Our environmental philosophy

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY

We strongly believe that our made-to-last designs are our most significant contribution to a greener and more pleasant world. This has been Gudrun’s guiding star throughout her career. It is our firm conviction that the first step in minimizing the adverse environmental impact of humanity is to reduce consumption. For this reason, we consider durable garments that are cherished and worn for years to be the least harmful to the environment. This is our ethos, both in our personal lives and in our work.

Businesses such as ours have tremendous impact potential, which is why we are committed to making green choices in our organisation and across our supply chains. Just one example of this commitment is our organic jersey from Greece, for which our supplier switched to new machines and the cotton farmer switched to new crops, a process that takes three years. Other examples are our requirements regarding the use of chemicals, the introduction of chlorine-free paper in all our printed materials, the reduced use of plastic and packaging, and opting for transport by sea or rail rather than air or road for our garment shipments, all of which are well-informed environmental choices.


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Green stripe divider

Gudrun’s own eco-label

Gudrun’s commitment to sustainable design and the inspiration that she draws from nature’s flora and fauna have guided her throughout her career. She has also witnessed how these values have been abused in the textile industry. As the decades have passed, environmental awareness has evolved and come in and out of fashion. From the tentative steps of the 80s that were faced with almost insurmountable difficulties, through the 90s when we launched our first organic collection, to the present day, when eco-friendly options have become ubiquitous. In our view, small steps can yield great results, which is why we work tirelessly to increase the number of eco-friendly products in our collections. In a jungle of eco-labels, we felt that a straightforward labelling system of our own would not only simplify life for us, but for our customers as well.


We’ve labelled each garment where we’ve gone that extra mile for the sake of the environment with the following symbols:

Gudrun’s Good Fibres

Gudrun’s Good Fibres

These items are made partly or entirely from a material grown and produced with sustainability in mind. We audit manufacturer certificates and impose strict transparency requirements. The fibres we classify as good environmental options include organically grown fibres, recycled fibres, naturally retted flax and hemp, TENCEL™ lyocell, TENCEL™ modal, TENCEL™ modal with microtechnology, EcoVero™ viscose, silk, alpaca wool, vegetable-tanned and vegetable-dyed leather as well as FSC®-certified wood, and natural rubber.

Gudrun’s Unique Handicrafts

Gudrun’s Unique Handicrafts

These items are crafted by skilled artisans in keeping with age-old traditions. Each item has its own unique appearance and artistic value. By purchasing these items, you are helping unique skills and crafts to survive and flourish.

Gudrun’s Good Manufacturing

Gudrun’s Good Manufacturing

These items are manufactured largely or entirely at audited factories geared to the optimum production processes in terms of eco-friendliness as well as worker health and safety. We impose strict requirements on the certification of all principal manufacturing processes, in some cases all the way from fibre production to stitching. In other cases, it’s the principal processes of dyeing and printing that are certified. Fabrics that have not been bleached or dyed are also labelled Good Manufacturing.

Gudrun’s Good Deed

Gudrun’s Good Deed

Gudrun’s Good Deed is a project that we have been running since 2006. It involves donating part of the proceeds from the sale of selected products to organisations or causes close to Gudrun’s heart.