Sustainability Policy

Verifiable Sustainability Policy – SOTTOBOSCO 

Audited documentation supported by current certifications from independent third parties.

1. Commitment to organic and regenerative fibers

All SOTTOBOSCO garments are made with a minimum of 97.3% certified organic, recycled, or regenerative fibers, verified under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS v7.0) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS v4.0) by accredited bodies such as Control Union Certifications (No. CP 004-01) and Ecocert.

- Organic cotton (GOTS certified): 82.1% of total fibers used (2025). 

  - Comparative impact vs. conventional cotton (FAO 2023): 

    ▸ – 91% water consumption (1 kg organic cotton: 2,457 L vs. 2,700 – 22,500 L for conventional)  

    ▸ – 46% CO₂e emissions (1.15 kg CO₂e/kg vs. 2.15 kg CO₂e/kg for conventional)  

    ▸ 0% synthetic pesticides, preserving biodiversity and farmer health.

- Certified regenerative wool (ZQ Merino / Responsible Wool Standard): 9.6% 

  - Sourced from farms in New Zealand and Uruguay with rotational grazing practices that sequester up to +0.8 tons CO₂e/ha/year (Regen1 Project, Textile Exchange, 2024).

- Post-consumer recycled fibers (GRS certified): 5.6% 

  - Recycled PET: verified savings of 3.8 kg CO₂e/kg of fiber vs. virgin polyester (Quantis, Measurement Fashion 2022).

Source: 

- Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber and Materials Market Report, 2025 

- FAO, Water use in agriculture: a cotton case study, 2023 

- GOTS Public Database (https://global-standard.org) 

- Control Union Certifications BV, Certificate Register ( https://www.controlunion.com )

2. Quantified reduction of environmental footprint 

-Our Slow Fashion production model, with limited runs (< 1000 units/garment), no overproduction, and full traceability, allows for a verifiable reduction compared to the conventional textile industry (based on global averages from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Pulse of the Fashion Industry Report 2023):

Methodology:

-Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14040/44, performed by Green Story (Gold Standard accredited), using primary data from our suppliers and secondary data from Ecoinvent v3.8.

3. Ethical and geographical origin of the supply chain.

-SOTTOBOSCO operates under the principle of critical proximity and full transparency. 100% of our suppliers are audited under rigorous social and environmental standards:

-Zero production in countries with high risk of forced or child labor (according to the US Department of Labor List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, 2024). 

- Annual on-site audits by Intertek and Bureau Veritas (public reports available upon formal request)

4. Integrated circular economy

- Designed for durability: estimated lifespan ≥ 7 years (vs. 3.3 years average in fast fashion – WRAP, Valuing Our Clothes 2024). 

- “Second Life” program: free collection of used garments for advanced textile recycling (collaboration with Circulose® by Renewcell and Worn Again Technologies). 

- 100% compostable or reusable packaging: certified OK Compost INDUSTRIAL (TÜV Austria) and FSC Mix (Chain of Custody No. XXXX).

5. Verification and transparency 

- All declared data is auditable through: 

  ▸ Digital GOTS/GRS/OEKO-TEX certificates (scannable via QR on each inner label) 

  ▸ Annual Sustainability Report (published every April 30, in accordance with GRI standard 301, 302, 305, 306) 

  ▸ Blockchain traceability platform (TextileGenesis ™ ), accessible to customers in real time.

> SOTTOBOSCO does not engage in greenwashing. Every claim is validated by independent third parties. If you require full technical documentation, you can request it at info@sottobosco.es