Yumeko
Impact report 2025
"Recycling won’t save you from poor
material choices."
Founder & CEO Yumeko
Foreword
Recycling won’t save you from poor material choices.
It’s an uncomfortable truth for the textile industry. Some 70% of all textiles produced globally are made of synthetic materials like polyester – plastic. Each time they’re washed, they release microplastics into our water supply. Each time they’re incinerated (still the most common method of destruction), they release fossil fuel emissions. And each attempt at recycling them is a reminder of how fundamentally unrecyclable they are.
Carbon reduction and circularity have become industry buzzwords. But the underlying issues remain unresolved.
Circularity goes all the way back to the source.
Fifteen years ago, we founded Yumeko on a single belief: you should be able to sleep under something special without others upstream paying the price. It’s a belief that ethics shouldn’t be sacrificed for quality – they should go hand in hand. It’s a belief in the value of pure, natural, biodegradable materials that are easier to repair and easier to reuse in meaningful ways.
It’s a belief that not even the smartest recycling tech can undo poor material choices. Yumeko is about making the right choices from the outset.
This report shows how those choices take shape in practice: what works, what could be better and what we want to achieve.
Our core values remain the same, but the urgency to act on them is greater than ever.
– Rob van den Dool
founder & CEO Yumeko
The textile industry is transforming. We felt those ripples of change in 2025. Companies are rethinking their procurement policies, farmers are investing in long-term soil fertility, and consumers are asking questions they weren’t asking just a few years ago.
At Yumeko, we’re trying to accelerate that change, just as we have been for the past fifteen years: by making premium, sustainable bed and bath linens from materials that are good for the people who grew them and kind to the planet they grow on.
This report outlines our impact in 2025, the progress we’ve made and areas for improvement.
that matter
Each year, we measure our impact in a concrete and transparent way. These are the results for 2025: clear, verifiable, and increasingly ambitious.
of which 78% was both organic and Fairtrade
of which 1,920 kg regenerative organic cotton
and 35.320k CO₂e transport emissions offset
Yumeko is proud of the steps we are taking, but a credible impact report also acknowledges limitations and slow progress. We do not include recycled cotton in our collection: due to the recycling process, fiber quality is insufficient for our quality standards and long product lifespan. A second-life program for returned products proved more difficult to scale in practice than anticipated. LCA analyses are not yet available for all product groups. In 2026, we aim to expand these insights further to the suppliers of our suppliers. Being honest about what is not yet working is just as important to us as sharing our successes.
We use exclusively natural and certified materials. Below is an overview of the more environmentally conscious materials we processed in our Yumeko products in 2025.
(Downpass)
Fully traceable, no live plucking or force-feeding. All suppliers are audited annually.
Grown in Europe, without pesticides. Its deep roots capture CO₂ in the soil and improve soil structure.
FSC-certified wood, closed-loop production. Biodegradable, breathable, and soft.
Plant-based filling material from the kapok tree. Grows wild, requiring no irrigation or pesticides.
Merino, Kempisch heath sheep, alpaca, yak, and recycled fibers. Responsibly shorn, traceable, and soft.
Flax, grown in Europe. Strong, long-lasting, and fully biodegradable. No irrigation required.
2025 was a year of pioneering, dialogue, recertification, and deepening. Nine highlights that show where Yumeko stands and how far we have come in fifteen years.
Launch of Yumeko’s Open Organic Cotton Chain (YOOCC)
In 2025, we launched the YOOCC: Yumeko’s Open Organic Cotton Chain. The Netherlands’ first open chain for organic cotton, shaped by a single belief: real transformation happens faster when you share what you’ve built. YOOCC is our way of letting other brands directly into each stage of our cotton supply chain, from soil to end product, giving them access to years of know-how, experience and carefully cultivated partnerships with our farmers and producers.
Joining us on this first step was Joolz, the Netherlands’ biggest pram brand. As a YOOCC launch partner, Joolz used our open chain to develop three organic cotton products that are sold in 50 countries. This is a powerful illustration of scaling impact through partnership.
YOOCC is pushing the boundaries of possibility in our industry: from closed chains to open partnerships, from individual action to collective progress. Because the only fair, sustainable way to set the new standard is by working together.
B Corp recertification: score of 127.6
We achieved our B Corp recertification in 2025 with a score of 127.6 points, far above the 80-point average needed for certification. This score puts us among the best-performing textile industry B Corps globally.
