be automated by the end of 2024. In contrast to chemical recycling, in which the material is synthetically broken down into its basic building blocks using a great deal of energy and cotton is downcycled into cellulose, the fibre structure is retained in fibre-to-fibre recycling. However, the fibres are shortened slightly during each recycling process and are therefore not yet suitable for the production of the particularly robust and durable HAKRO workwear. However, textiles for everyday use can be produced from the recycled fibres without any problems. So HAKRO came up with the idea of adding a modern casual line to its workwear.The new brand is called HELLO AGAIN. It consists of casually cut T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and hoodies in a comfortable oversized style in natural and pastel colours. The colours are partly derived from the recycled fibres used. This allows the origin of the textile to be experienced in a subtle way, giving the styles a special authenticity. The proportion of recycled fibres is already 30 percent and is set to increase further as the possibilities of textile technology grow. The first HELLO AGAIN textiles are expected to be available at the beginning of next year. The new, sustainable label is aimed at a broader target group than classic HAKRO workwear. The marketing and sales strategy will therefore also differ significantly from HAKRO's strategy. Jürgen Pruy, Head of Sales & Partnerships, is particularly proud that HAKRO is already setting the course for the goals of the EU Green Deal guidelines to be achieved by 2030 and explains: ‘The circular economy can only really get off the ground together with specialist retail partners, consumers and the entire industry. There is an urgent need for catalysts. In line with the motto test, learn, build bigger, we have simply set off on our journey. The positive feedback from many customers and stakeholders gives us a real boost. We hope that this will perhaps also inspire others to actively implement a circular textile economy.’ www.turns.dewww.helloagain-loop.com
Learn moreINGB - The first Integrated Sustainable Annual Report 2022
We are breaking new ground with our first Integrated Sustainable Annual Report 2022. We are combining what belongs together. In a time that calls for prudence and foresight, we are making sustainable entrepreneurial action our HAKRO corporate core. With the Integrated Sustainable Annual Report, we are continuing our previous sustainability reporting. We have big plans, because we want to be the leading integrated sustainable provider of corporate wear by 2030. If you want to achieve this, you have to lead the way. And those who do so will not be able to avoid ‘firsts’. Because it takes courage to try something new without a manual. The name ‘First’ of the Integrated Sustainable Annual Report therefore says it all: For the first time, we have integrated the most important stakeholder groups into a comprehensive strategy development process. First and foremost our employees, but also many retailers and production partners have given free rein to their creativity. For the first time, we had our programme for enforcing human and labour rights in global supply chains audited according to the demanding criteria of the Fair Wear Foundation (Fair Wear). We have been a Fair Wear member since January 2021 and achieved ‘Good’ status in the first Brand Performance Check in April 2022. For the first time, we are making our entire collection climate-neutral. The previous and planned measures to avoid and reduce production-related greenhouse gas emissions encourage us to offset the remaining emissions via an ambitious climate protection project, starting with the 2022 collection. Why ‘integrated sustainable’? ‘Sustainability doesn't belong big and fancy on the flags, but right at the top of the agenda. For all of us, not as an appendix to routine and certainly not as a green fig leaf, but as a natural part of our collective actions. Because sustainability is not a trend. It is an integral part of the clothing industry. We cannot and must not do anything other than take care of it,’ explain our HAKRO Managing Directors Carmen Kroll, Thomas Müller and Danny Jüngling. Since 2015, we at HAKRO have provided annual transparency on our sustainability performance. The last sustainability report entitled ‘Holds’ was published in 2019 for the 2018 reporting year. The Integrated Sustainable Annual Report 2022 contains information for the 2019 - 2021 financial years, takes stock of the five-year sustainability strategy cycle ‘Active Ingredient 2017 - 2022’ and explains the future path of HAKRO GmbH: How the framework conditions and the context of the wide range of business activities will develop. What the understanding of responsible business is in view of all this. What roadmap the company has set itself with its vision, mission and goals. How the HAKRO Corporate Compass sets out binding rules, values and responsibility. And the important role that partners play in this, as well as appreciative dialogue, cooperation, trust and co-creation. The report has been prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards (2021 version) and fulfils the transparency requirements for a social report in accordance with Fair Wear (FWF) for the first time. It is also a progress report for the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and the WIN Charter of the state of Baden-Württemberg.View the INGB in PDF format now.
