Our fair chains

Yumeko wants to embed ethical, sustainable production practices into its production chains. That’s why advocating for transparency throughout these chains is a cornerstone of how we do business.

We know our production chains from farm to customer.

Yumeko operates in extremely complex production chains. They consist of multiple stages of production, involving many manufacturing partners and thousands of workers and farmers. Generally, we aim for as many stages to be based in the country of origin, as this allows us to contribute to jobs and economic growth in what are usually developing countries. Being so complex, these production chains aren’t always transparent.

We advocate for complete transparency in our production chains. That’s why our entire chain – from cotton plant and sheep to duvets and covers – meets the strictest organic farming and other industry standards. We want to eliminate all pollution from the production chain: from the farm to your bedroom. Simply put, we know our production chains from farm to customer.

Our certifications

Our certifications are proof that we pay a fair wage to our cotton farmers and the specialists who make our products. They’re all members of a pension scheme, receive health insurance cover and work regular hours. The cotton cooperatives we work with guarantee equal treatment of men and women, from voting rights to pay.

 

We carefully select our partners according to their climate actions and ethical processes, working together with them to improve practices. We also collaborate with independent certification bodies and labels, who audit us to ensure we’re upholding standards.

 

Organic and Fairtrade

Yumeko wants to start a movement for greater use of organic cotton produced according to Fairtrade standards. We strive for all of our products to be produced as responsibly, ethically and sustainably as possible. If more companies followed our lead, the positive impact would be huge.

 

 

We’re one of the few companies in the Netherlands to be Fairtrade and GOTS-certified. These certifications are awarded based on annual audits of our operational excellence.

 

Yumeko wants to start a movement for greater use of organic cotton produced according to Fairtrade standards. We strive for all of our products to be produced as responsibly, ethically and sustainably as possible. If more companies followed our lead, the positive impact would be huge.

 

We’re one of the few companies in the Netherlands to be Fairtrade and GOTS-certified. These certifications are awarded based on annual audits of our operational excellence.

 

Recycling and circularity

Yumeko believes that society must transition to a circular economy driven by repairing, recycling and upcycling. In this system, high-quality materials are reused and repurposed rather than sent to landfill or incinerated. Yumeko believes this approach will go a long way toward making our society more sustainable.

 

In 2018, we were the first brand in the Netherlands to launch a circular collection of duvets and pillows made of recycled down :‘ReNew’. Our recycled down duvet was voted the Netherland’s ‘best duvet’ in 2022 and 2024 by the jury of the Consumentenbond, the Dutch consumers’ association.

 

In that same year, we took further action to create a circular economy by introducing our pioneering down recycling service and mattress recycling service, enabling customers to return their old mattresses. 
But there’s more. We’re also saving textile scraps from the incinerator by upcycling them into bunting and toiletry bags, upcycled velvet flannel pyjamas and upcycled wool blankets. Our materials are now being used in collaborations with designers and fashion ateliers, such as Hul le Kes and Martan and textile artist Claudy Jongstra.

 

Partners

We want to secure a plentiful supply of organic cotton for years to come. That’s why we’ve joined the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA). The OCA seeks to scale organic cultivation and works with a network of farmers who are already growing organic. They advocate for transparent, responsible cotton production chains that prioritise the needs of farming communities and the environment. A number of textile production chains have joined the initiative.

 

Plastic and packaging

We have a fundamentally zero-plastic policy. Our products contain only natural materials – you won’t find any nylon or polyester here. Unfortunately, however, we have no choice but to use plastic to protect some of our products from moisture, dirt and damage on their way from producer countries to us and from us to our customers. It’s not something we’re proud of, and we’re constantly looking for suitable alternatives that are more planet-friendly. Thankfully, our customers also help us to keep our plastic use in check. We no longer send plastic-wrapped products, but unwrap them and collectively recycle the plastic prior to shipment.

 

We’re also aware that packaging can play a role in achieving our ultimate goal. That’s why all of our products are shipped to customers in boxes made of recycled and recyclable certified cardboard. We use boxes in a broad range of dimensions, so that we can optimise packaging and minimise the amount of air we transport. Our boxes are sealed with paper tape, reducing our plastic consumption and making recycling easier for our customers.

 

Shipping

We rely on shipping to get our products to where they need to be. We’re well aware of the negative impact of shipping, so we’re doing everything to minimise our transport footprint.

 

For instance, we select the most sustainable possible methods and shipping partners for deliveries to customers and offer customers the latest options to offset delivery emissions.

 

For freight transport from countries other than the Netherlands, we choose the most climate-friendly option. Since 2019, we’ve been offsetting all of our sea freight emissions with biofuel. Emissions from air freight – something we try to minimise – are also offset.

 

The SDGs

Yumeko isn’t alone in its quest to create a brighter, cleaner future. In 2015, the United Nations formulated 17 goals to address global climate and development challenges: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals cover issues from clean water and sanitation, climate action, poverty eradication and gender equality to responsible consumption and manufacturing. The UN aims to reach these goals by 2030.

 

Yumeko fully supports the ambitions enshrined in the SDGs and actively contributes toward nine specific goals.