At DillySocks, we firmly believe that each and every one of us has to take care of the environment. That we should all handle resources carefully. And that, as a fashion brand, we should act as sustainably as possible in everything we do. We're convinced that sustainability has to be pursued on several levels. Because only then can the world keep inspiring us with its colours every single day – and only then is every pair of DillySocks a statement for a more colourful, fairer and greener world.
How do we live sustainability at DillySocks? That's exactly what we take a close look at in this article. To start, here's a quick all-round overview of our sustainability management – because it'll give you a better understanding of our approach to sustainability.
Contents
ESG factors
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. These three factors are crucial to making sure a company is working towards a sustainable future. At DillySocks, we deliberately put these factors into practice in our daily activities, from sourcing raw materials to our internal processes.
DillySocks' 4 pillars of sustainability
The ESG factors are a fundamental framework against which we measure our values as a sustainably operating company. To give the various ESG criteria an easy-to-follow structure, we look at the three-way ESG framework across the following four areas of our business. We've defined four central pillars of sustainability on which our company is built:
(1) Product & innovation
(2) Production
(3) Organisation, people & culture
(4) Commitment.
Oh, and by the way: we don't skimp on details in our overview! For us, sustainability clearly goes hand in hand with transparency towards consumers. That means not only highlighting our successes so far, but also addressing the biggest challenges we've faced in sustainability management. So, let's go!
Product & innovation
Our socks are greener than they look! How do we measure that? By product-specific sustainability criteria such as product quality, high-quality materials, recyclable and plastic-free packaging, our upcycling approach and strict product certifications.
Our products, materials & quality
All Dilly socks are made with organic cotton. We love organic cotton and keep the cotton content in our socks as high as possible – usually between 70 and 85%. This natural fibre is a real powerhouse: it feels pleasantly soft, it's a renewable raw material and it's biodegradable. The cotton is grown according to the guidelines of organic farming. "Organic" means that nothing is grown on the cotton fields for certain periods so the soil can recover. Our cotton is grown 100% without synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers or environmentally harmful chemicals. Organic cotton also uses significantly less water than conventionally grown cotton. Yeehaw!
But we have to admit: product qualities that matter to us – like durability, a good fit and unusual designs – can't be achieved with pure cotton alone. Our understanding of sustainable fashion also includes socks that are durable and comfortable. That's why we also rely on the valuable properties of polyamide and elastane in our socks. To keep our ecological footprint as small as possible, we've been steadily increasing the share of recycled polyamide compared with conventional polyamide for years. Some of our products (e.g. all our Premium Ribbed One Color socks) already use only recycled polyamide yarn without losing any softness or comfort – a goal we haven't yet reached for all our socks, but one we want to keep expanding in the future.
Bottom line: it's all in the mix. And that's what makes our socks last and live up to their promise. With our aim of ensuring high quality and durability through high-quality materials and an optimal material composition, our sustainability criteria don't just cover production and the time of sale. How long the socks are worn plays an important role too. A calculation that adds up.
By the way, you'll find more information about our quality standards here.
Our packaging
There's already enough plastic in the world. That's why we use biodegradable components for the packaging of products from our online shop. We print our labels on recycled paper. Whenever possible, our socks are shipped directly in their box without any additional outer packaging. Where more protection is needed, we've replaced conventional plastic sleeves wherever possible with bags made from polylactic acid. Polylactic acid is a renewable, easily compostable raw material that generates up to 60% less CO₂ in the manufacturing process than standard polybags. For our B2B business, we developed a compostable hook for hanging our products together with Fluidsolid, made solely from wood waste and enzymes and fully biodegradable. Step by step, we're optimising our packaging materials – and we're proud of what we've already achieved.
Want to know more about our packaging? Here's a detailed list of all our packaging materials.
Production
Where do our socks come from? How do we ensure workplace safety and fair working conditions in our supply chain? In the production section, we tackle these sourcing questions that are essential for any fashion brand. Spoiler: we're in close contact with our manufacturers and look for sustainable certifications from all partners in our value chain.
Production in Europe
Almost all our products are made in Europe, where we can guarantee high standards for working conditions and environmental regulations. This not only shortens transport routes but also ensures fair wages and working conditions for the people who make our products.
Designed in Zurich, sustainably produced in Europe*
Sourcing (i.e. buying the raw materials and producing the products) is THE pivotal point in the value chain that largely determines how sustainable it is. Many companies produce wherever conditions are cheapest – often in countries where wages are very low and workers are exploited. That's something we can't support. Our socks are produced (almost exclusively) in Europe by medium-sized companies. Choosing small to medium-sized businesses in Europe is no coincidence. For one thing, short delivery routes to us are a big plus from a pure carbon footprint perspective. Companies in countries like Portugal and Turkey also have a wealth of experience in the textile industry, which benefits the quality of the goods produced. We place great importance on fair working conditions throughout the entire production chain and work particularly closely with our manufacturers. After all, there are always new ideas and collections to bring to life as brilliantly as possible!
*One exception to our production location is our brand-new D-Compose collection: it's produced at a facility in Pakistan that is certified with the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold label.