Learn moreiMPACT PROGRAM - a jointly developed audit system
Sustainability is always a top priority at HAKRO. That is why we are continuously working to further develop our entire supply chain and make it even more sustainable. Together with the clothing company OLYMP Bezner KG, we have developed a comprehensive audit programme as part of our corporate duty of care, which will serve as the basis for our sustainability management along the entire supply chain. ‘The growing challenges within global supply chains can be solved much better together, which is why it is worth leaving familiar thought patterns behind and joining forces in co-operations. Especially if you want to achieve a big impact,’ says Carmen Kroll, Managing Director of HAKRO. How can apparel brands improve the sustainable development of their global production facilities in future and use audits as part of their corporate duty of care less as a monitoring tool and more as a basis for sustainability management? ‘Our teams first defined the requirements that an audit must fulfil for us. Together with ELEVATE Ltd. in Hong Kong, one of the world's leading providers of sustainability and supply chain services, we then developed our audit programme in a nine-month process,’ says Jochen Schmidt, Head of Quality, Values & Sustainability at HAKRO. As two of the approximately 140 members of the multi-stakeholder initiative Fair Wear Foundation, both HAKRO and OLYMP are among the clothing brands that have committed themselves to ensuring fair working conditions in the textile industry. ‘That's why it was important to us right from the start to involve the experts from the Fair Wear Foundation in the development process and incorporate their valuable suggestions into the audit programme,’ reports Jochen Schmidt. The result: a joint audit programme called the ‘iMPACT Programme’. The acronym iMPACT is formed from the English terms ‘Insight’, ‘Motivation’, ‘Partnership’, ‘Action’, ‘Capacity Building’ and ‘Transparancy’, which characterise the principles of the programme. The iMPACT Programme focuses primarily on the people within the supply chain, provides honest and in-depth insights into production conditions and is intended to motivate partner companies and clients alike to act together and in partnership, develop expertise in safeguarding social standards and ensure the highest possible level of transparency. In this way, the iMPACT programme creates the basis for continuous further development in a spirit of partnership with the aim of actively improving the situation of people in the supply chain. To this end, employees within the production facility are also involved in evaluation processes so that any problems can be identified directly and effective improvements can be made. Our aim for the future is to make our jointly developed iMPACT PROGRAMME available to other companies in the textile and clothing industry.
Learn moreFAIR WEAR BRAND PERFORMANCE CHECK 2022
We have been a member of Fair Wear since January 2021. As an internationally recognised multi-stakeholder initiative, Fair Wear audits textile companies and the working conditions in production facilities in accordance with the Fair Wear Code of Conduct. By joining Fair Wear, we have now taken the essential next step and are committed to the highest social standards - a stringent further development of our previous measures for fair and safe working conditions in the factories of our production partners. As a multi-stakeholder initiative, Fair Wear offers us unique support through its broad expertise on social standards in the textile sector, not least through its extensive network of different stakeholders and players. As part of our Fair Wear membership, we formulate an annual work plan with measures for the coming year. In an annual Brand Performance Check, we are reviewed with regard to our supplier management, our sustainability management, our supply chain monitoring and the measures derived from this to ensure social justice in production and our purchasing behaviour. We successfully completed our first Brand Performance Check at the beginning of April 2022. We achieved ‘Good’ status straight away, which makes us very happy. With 60 points, our performance is well above the score required for membership in the first year. In total, we audited 73% of our production volume - this also exceeds the threshold for first-year members. We had to postpone the auditing of our production partners in Laos until 2022 due to the pandemic. ‘HAKRO has performed well in its first year and laid a strong foundation. We are pleased to see that HAKRO works so closely with Olymp, another Fair Wear member, and maintains strong partnerships with its production partners. We are excited to see the progress and developments towards living wages,’ says Wilco van Bokhorst, our Fair Wear Foundation Brand Performance Checker. ‘For two days, Wilco van Bokhorst, our performance checker/auditor, scrutinised us from top to bottom,’ says Anna Rüchardt, responsible for Fair Wear membership in the Quality, Values & Sustainability department, ’The two days were exciting, instructive, intensive and exhausting, especially as the entire audit was conducted in English. But we came through with flying colours - big thanks to everyone who supported us with the preparations and answered Wilco's questions’.You can find the link to our first social report here.