We’ve taken steps to improve our previous certification score (97.4), in particular in terms of workers and the environment. We’re continuously improving conditions within our supply chain – for our farmers and producers as well as for our own team – while reducing our ecological impact by investing in sustainable materials and processes.
What sets us apart is the way we combine supply chain transparency, strong social standards and a clear mission. We’re not only striving to achieve production methods, but to change industry standards. But B Corp isn’t the finish line; it’s a moment to reflect. How are we doing, and how we can improve? Those insights are what help us to deepen our impact and steadily build a fairer, more sustainable industry.
Learn more about our B Corp Score
Fairtrade pilot Rightsholder Dialogue
In 2025, we once again participated in the Fairtrade pilot Rightsholder Dialogue. Within this program, we engage directly with farmers and communities in our supply chain.
This year, we held digital conversations with our cotton farmers. During these sessions, we discussed the main challenges they face, such as climate risks, price pressure, and changing agricultural conditions.
The farmers conducted an internal risk assessment of their own situation in advance. This assessment formed the basis of our discussions. Together, we explored where Yumeko can provide support and where improvements are possible. The pilot has now been completed, but the dialogue does not end here. The first follow-up conversations with our cotton farmers have already been scheduled.
Learn more about the Rightsholder DialogueWinner of the Fashion Pioneers Social Impact Award
In 2025, Yumeko won the Social Impact Award, recognising companies that create a positive impact in local communities.
For us, it’s more than an award. It’s a confirmation that business can be a force for good. We hope this will inspire other companies to make their supply chains fairer and more sustainable.
New material launch: hemp
In 2025, we debuted hemp in our bed linen collection. Hemp is a unique crop: it’s not only quick-growing and water-efficient, but also improves soil health thanks to deep roots that enhance soil structure and help to lock in CO2.
Our hemp collection consists of duvet covers and pillowcases. One side is made of 100% hemp and has a natural linen look. The other side is made of 100% organic cotton and is extra soft to the touch.
Learn more about hemp beddingLong-term partnership with Conscious Hotels
Our partnership with the Conscious Hotels group, who shares our values of sustainable comfort, goes back several years. In 2025, we took the next step in our partnership by opening two new hotels in Amsterdam and Utrecht, for which we supplied our duvets and pillows. These products are made of high-quality, sustainable materials, providing guests with a comfortable sleep experience.
Built on shared values and a long-term vision, our partnership with Conscious Hotels shows how sustainable sleeping solutions can become the new industry standard in hospitality, too.
Yumeko’s 15th year in business: cultivating culture and connection
In 2025, we celebrated Yumeko’s 15th year in business. It was a moment to reflect on our growth from a small, passionate team to a mature organisation with a shared mission. Even as we grow, our culture remains essential. That’s why we made a conscious investment in team connection, development and well-being this year.
We all attended a compassionate communication training to learn more about open and respectful collaboration. One of our corporate events saw us join Plastic Whale on a plastic-fishing mission along Amsterdam’s world-famous canals. And we now also offer mental health support to our staff and their family members through OpenUp.
We look forward to another 15 years of nurturing an organisation that grows from within while creating impact on the outside.
Sharing responsibility with our supply chain partners
In 2025, we introduced our Mutual Code of Conduct. We wanted a different approach from the usual Supplier Code of Conduct that imposes demands on suppliers, depriving them of a voice. Instead, our Mutual Code of Conduct recognises our shared responsibilities within the supply chain, setting out agreements that both Yumeko and our suppliers commit to.
This approach, putting us on the same footing as our suppliers, improves transparency, collaboration and trust within our supply chains. It’s our way of working together with our partners to achieve structural improvements.
New partnerships in India
In 2025, we entered a partnership with The Creative Textiles India. In a region where the fireworks industry has long been the primary source of employment, The Creative Textiles offers a safe and dignified alternative. Hazardous, high-risk work was the only option for countless women, many of whom suffered workplace accidents with life-changing consequences for themselves and their families.
Today, these women are able to work for an employer that cares about them, their safety and their growth. The Creative Textiles organizes commuter shuttles to surrounding villages, significantly improving safety and access to work.
For many women, this is more than a job. It gives them autonomy and the means to support their family. But above all else, they can now give their children the opportunity to gain an education and build a future.
These women also have access to hygiene, women’s health and financial security training, ensuring knowledge transfer from generation to generation.
