Tchibo

Nov 18, 2020

Tchibo is a German retail chain that now also offers sustainable clothing collections for women, men, babies, and kids under the label "We care for you."

The retailer creates practical, durable, and ethical fashion pieces, which are one of the best items you can buy for yourself and your family.

Sustainable, socially and ecologically produced clothing is essential to protect people, animals, and the environment. Fair and long-lasting fashion pieces are healthy for your skin and the planet.

Since September 2020, Tchibo sells two collections per year of sustainable clothes and seasonal products, especially in the baby and children's wear category.

The German company operates more than 1,000 branches, over 21,200 retail depots, and national online shops in eight countries. In 2016, Tchibo received the title of Germany’s most sustainable company.

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Sustainability Rating: 4/10

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Category: Clothing, bags, shoes, accessories, jewelry

For: Women, men, children

Type: Basics, denim, dresses, knitwear, loungewear, sportswear, outerwear, swimwear, underwear, sleepwear

Style: Casual, traditional, classic

Quality: Low

Price: $

Sizes: XS-2XL, 4-20 (US), 6-22 (UK), 34-52 (EU), 6-22 (AU)

Fabrics: Cotton, linen, jute, lyocell, modal, viscose, acetate, cupro, polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, polyurethane, rubber, leather, silk, wool, down

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical & Fair: No

Recycling: Yes

Producing country: Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Lebanon, Myanmar, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Vietnam

Certifications: FSC, GOTS, OCS, GRS, RWS

Sustainability Practices

"As a family business, Tchibo is committed to the merchant virtues of commitment, fairness, and honesty. With our actions today, we always take responsibility for future generations. We are delighted to be placed in the 'Leaders Circle'. At the same time, we think it is high time to act courageously. We are therefore committed to continuing to purchase raw materials and materials with integrity and fairness."

- Nanda Bergstein, Director of Corporate Responsibility at Tchibo

Tchibo wants to increase transparency and sustainability in its global supply chains. It uses a small number of sustainable materials such as organic or recycled fabrics, including organic cotton, linen, jute, recycled polyester, and regenerated nylon.

Its organic cotton is OCS or GOTS-certified to guarantee both comfort and conservation of resources.

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a leading, widely recognized certification standard that guarantees sustainable processes, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible conditions.

In 2018, the non-profit organization Textile Exchange ranked Tchibo the third-largest buyer of organic cotton worldwide for the third time in a row.

Tchibo also creates some of its garments with semi-synthetic fibers or regenerated cellulosic fabrics such as lyocell, modal, acetate, cupro, and viscose.

But not all materials used by Tchibo are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Tchibo still makes a lot of products with highly polluting materials and synthetic petroleum-based fibers such as conventional polyester, nylon, spandex, polyurethane, and acrylic.

Tchibo publishes a list of its manufacturing and processing facilities and makes it available publicly on its corporate website.

It manufactures its clothes in many East Asian countries where human rights and labor law violations still happen every day.

The brand doesn't show any labor certification standard that would ensure socially responsible working conditions, decent living wages, health, safety, and other crucial rights for workers in its supply chain.

Thankfully, Tchibo is currently working with other partners to strengthen compliance with human rights and especially trade union rights, in initiatives such as ACT on Living Wages, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, and Germany’s Alliance for Sustainable Textiles.

The retail chain also has a code of conduct that applies to all its suppliers and subcontractors based on the principles of sustainable development of the 1992 Rio Declaration, the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the ILO Multinational Enterprises Declaration, the principles of the United Nations’ Global Compact, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

Tchibo doesn't use any exotic animal skin, or hair, fur, angora but uses leather, wool, silk, and down feathers. The brand sells many animal-derived products.

These animal-based materials are cruel and unethical. They also harm the environment by producing greenhouse gases and wastes. More sustainable alternatives exist.

Sustainability Goals

Tchibo is working on innovative ways to bring a higher and higher proportion of recycled fibers and organic materials into its compositions.

By 2020, Tchibo aims to source 85% sustainable cotton. It also wants to implement the requirements of the Detox Commitment to eliminate hazardous chemicals in its supply chains.

By 2020, it plans to reduce relative warehouse emissions by 15 % compared to 2014 and relative transport-related CO2 equivalent emissions by another 10% (total 2006-2020: 40%).

By 2020, Tchibo also aims to decrease paper and cardboard consumption in B2B and B2C online deliveries by 30 % per sales unit compared to 2014.