By the way: to live up to our standards of sustainable production and fair working conditions, we only work with manufacturers that meet the strict criteria of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold standard. You can find out more in the next section.
Certificates
Anyone can claim that they produce and work sustainably. That's why certifications exist – because they're properly audited and you can rely on them. Find out more about our certificates here: Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold and GOTS.
Socks with Oeko-Tex® Standard 100
All our DillySocks hold the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certificate. Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 is a certification system that covers all processing stages of textile products. This lets us ensure that our DillySocks are free from harmful substances and are an ecologically sound product. For us, clothing free from harmful substances is a non-negotiable foundation for making sustainable fashion. It's simply not up for debate that anti-allergenic products should be worry-free for adults and children alike. However, we also have to point out critically that while the certificate confirms that our Dilly socks are 100% free from harmful substances, it doesn't regulate manufacturing conditions.
GOTS-certified socks
Because that isn't enough for us, we decided to work only with production facilities that meet the criteria of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS covers the entire production chain, bans many chemicals and sets minimum social standards. This makes GOTS one of the world's leading standards for organic textiles. Its aim is to ensure sustainable textile production – across the entire manufacturing chain. DillySocks has been GOTS-certified since 2020. Whether an individual product can be classified as GOTS-certified, however, depends not only on the working conditions and production standards in the value chain and the quality of the materials, but also on the material composition. Not all our products are GOTS-certified yet. But we're working on it! By the way, you can always check on our product pages whether an individual product is GOTS-certified or not.
You'll find more details about GOTS, including our current share of GOTS-certified products, here.
Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold
Our D-Compose collection, made from 100% biodegradable materials, has been awarded the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold standard. What exactly does that mean? That high ecological and health criteria are met in the manufacture, use and recycling of the product. Factors such as material selection, energy consumption and social responsibility are taken into account. Cradle to Cradle® Gold is therefore the true "gold" of Cradle to Cradle® certifications.
You'll find more details about the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold certificate here.
Organisation, people & culture
The (if we say so ourselves) excellent working atmosphere at DillySocks is no coincidence. It's the result of a company culture built on New Work principles such as remote working, flexible hours and unlimited holiday. A financial climate contribution is also an important part of our company culture.
Financial climate contribution
Since 2020, DillySocks has made an annual financial climate contribution. Being a company that makes a financial climate contribution means: we've recorded our greenhouse gas emissions, we're continuously reducing them and we've offset the unavoidable emissions through climate protection projects. In the past, we've supported a social impact project in India, a clean drinking water project in Sierra Leone and wind and solar energy projects in Chile. We currently offset our emissions through wind and solar energy projects at various locations in Africa and Asia.
You'll find our detailed overview of our financial climate contribution here.
For particularly eco-conscious customers, we also have a very special product up our sleeve: our Climate Box and our climate sock. In collaboration with Swiss direct air capture pioneers Climeworks, 1 kg of CO2 per pair and 10 kg of CO2 per box are filtered out of the atmosphere. The perfect gift idea for climate-conscious people. Find out more here.
New Work
One thing that has become increasingly important in recent years is New Work. What can we say – core New Work concepts such as work-life balance, self-organised work, flat hierarchies, decentralisation, a high level of trust and remote working are part of our DillyDNA. Whether in Zurich in Switzerland, in Vienna, Berlin or Helsinki – DillySocks allows freedom and relies on every employee taking personal responsibility. We're convinced that great appreciation across the whole team helps not only the working atmosphere but also our vision and company goals.
Dilly's honour: nobody forced us to write these sentences – we really mean them. *peace sign*.
Commitment
Integrating social projects into our business is close to our hearts. That's why (financial) donations and sponsorships for social organisations are a firm part of DillySocks. We're especially proud of our collaborations with socially and environmentally conscious companies, for which we create our own sock designs.
Creating a more colourful world
It's not only in our supply chain and production that we aim to set high standards. We also want to take on social responsibility and make the world more colourful through charitable projects. We regularly support social projects, directly and indirectly, including through donations in kind, sponsorship and collaborations with social organisations. In recent years, for example, we've been able to support social organisations such as Caritas, as well as sports clubs, through sponsorships and donations.
We love combining beautiful things with doing good – sock-wise too. Over the years, we've launched a number of sock collaborations with other brands or associations that support charitable projects and make us hugely proud. Through several collaborations, including with the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation and Zurich Zoo, we were able to generate profits from selling our collaboration-specific motif socks while also raising donations for social organisations.
Sock upcycling
However carefully you plan production, there are almost always pieces left over. That's why we looked into upcycling and asked ourselves: what else can socks be besides foot warmers and accessories? After in-depth research into upcycling methods, we had the answer: we turn our leftover stock into cuddly sock monkeys that become loyal friends to many children.
Our Dilly Monkeys are made in Switzerland at various inclusive foundations under the guidance of our talented sewing partner Rebekka. So every little sock monkey is full of love! They also contribute to social togetherness in our society, which is especially close to our hearts.
You'll find more information about our upcycled sock monkeys here.
