Certifications - Trust requires oversight.

Anyone wishing to produce responsibly can make many promises. What matters is which of these are transparent and verifiable.

This is precisely where independent certifications and standards are important. They define clear criteria, enable comparison and, through independent audits, verify whether specified requirements are actually being met.

This provides guidance and builds trust – for us as a brand as well as for our customers.

However, certifications also involve considerable effort and costs. Not only for brands, but equally for businesses throughout the entire value chain. Nevertheless, we consider them important where they create genuine added value.

Clear criteria. Independent inspections. Greater trust.

The further away, the more important independent inspection becomes.

Certifications are particularly important to us in those areas of the value chain that we cannot regularly and directly monitor ourselves. We maintain close, personal contact with our direct suppliers and production partners. We visit production sites regularly, coordinate directly with them and can respond promptly to any questions or challenges.

However, the further back we go along the supply chain, the more difficult this direct monitoring becomes.

Where and under what conditions was the cotton grown? How were the animals from which our wool is sourced reared? Under what conditions are regenerated fibres produced?

We cannot be on site continuously ourselves in cotton fields, on livestock farms or during fibre production.

It is precisely in these areas that independent standards, transparent criteria and third-party audits are particularly valuable to us.

They help us to ensure that requirements are met even at those points in the value chain where personal visits and our own inspections are not possible to the same extent.

However, a certificate is not a free pass.

At the same time, a certificate does not automatically mean that a product meets our expectations in every respect.

Standards define criteria and specify what is permissible within a certification system. Yet even within these guidelines, materials, processes or ingredients may be permitted that we at wunderwerk deliberately choose not to use.

That is why certificates are an important foundation and an independent benchmark for us – but they do not mark the end of our responsibility.

Wherever we can be directly involved, we also rely on personal relationships, regular visits, direct dialogue and our own inspections.

And sometimes we make a conscious decision to go beyond the requirements of a standard.

GOTS - an important standard for textile processing.

The Global Organic Textile Standard, or GOTS for short, is one of the best-known international standards for textiles made from organically produced natural fibres.

It is important to make a distinction here that is often misrepresented:

Organic cotton itself is not GOTS-certified.

Cotton is first and foremost an agricultural raw material. Its certified organic cultivation is verified separately.

GOTS only comes into play in the subsequent textile processing chain – for example, with the yarn and later with the fabric.

For wunderwerk, it is precisely this combination that is important: certified organic raw materials on the one hand, and independently certified textile processing on the other.

It is particularly at these early stages of the value chain that such independent certification is especially valuable to us.

GOOD TO KNOW.

Is there such a thing as GOTS-certified organic cotton?

No. Even though this term is frequently used – or even confused by brands themselves – organic cotton itself is not GOTS-certified. GOTS only applies from the textile processing stage onwards, for example at the yarn stage.

GOTS sets standards. Nevertheless, we take a closer look.

GOTS is an important benchmark for us. At the same time, the standard does not cover every decision we make at wunderwerk to ensure a high-quality and responsibly produced garment.

This is particularly evident in the fibre composition.

Depending on the GOTS labelling level, in addition to certified organic natural fibres, other fibres permitted under the standard may also be used.

For wunderwerk, however, it is not solely a question of what is permitted within a standard, but rather which materials we ourselves consider appropriate.

Conversely, we deliberately use materials that we value for their properties and manufacturing processes, but which, if used in higher proportions, may mean that a product does not meet the requirements for GOTS certification.

These include high-quality regenerated fibres such as TENCEL™ Lyocell or Modal Edelweiss.

Not being certifiable does not automatically mean a material is less responsible. And being certifiable does not automatically mean that a material meets our own requirements.

An issue as far back as 2013.

As early as 2013, Heiko Wunder spoke to a GOTS representative about precisely this point: how can regenerated fibres produced in a particularly responsible manner be given appropriate consideration within the standard?

During this conversation, Heiko Wunder was told that there were plans to incorporate such fibres more fully into the certification process in future.

This was of particular importance to wunderwerk. This is because fibres such as TENCEL™ Lyocell and, in particular, Modal Edelweiss offer advantages over organic cotton in certain environmental aspects and in terms of wear comfort, and have been part of our material range ever since the very first wunderwerk collection.

Nevertheless, a garment containing, for example, 50 per cent or 60 per cent of such a regenerated fibre does not meet the requirements for the corresponding GOTS label.

We have therefore been monitoring developments over the years.

Why wunderwerk will no longer be seeking GOTS certification from 2023 onwards.

This decision does not, by any means, signify a departure from GOTS.

On the contrary: particularly in the early stages of the value chain, which we cannot continuously monitor ourselves, we continue to regard independent standards – including this one – as particularly important.

Having followed developments for ten years since our discussion in 2013, we decided in 2023 not to renew wunderwerk’s additional GOTS certification as a company.

There are several reasons for this.

1. Ten years of waiting for further development

Since the 2013 discussion, we had hoped that regenerated fibres produced in a particularly responsible manner could be given greater consideration within the standard in future.

In 2023 - ten years later – this fundamental conflict regarding our materials strategy still persisted.

This therefore raised the question for us:

Should we base our choice of materials on what can be certified – or on which material we consider appropriate for the product in question?

Our answer was clear:

The product and sustainability determine the choice of material. Not the label.