Learn moreCOLLABORATION INSTEAD OF COMPETITION
When it comes to sustainability, the players in the textile industry often face the same challenges, and yet every company and every brand often goes it alone and tries to master the challenges themselves. ‘However, we can achieve a much greater impact through dialogue, collaboration and co-creation,’ says Jochen Schmidt, Head of Quality, Values & Sustainability at HAKRO. In order to increase its clout, the Quality, Values & Sustainability division has organised a unique event concept - the IMPACT Barcamp. The innovative event took place for the first time on 20 and 21 October in the new showroom at HAKRO in Schrozberg, which is also the company's communication centre. Among the guests: around 40 sustainability managers from textile companies in the fashion and outdoor sectors as well as standard setters and solution providers such as Fair Wear, Cotton made in Africa and GoBlu. Under the motto ‘Action through Co-Creation’, the IMPACT Barcamp called for active participation. In contrast to traditional, pre-structured events, the agenda was jointly designed by all participants based on their current topics and interests. The only thing that was fixed at the beginning was the overarching theme of ‘sustainability in the textile industry’ - and the desire to make a difference together. ‘Learning from each other, sharing challenges, being inspired by new perspectives, discovering different and new paths together, thinking creatively and creating success together - all of this was at the centre of our first HAKRO IMPACT Barcamp,’ says a delighted Anna Rüchardt from the Quality, Values & Sustainability department at HAKRO. The first day was dedicated entirely to getting to know each other. After a welcome in the showroom and a brief introduction to the barcamp idea, a joint dinner and an exchange at the cocktail bar invited participants to deepen their contacts. The next morning, there was a call for active participation and the joint agenda was planned. The result: 16 sessions spread throughout the day on various challenges and issues. For example, one session was dedicated to traceability and transparency in supply chains, while another session focussed on the topic of seals and standards, while the parallel sessions dealt with greenwashing in sustainability communication and the search for the right way to deal with interfaces between the sustainability department, sales and marketing. After an exciting day of brainstorming, discussions and constructive exchange, the IMPACT Barcamp came to an end with dinner and a cosy get-together at the in-house Harry's Bar. ‘Admittedly, we were very nervous at the beginning about whether a barcamp was the right event format and how it would be received by our sustainability colleagues,’ recalls Jochen Schmidt. But the consistently positive feedback from the participants (‘Inspiring format, mind-blowing, mega!’) wiped away any concerns. ‘The IMPACT Barcamp was a real enrichment for all of us! We are delighted with the cheerful atmosphere and the new impulses that we were able to develop together. After the positive response, we can well imagine continuing the barcamp next year,’ adds Anna Rüchardt.
Learn moreLAMMSBRÄUER SUSTAINABILITY AWARD 2021
Our goal is to become the most sustainable provider of corporate wear. We realise this aspiration in all our business decisions and pursue this goal with the highest priority. We were delighted when our extraordinary commitment was rewarded with something special on 23 September: We received the Lammsbräuer Sustainability Award in the ‘Family-run company’ category for 2021.This important prize was awarded for the 20th time in the six categories ‘Media professionals’, ‘NPO’, ‘Sustainable business model innovation’, ‘Driver of the circular economy’, ‘Outstanding commitment’ and ‘Family-run company’. All award winners are characterised by their commitment to sustainability on an ecological, social, economic and cultural level. The high-ranking jury for the prestigious sustainability award consisted of seven sustainability experts from the fields of business, science and the environment. We convinced the jury with our holistic sustainability management, which we have been implementing since 2015 in the five areas of corporate governance, products, employees, environment and commitment. Numerous certifications and seals attest to our continuous commitment and have accompanied us ever since. These include the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), Bangladesh Accord and UN Global Compact. Values such as cohesion, fairness and loyalty are firmly anchored in all our divisions and are practised in our daily dealings with employees, partners and customers.The decisive factor for the jury was above all our critical and analytical view, which is necessary to successfully implement sustainability. The HAKRO ‘Sustainability Report 2019’, for example, not only records progress and goals, but also documents the need to catch up. Constantly reviewing, rethinking and realigning the next steps is essential for us. ‘We are very proud to have won this important sustainability award,’ adds Jochen Schmidt, HAKRO Head of the Quality, Values & Sustainability team. After being nominated for the German Sustainability Award 2018 and being ranked among the top 10 best sustainability reports in 2018, the award is another nice confirmation of our commitment. What makes us particularly happy is that we did not actively apply for the award, but rather were nominated for this prestigious prize.