Sleeping
Our THEORY OF CHANGE: Create · Inspire · Transform
Our mission is directly linked to our Theory of Change: by creating better products (Create), inspiring more conscious choices (Inspire), and accelerating systemic change (Transform), Yumeko aims to structurally shift the sleep and textile sector toward fairer supply chains, healthier ecosystems, and higher standards. Anchored in seven impact pillars.
products
We create the most beautiful, softest, and most sustainable bedding in the world, within fair supply chains that are good for the environment, people, and animals. Proof that luxury and responsibility not only go together but reinforce each other. From regenerative organic cotton to recycled down, from hemp to TENCEL™.
choices
We inspire consumers, partners, and the entire sector. Through open supply chains, product impact transparency, Rightsholder Dialogues, and collaborations such as YOOCC, sustainable choices are becoming increasingly normal. Every product has a story to tell.
change
Through collaboration and advocacy with partners within and beyond the supply chain—from YOOCC to the Fashion Pioneers Award—we work toward change far beyond our own footprint. Real change happens when the entire sector moves, not just us.
Our impact governance framework is built on seven pillars. Each theme has its own objectives, KPIs, and policies. Together, they form the organizational backbone of everything we do.
Nature-positive materials & farming
Real impact goes all the way back to the source. That’s why we prioritise raw materials that have the smallest possible ecological footprint and, ideally, even help to regenerate ecosystems.
Our founding principle of using only organic cotton hasn’t changed. We know that organic farming techniques safeguard soil health and fertility while creating space for biodiversity. Rather than monoculture, many of the farmers we work with use crop rotation to optimise nutrients in the soil and control disease and pests.
Rather than relying on harmful pesticides or artificial fertilisers, our farmers harness the power of nature. It’s better for insects, better for birds, better for soil life and better for the people who work with the cotton. Nature-positive farming also enhances water efficiency. Keeping the soil healthy and respecting natural processes reduces water usage and protects surrounding ecosystems.
In 2025, we debuted hemp in our collection. This product launch builds on our organic cotton range, marking a milestone in our use of nature-positive materials.
Organic cotton has been the mainstay of our collection for years – for good reason. Organic farming creates healthy soils, enhances biodiversity and improves living conditions for farmers and producers.
Hemp is a valuable addition to our range. It’s quick-growing, water-efficient and can be grown pesticide-free. It also has deep roots that enhance soil structure and help to lock in CO2.
Our new range of bed linen combines both materials. One side is made of hemp and has a natural linen look. The other side is made of organic cotton, offering extra softness and comfort.
To develop this collection, our impact manager and a member of our product development team visited hemp farmers in France. This visit gave us valuable insights that we’re using to responsibly roll out hemp in our collection.
Climate & emissions
The textile industry’s climate impact starts upstream – with the raw materials used to make products. That’s why our focus is on reducing our use of fossil-based materials and reducing our products’ impact, starting from our choice of raw material and production all the way to transport and distribution.
As it stands, 99% of our products are made from natural materials. Nevertheless, we’re always looking for alternatives for components for which there are still no biobased options, like labels and thread for stitching.
Bit by bit, by embracing natural materials, smarter product development and smarter supply chains, we’re developing products with a smaller climate impact.
In 2025, we conducted lifecycle assessments (LCAs) on a selection of our main products, including cotton-sateen 300TC, percale 300TC and jersey. These analyses tell us about the environmental impact of these products throughout their lifecycle.
The LCAs are based on data from our direct suppliers. They help us to identify hotspots along the supply chain and prepare targeted improvement projects.
These improvement projects involve our partners and also focus emissions reductions, such as by using solar panels, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. By investing in renewable energy, we’re all working to reduce the prevalence of fossil fuels in production processes.
These projects lean heavily on our partnerships. By actively involving and inspiring partners, we’re working our way toward cleaner processes and continuing to decarbonise our supply chains.
In 2026, we want to take these analyses a step further by gathering data on our suppliers’ suppliers. This will give us a more detailed picture of our impact, so that we can drive improvements more effectively.
Circularity & product longevity
Extending product lifespan is a cornerstone of circularity. That’s why Yumeko focuses not just on end-of-life recycling, but on the entire cycle from design to reuse.
Product quality is key. After all, products that last longer don’t need replacing as often, saving raw materials, energy and transport.
We’re also exploring ways to extend materials’ lifecycle – be that through reuse, repair, recycling or salvaging fabric craps – to prevent waste and maximise value retention of the resources we use.
In 2025, we broadened our approach to material reuse in our collection. We salvaged fabric scraps to create products such as our green pennant bunting and TENCEL™ pyjamas in three colours.