2. For us, 'permitted' does not automatically mean ‘appropriate’.

At the same time, the GOTS guidelines permit additional fibres which we at wunderwerk deliberately choose not to use.

For us, this highlights the other side of the same issue:

A material we consider sensible may prevent certification – whilst a material we deliberately avoid may be permitted within certain limits.

For us, therefore, the decisive factor is not simply:

Is it permitted?

But rather:

Do we need it at all? Is there a better alternative? Can we do without it?

Our own standards therefore go beyond the requirements of a certificate in certain areas.

3. Certification also entails considerable additional effort and material consumption.

Another aspect becomes particularly clear when you are familiar with production facilities yourself.

GOTS-certified goods must remain clearly identifiable throughout the processing chain and be kept separate from other product flows. This serves the purpose of traceability and is a sound principle.

In practice, however, this mandatory separation entails a considerable amount of additional work for suppliers – even when a business already processes only materials that meet our requirements for more responsible manufacturing.

Anyone who visits production sites in person can also appreciate the scale of the operation: production halls and warehouses are sometimes many metres high, whilst machinery and stock areas cover vast areas. In practice, plastic film is one of the materials used to achieve the necessary separation. This quickly adds up to substantial quantities of film (= plastic).

Heat, light, air movement and day-to-day production operations place additional strain on this film. It gets damaged, replaced – and ultimately becomes waste.

For wunderwerk, this creates a clear conflict of objectives:

Avoid rather than recycle at great expense.

We want traceability and independent monitoring. At the same time, we want to avoid using plastic in the first place wherever possible, rather than having to recycle it at great expense afterwards.

This additional effort required of our suppliers and the associated consumption of materials were also key factors in our decision.

4. Allocate effort and costs where they have the greatest impact.

Certifications involve time, organisation and considerable costs – for the brand as well as for the companies involved in the supply chain.

That alone would not be a reason for us to forego a meaningful certification.

The crucial question is rather: where does this effort actually have the greatest impact?

wunderwerk has never itself awarded the GOTS label to its products – not even those for which this would have been possible.

This is because our aim has never been to print as many labels as possible onto our clothing.

It is more important to us that standards are implemented where our materials and our clothing are actually produced.

Strengthening standards where they make a difference.

The fact that we have not had wunderwerk certified as a company under GOTS since 2023 does not in any way mean that we have distanced ourselves from GOTS or independent standards. On the contrary.

For many years, Heiko Wunder has used his knowledge, experience and direct influence to support suppliers in further developing their processes and to raise awareness of independent standards.

Through consultancy, dialogue and personal support, businesses outside our supply chain in Portugal, India, Tunisia and Germany have also achieved GOTS certification. We are particularly proud of this.

For us, the key to making a difference does not lie in simply adding another logo to a finished garment.

What matters is what changes where materials and clothing are actually produced, and how more sustainable manufacturing practices can be implemented.

Certification where it enables oversight.

Responsibility where we ourselves can exert influence.

Want to delve deeper?

In our newsletters, Heiko Wunder shares background information, experiences from production and personal insights into decisions regarding materials, certifications and responsibility.

IVN BEST- where the standard goes further.

Since its foundation, wunderwerk was a member of the International Association for Natural Textiles (IVN) to support the association and its work in promoting consistently natural textiles.

The NATURTEXTIL IVN certified BEST standard is one of the most demanding standards for natural textiles and goes beyond the requirements of GOTS in key areas: IVN BEST requires 100 per cent organically produced natural fibres and sets more stringent requirements for materials, chemicals and processing methods.

For wunderwerk, IVN BEST has therefore been an important benchmark for many years, demonstrating what is possible in the consistent production of natural textiles.

GOTS and IVN BEST – what’s the difference?

Both standards impose extensive requirements on textile production. However, IVN BEST sets stricter limits in various areas.

For us, this comparison demonstrates one thing above all: a certificate defines a standard. It does not automatically define our entire set of standards.

Why wunderwerk sometimes goes a step further.

Just because a material, an ingredient or a process is permitted within a standard does not automatically mean that we want to use it.

wunderwerk consciously scrutinises such details. Where we do not need something, we try to leave it out from the outset.

Avoid rather than recycle at great expense.

This principle extends to seemingly minor product details.

Whilst our jeans button initially only featured a small plastic piece in the shank to hook the pin, since 2016 it has been completely plastic-free – including the shank itself.

A small detail. But one that shows just how far you can take the design of a product. Because responsibility isn’t just about the main material of a garment.

A label is important. But so is taking a closer look.

Certifications enable comparison, define criteria and allow for independent checks. That is precisely what makes them valuable.

At the same time, no single label can reflect all the decisions behind a garment.

Where do the raw materials come from? How were animals reared? Which materials were selected? Which chemicals are used – and which are deliberately avoided? How much water is required at each stage of production? What are buttons, threads, labels and other components made of? Where is production taking place? And how closely does a brand collaborate with its production partners?

That is why we regard certifications as an important foundation – not as the end point of our responsibility.

Our benchmark: the product as a whole.

At wunderwerk, we do not judge a garment solely by its certification.

We consider its impact on nature and the environment, animals and people – from raw materials through to fabrics and components, right through to manufacturing and collaboration with our partners.

In doing so, we combine independent standards with our own commitment: to look closely, question and think ahead wherever a better solution is possible.

Because ultimately, for us, it’s not about displaying as many labels as possible on a product. It’s about making the best possible decisions for the product and its manufacture.