15 Years of Fair Wear

This year marks 15 years since we joined Fair Wear Foundation — and in an industry full of claims and quick fixes, that feels worth talking about.

In 2010 we won the Outstanding Performance award at the Ethical Corporation Awards. We knew it was one simple reason: we weren’t just talking about doing things better - we were already doing them. Fair wages, safe working conditions, cleaner factory, full transparency. The word "commitment" wasn't just a future thought, but a solid present. Not because it looked good on paper, but because it was (and still is) the right thing to do.

Fair Wear became part of that story early on. Their support helped us focus and stay accountable - not just to rules or standards, but to people. The workers making the clothes. The customers selling them. The people wearing them. Our responsibility has always been to everyone in that chain, and Fair Wear has helped us stay honest about that.

It’s also never just been about one thing. Labour conditions matter, absolutely. But so do the wider systems that affect people’s lives - the climate, water use, pollution, waste. That’s why, alongside Fair Wear’s social focus, we pushed hard on environmental goals too. Our Earth Positive line, launched in 2007, cut the carbon footprint of a t-shirt by 90% — verified by the Carbon Trust, with no offsetting. That was in 2008. While others are still aiming for 30% by 2030, we’ve already been there for over a decade.

We’ve kept our materials clean: 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, no polyester, no microplastics. We’ve made sure our factories run on renewable energy, and that almost all the water used in production is recycled. We publish our results. We get audited. We don’t hide behind buzzwords.

After 15 years with Fair Wear, the work continues. It’s not about looking ethical - it’s about being responsible, and making sure that responsibility adds value all the way down the line. For our customers. For their customers. And for the people who wear what we make.

That’s still the goal. And we’re still here, doing the work.

For the original article - https://www.fairwear.org/stories/fwf-affiliate-continental-wins-prestigious-csr-award/