We also continued to improve existing products, conducting various tests and quality optimisations on our terrycloth handtowels to enhance sustainability and user comfort.
Our recycled down collection now includes a premium recycled duvet and pillow. By reusing old down in new products, we can preserve resources and reduce demand for new down.
As before, we’re also seeking ways to reuse return products. While we had plans to develop a ‘second chance’ range, finding a good, scalable solution proved to be harder than expected. Nevertheless, we intend to continue exploring options for a responsible reuse system.
Human rights, decent work & income
Farmers and producers must never bear the cost of premium products. That’s why we’re committed to ensuring fair labour practices, safe workplaces and decent pay for the people working in our supply chains.
These basic conditions are still lacking throughout swathes of the textile industry. Earnings for many farmers and labourers are low and fail to reflect the considerable risks and precarity of their work.
Yumeko’s approach to procurement and partnerships is different. Where possible, we buy directly from the farmer to give them greater security and help them to invest in their business, land and community.
We also work with our partners, suppliers and certification bodies to actively advocate for human rights within our supply chains.
Just as importantly, we believe our Amsterdam office should be a safe, inclusive and healthy place to work for our staff.
In 2025, we continued the Fairtrade Rightsholder Dialogue pilot. In line with the action plan we drafted in 2024, we added more layers to our due diligence process. We set up online meetings with our cotton farmers to discuss the main challenges and risks they face, based on prior risk analyses farmers had made themselves.
Together, we sought to identify potential improvements and how Yumeko can provide support. While the pilot has come to an end, we intend to remain in contact with our cotton farmers and have already scheduled follow-up meetings.
In 2025, we introduced a Mutual Code of Conduct. Many industries use a Supplier Code of Conduct that imposes demands on suppliers, depriving them of a voice.
We opted for a different approach. Our Mutual Code of Conduct recognises that responsibilities within the supply chain are always shared, setting out agreements that both Yumeko and our suppliers commit to.
We’ve also begun to develop a grievance mechanism to empower people within our supply chain to raise concerns. This should help us to identify problems faster and find a solution by common consent.
In 2025, the entire Yumeko team attended compassionate communication training. The sessions taught open, respectful communication techniques and approaches to deal with differences in opinion. The aim of the training was to improve mutual understanding and constructive conflict management.
We’re also eager to improve our team’s mental health. That’s why we’ve given all of our staff and their family members access to the platform OpenUp, enabling them to seek support from a psychologist or lifestyle coach.
The ultimate goal of our efforts in terms of employee well-being, job satisfaction and work-life balance is to make sure people enjoy working at Yumeko and feel an enduring connection to our mission.
Animal welfare & responsible animal fibres
We recognize that animals are a major part of our supply chains, which is why animal welfare is embedded in our animal material sourcing. Our products are made exclusively with certified down and wool from humane livestock farmers. At the same time, we know there’s substantial potential for improvement in the global animal husbandry industry.
That’s why we’re actively involved in our supply chains, working with suppliers and partners to incentivise positive change and help to raise industry standards.
In 2025, we worked with our supply chain partners to launch a new project named ‘Eendenboerderij van de Toekomst’ (the future duck farm).
This project saw several farms introduce ‘pekino cup drinkers’. As opposed to conventional feeders, these water feeders allow ducks to submerge their entire head and engage in natural preening behaviour.
To gain more practical insights, we visited one of the trial farms in the Netherlands. During the visit, we spoke to farmers and supply chain partners about animal welfare and potential improvements.
Working with our partners and Control Union, we also improved the Catching and Loading Standard, introducing stricter checks on loading and transport involving ducks.
In 2025, we debuted a new alpaca wool duvet made in collaboration with Peru-based Incalpaca. This producer works with livestock farmers who adhere to the internationally recognised Five Freedoms of animal welfare.
The wool is shorn according to the Inca shearing method, a technique specially developed to reduce stress and injury.
By working with partners who take animal welfare seriously, we aim to contribute to structural improvements in the industry.
Transparency, governance & due diligence
Impact relies on transparency – not just in terms of communication, but also in the way businesses understand and manage their supply chains.
That’s why we’re always trying to gain greater insight into our production chains. Uncovering risks puts us in a better position to implement improvements. Transparency also helps us to back up our claims, allowing us to own our impact and demonstrate our progress.
Developments such as the Green Claims Directive and legislation on supply chain due diligence (HREDD) show us that Europe is committed to establishing clear, fair standards. It’s something we wholeheartedly support, as it helps us all to raise the bar, increase transparency and provide a clearer benchmark for sustainable choices.
