At He and Her the Label, we're always looking for ways to become a more ethical and sustainable kidswear brand. It's at the heart of our 'why' as a small family-owned and run Aussie business. Based in beautiful Gundungurra country, the Southern Highlands of NSW, we are committed to intentionally curating a label that is kind to people and kind to our planet.
That's why we're so proud to bring you our most sustainable collection yet.
Our new Nature Play Collection (releasing 29th August) is GOTS Certified Organic.
With our GOTS Certified Organic cotton carefully sourced from Madhya Pradesh in India and milled in an OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Certified factory in Shaoxing, China, we've created a new signature organic cotton jersey blend, just for you, our valued He and Her the Label community.
We can now offer you the fit, durability, softness, and comfort we know you love, with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your children's delicate skin is clothed in our 95% cotton 5% spandex GOTS Certified Organic and OEKO-TEX® certified healthy, safe, breathable, and kind organic cotton jersey blend.
At He and Her the Label we value the people who make our garments and we value the planet we all share.
Sustainable clothing, ethical clothing, fair production, eco fashion. These phrases all have different meanings, and many brands exploit consumer's desires to purchase more responsibly, while not really doing anything to improve their products or to be kinder to people and planet. This is greenwashing.
At He and Her the Label, we don't want to just talk the talk. We want to walk the walk. That's why we've sought out the best certifications and labels in our manufacturing process to ensure that we can provide you with the best and kindest garments, from our family to yours.
Why GOTS Certified Organic cotton?
GOTS, or the Global Organic Textile Standard, is the world's leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, aka, standards that benefit both planet and people! It's backed up by independent third-party certification of the entire supply chain.
Buying GOTS Certified Organic cotton gives us as a business (even a small family-owned and run business like us!) and you as a consumer, a reliable guarantee that products are genuinely organic. Fibres are traceable, back to the farm they originated from. Requirements adhered to are rigorous and standardised worldwide. Claims are externally and independently verified.
Ecological criteria
Organic is the only legislated standard for environmentally friendly agriculture, and it's a proven method to contribute to sustainability goals.
It means that:- toxic chemicals, harmful pesticides and herbicides, and synthetic fertilisers (all of which have been proven to harm ecosystems and/or human health!) are PROHIBITED
- GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are prohibited, helping to support ecosystems and their biodiversity
- promoting healthier ecosystems
- conserving biodiversity (we love the birds and bees!)
- reducing water pollution
- promoting soil fertility, water conservation, and long-term ecological resilience (future generations anyone?!)
- minimising the risk of health issues that can be caused by exposure to chemical residues, both for you and your little ones, and the farmers and their communities who work hard to grow us their beautiful cotton in the first place!
- enhancing the autonomy and resilience of farmers and their communities, through crop rotation and by minimising their reliance on external inputs (e.g. pesticides and fertilisers)
Kinder to the environment. Traceable to the farm. Yes, really, this is a photo from the farm where our cotton was grown!
Social criteria
In addition to their ecological criteria, a GOTS Certified Organic label also includes social criteria.
Choosing textiles and clothing that are GOTS Certified Organic (like ours!) means that you are supporting:- the prohibition of forced labour
- the prohibition of child labour
- the promotion of workplaces free from discrimination, violence, and harassment, including a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment and gender-based violence
- the promotion of gender equality in the workplace, including an emphasis on the protection of pregnant women and of mothers
- the protection of worker's rights to freely organise and bargain collectively
- thorough and stringent occupational health and safety (OHS) criteria according to international standards
- decent wages for workers, so that wages for regular working hours meet national legal standards or industry benchmarks, whichever is higher, and emphasises the importance of living wages, requiring Certified Entities to calculate 'wage gaps' (the gap between remuneration and the living wage) develop plans to close these gaps
- greater worker protection through working hours criteria
- fair treatment for homeworkers
- respect and equal treatment for migrant workers
Traceable to the farm. Yes, we mean it! Another photo from the farm where our cotton was grown and harvested.
Organic is better for people and for planet.
Buying GOTS Certified Organic guarantees the reliability of the claim of 'organic' on a label coming into your home.
What does OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 mean?
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a label for textiles tested for safety from over 1,000 harmful substances, against globally standardised test criteria. Because fabric makes contact with our skin (and the skin of our precious children no less!), OEKO-TEX® benchmarks ensure safety from yarn to finished product.
Cracked and ripening cotton bolls from the farm where our organic cotton was grown.
From our family to yours.
Bringing you the best for your little ones.
With love from us,
He and Her the Label x