Textiles 

Actions taken 

We conducted a full review of our textile materials to better understand where to focus our efforts first. From this, we defined our , created a guide for material sourcing priorities and set time-bound goals for changing from conventional to preferred materials. 

View our guide to preferred materials and standards here.

Results

At 82%, the dominant textile fibre used for Tekla products is organic cotton, sourced from -certified fabric mills. 

Organic farming is founded on four principles: health, ecology, fairness and care. Although specific organic farming practices may vary from place to place, all organic cotton is grown without any synthetic chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified (GMO) seeds. 

Our approach is to find the best balance between a fibre’s impact and its suitability. By choosing to use organic, we’re able to mitigate some environmental and social impacts through these principles, while ensuring we use the highest quality possible to increase the longevity of our products.  

Where we did find room for improvement was in some of the production stages following fabric weaving, such as dying and sewing, which are not GOTS-certified. This has pushed us to pursue GOTS certification as a brand, as this will ensure the same high standards are met at all stages of the .

At 11%, our second most used material is linen, grown in Europe. This natural fibre is a resilient, fast-growing crop that typically requires less water and chemical inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides when compared to common alternatives like conventional cotton. 

European-grown linen and organic cotton are both choices, meaning we already work with 93% lower-impact materials. All products made using these materials are comprised entirely of them, making them easier to recycle at their end of life. 

Within the remaining 7% of materials, we identified some room for improvement. 

The down used in our collection is a guaranteed by-product of the food industry in Europe and follows strict standards that ensure traceability through a and no animal cruelty. However, the cotton used for the down duvet outer is currently conventional, presenting an opportunity to switch to organic. 

While we work with manufacturers in Europe who we visit often, the wool, merino, mohair and recycled cashmere used in our blankets are not currently certified to any of our preferred material standards. We have set goals to switch to and have already started sourcing these lower-impact fibres.  

We’re proud of the results of this review, which clearly show that we work with preferred materials and some of the industry’s highest standards. However, information on sustainable materials and industry standards is constantly evolving, so we approach this subject with a critical mindset, constantly reassessing our classifications.

Trim

Actions taken

We reviewed all product labels. These small details are easy to overlook, but it’s important to us to apply the same high standards across all aspects of our products and the wider business. 

Results

The majority of our are already made using . All hang tags are printed on FSC-certified paper with recycled-cotton strings, both of which are preferred. Our brand, care and size labels are made using recycled polyester, which is also a preferred fibre. The canvas label in our terry products presents an opportunity to improve and will be switched from conventional to organic cotton by the end of 2022. 

Packaging

Actions taken 

We reviewed our packaging.

Results

The poly bag used for shipping ecommerce orders is a preferred material, made from 100% that is also widely recyclable in the EU, UK and US. The dust bag used for products that need extra protection or storage – such as our blankets or down duvets – is made from conventional cotton, which is something we can work towards changing for organic cotton. 

The box used for our bedding collection can be recycled with card, but not with ease due to its multi-material composition. We’re now working to improve the design so it uses in fewer quantities.

The poly bag used to wrap each product was found to be biodegradable but only under certain conditions which can be hard to guarantee. It can also disrupt the recycling process of conventional plastics if placed in a conventional plastic recycling bin. We are working towards switching it to either a recycled and recyclable plastic, or a recycled or FSC-certified paper alternative in 2023.

Ultimately, this review highlighted an opportunity to more clearly communicate how best to recycle our packaging. As a result, we will add instructions to our website and all packaging.  

Goals

Textiles 

• – GOTS certification across the entire supply chain for organic cotton products in 2023. 

• – Use 100% preferred materials and standards across all core and seasonal products by 2025.

• – Reassess all preferred materials and standards annually, taking into consideration the latest innovations and data so we continue to work with the most responsible materials available.

Trim

• – All terry canvas labels to be made from organic cotton by the end of 2022.

Packaging 

• – All dust bags to be made from organic cotton by 2023.

• – Poly bag for wrapping products switched to either a recycled and recyclable plastic, or a recycled or FSC-certified paper alternative in 2023.

• – Bedding box to be optional with purchase, simplified in design to reduce material usage and more easily recycled in 2023.

• – Recycling instructions on all single-use packaging in 2023.