In 2025, we began an in-depth risk analysis of our supply chains, looking at all steps of the production process from raw material to end product.
This analysis examines three risk levels: raw materials risks, supply chain risks and country-specific risks, such as political circumstances.
This analysis helps us to identify the biggest challenges and our priority areas. In particular, we focus on the impacts of climate change on agriculture: the combination of extreme drought and heavy rainfall is driving crop failure.
We also obtained our B Corp recertification. With a score of 127.6 points, we’re among the top performers in the textile industry and have made clear progress in terms of workers and the environment.
We also secured our annual GOTS and Fairtrade recertification, showing our ongoing commitment to caring for people, animals and the planet. At the same time, we’re strengthening the very core of our organisation by improving governance and developing a staff handbook that shows our values guide our everyday operations.
Collective action & sector transformation
Our sustainable mission doesn’t stop at our products. We believe that real change occurs by exchanging knowledge, inspiring each other and advocating as a united front.
That’s why we look beyond our supply chain. By being transparent about our choices and sharing our impact, we’re actively raising awareness of the importance of better sleep and mindful consumption.
It’s a way of inspiring customers and companies alike, together building a system that normalises fair, sustainable choices.
In 2025, we launched the YOOCC, Yumeko’s Open Organic Cotton Chain. This initiative lets other brands into our cotton supply chain, making fair and transparent production the norm rather than the exception. By sharing knowledge, contacts and infrastructure, we’re making it easier for industry peers to make sustainable choices.
The YOOCC has seen us work with various brands. One of them was Joolz, the Netherlands’ biggest pram brand. As the launch partner, they introduced three organic cotton products through our open chain. This marks the first step toward scalable change. Our YOOCC received the Fashion Pioneers Social Impact Award in recognition of its status as the first open chain for organic cotton in the Netherlands.
At the same time, we’ll continue to advocate. Our co-founder and CEO Rob van de Dool actively promotes our vision and shares insights at keynotes speeches and consultations within and outside our industry, raising awareness and inspiring others. It’s our way of inspiring customers and businesses alike to take more responsibility and raise the bar.
We’re also using our own channels, targeted (paid) ad campaigns and publications to promote our impact, bringing updates on fair supply chain fairness and organic cotton to a wider audience. We’ve seen how much our message resonates and drives a growing awareness of traceability and sourcing.
We’re also actively looking to work with like-minded brands and producers. Collaborations with partners such as Studio HENK, Seepje and Rituals as well as with creative muses and big dreamers are helping us to reach new target audiences and make sustainable choices easier and more appealing.
Business can creative a positive impact – that’s what it’s all about. Real change happens when we work together to amplify that change.
We’re committed to keep going, making sure every step we take is a step in the right direction.
But we’re not there yet
We’re committed to keep going, making sure every step we take is a step in the right direction. The textile industry faces enormous challenges. Raw materials are becoming scarce, ecosystems are under threat, and millions of people in the supply chain are still working under appalling conditions. To change that reality, we need to think big. We need companies to take responsibility for their supply chain.
At Yumeko, we’re on a mission to turn responsibility into meaningful, day-to-day action. Be that through introducing new materials, having difficult conversations with our supply chain partners, or being open about areas where we need to do better.
We believe that companies have a stake in industry transformation. Not by being perfect, but by improving every day and bringing others on board. Because our motto remains the same as always:
Change the world sleeping
Experience our 100% natural materials for yourself
Impact report 2025 – Yumeko B.V., Amsterdam
The figures in this impact report are based on Yumeko’s own purchasing and sales data for 2025, combined with impact data from Greenstory.
All environmental claims and calculations (including LCA) are based on a mix of primary and secondary data, in collaboration with Greenstory and EcoChain.
Secondary data:
- Ecoinvent database
- Fairtrade: Evaluating environmental impact of fairtrade certified cotton in India 2024
- Textile Exchange:
- Material Market Report 2024 + 2025
- Growing Hemp for the Future 2023
- European Flax: LCA Assessment of European Flax Scutched Fibre 2022
- Organic Cotton Accelerator: LCA Assessment of Lint Cotton in India 2025
The B Corp score is based on our recertification in 2025
GOTS certificate number: CU-817308
Fairtrade license number: FLO-ID 26680
Questions about this report? Contact our Impact Manager at tamara@yumeko.nl. For press inquiries, contact Nynke at nynke@yumeko.nl.