Learn moreFORWARD-LOOKING SIGNAL: HAKRO GOES FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION
We have been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation since 1 January 2021, taking the next big step on our consistent path towards even greater sustainability. The Fair Wear Foundation brings together local partners in production countries, associations, NGOs and textile companies from various sectors. The common goal: innovative solutions and a sustainable improvement in working conditions in textile production.With our membership, we are once again emphasising our claim to be one of the most sustainable suppliers in our industry. We want to produce high-quality and particularly durable textiles for our customers - while ensuring the highest possible ecological and social standards. By becoming a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, we are committed to the highest social standards - both for the employees of our production partners abroad and for the 175 employees at our site in Schrozberg.As part of our membership, we have signed the strict Fair Wear Code of Conduct. This formulates eight criteria for fair working conditions, which we have made our goal. These include: living wages, reasonable working hours, safe working conditions and a clear no to child labour. Fair working conditions have always been a top priority for us. By joining the Fair Wear Foundation, we are delighted to have a partner at our side who supports us with their experience and network in taking the next step in our supply chain management.Incidentally, the Fair Wear Foundation audits HAKRO's sustainability management in an annual Brand Performance Check. The co-operation with our production partners, our joint measures on site and everything we do at our company headquarters in Schrozberg are scrutinised in detail.
Learn moreBIG ANNIVERSARY, BIG JOY - WE CELEBRATE 50 YEARS AND SAY THANK YOU!
Wow, 50 years of HAKRO! That's 50 years of quality. 50 years of customer focus. And 50 years of team spirit. So it's no wonder that everything at HAKRO is centred around the big anniversary in 2019. After all, you only turn 50 once, so it's time to celebrate!The starting signal for the big HAKRO anniversary year was given on 29 May. On this special date, exactly 50 years ago, the Harry Kroll company was officially entered in the commercial register - and the success story began.Exactly 50 years later to the day, we celebrated our anniversary with 175 employees in Schrozberg - with cool drinks, a delicious barbecue, good music and the very best party atmosphere. And that was just the beginning ...Look forward with us to a moving and eventful anniversary year full of surprises!50 years of HAKRO - a brief look back:HAKRO's success story begins with outerwear items for men, women and children on a sales area of just 25 square metres. But because word of good quality quickly spread even then, the ‘Harry Kroll clothing store’ grew continuously. Branches were soon opened in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.In the 1980s, the focus shifted to workwear and sportswear. Printed and finished textiles become increasingly popular. The first collection under the HAKRO label is launched in 1987. The shops are sold and the HAKRO brand is now only sold through selected retail partners.HAKRO continues to grow. In 2000, the first logistics centre is opened and a high-bay warehouse is built. 2003 Carmen Kroll and Thomas Müller lead HAKRO into the future as dual leadership - and carry on the values of the founding couple. In 2010, not only is a second high-bay warehouse built, but also the Harry Kroll Foundation. In 2018, the third high-bay warehouse is built - with a consistent focus on ecological aspects.Today, HAKRO has a logistics area of over 9,000 square metres. 175 employees work at the headquarters in Schrozberg. A further 2,500 people are employed by our worldwide production partners. The values shaped by Harry Kroll still apply today. And we will continue to work on the sustainable success of our traditional brand with hand, heart and attitude in the future.With this in mind, we would like to thank all our customers, retail partners and employees for their loyalty and trusting co-operation - and we look forward to the next 50 years!
Learn moreTHE CRAILSHEIM MERLINS BECOME THE HAKRO MERLINS CRAILSHEIM
It is a big step for HAKRO and the Merlins, but also a logical one. And a logical one. HAKRO has been a sponsor of the Crailsheim Merlins since 1997. In 2007, the internationally active Schrozberg-based textile company decided to intensify its involvement with the Merlins as the exclusive team outfitter. This support has been continuously expanded since then. Since 2010, the company has been the name sponsor of the HAKRO Arena Crailsheim, the former venue and still the ‘living room’ of the Crailsheim Merlins. Last but not least, in 2014 HAKRO secured a place directly under the hearts of the players as shirt sponsor. Just in time for the start of the upcoming easyCredit BBL season, HAKRO is now moving even further forward. Right in the centre of the club logo.The fact that they share the same vision and pursue the same goals is demonstrated by the subtle move by those responsible at HAKRO, who in turn will free up the most prominent space on the Merlins jersey. ‘This gives a new partner the chance to share their enthusiasm for our teams at this point,’ says Merlins Managing Director Martin Romig. The jersey sponsorship has not yet been awarded, but the HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim want to have successfully put out feelers by the start of the 2018/19 season.The naming sponsorship agreement with HAKRO is initially for five years. In sport, this is a comfortable period of time that allows HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim to think and act long-term and offers optimal prospects. "We have received a signal from HAKRO that we couldn't wish for better with regard to a potential name sponsor. Someone wants to support our path, not use us emotionlessly as a short-term investment or impose a new face on us. The agreement with HAKRO offers us medium to long-term development opportunities. For the active teams, but also for our already very successful youth team," explains Martin Romig with satisfaction.
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