Would you like to learn more about the materials we use in our products, and how these materials are produced? Then you’ve come to the right place.

material guide

Cotton is one of the most important materials that we use, but cotton production is water-intensive and pesticides are a major problem. Together with some of the world’s leading users and buyers of cotton, Gina Tricot is part of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). ​ BCI was created to help cotton-growing communities to survive and thrive, while also aiding in protection and restoration of the environment. The initiative offers training programmes to educate farmers in efficient water use, soil conservation, and ways to reduce use of harmful chemicals. However, Better Cotton is not organic cotton; our goal for the coming years is to increase our use of organic cotton, where production must be completely transparent and free from the use of chemicals. To verify our organic cotton from cultivation to final product, we use organic cotton that is certified according to the Organic Content Standard.

cotton

Linen is a natural fibre derived from flax plants. Fabrics containing linen are soft and breathable and have a beautiful lustre. Linen also absorbs moisture well; it dries quickly and is a strong fibre. When linen is properly cared for, it becomes more beautiful with time.

linen

Viscose is a material made from wood pulp and cellulose fibres. Conventional viscose has a negative environmental impact associated with deforestation and high water consumption and chemical use. With this in mind, fibre purchasing is very important. That is why we have set a target: 100 % of all regenerated cellulose fibres should be from more sustainable sources. By this we mean that the wood used to produce the wood pulp will come from FSC-certified forests, will make minimal use of chemicals, and will use water efficiently through recycling. To achieve this goal, we choose only those green-listed viscose fibre suppliers that have the highest ranking in Canopy’s Hot Button Report.  CanopyStyle is an initiative for protection of forests around the globe. We are just one of the textile companies involved in supporting pressure on viscose suppliers to end use of wood from virgin or endangered forests, as well as wood use that endangers biodiversity. Right now, 91 % of our products are produced from more sustainable viscose. The largest part of this viscose comes from Lenzing, a world-leading manufacturer, and we work daily to increase the amount of traceable LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose that is produced in a sustainable process with wood from certified sources.

Viscose

Wool is a soft natural fiber from sheep and lambs, with a unique ability to regulate body temperature. The twisted fibers collect a lot of air, which is key to the fiber's soft feeling against the skin. Wool can also absorb moisture to a high degree and is able to hold up to 30% of its own weight without feeling damp. Wool fabrics transfer moisture, so when the inside of the garment has more moisture than the outside, the wool absorbs and transports it through the material until the same level of equilibrium is reached. This keeps you warm and dry. Due to the shape and length of the different strands, mixed-wool garments can sometimes produce bumps. Wool is a very durable fiber on its own, so if you take care of your wool garments in the right way, you get timeless and versatile pieces that you can wear again and again.

wool

Polyester is made from non-renewable petroleum sources. We work daily to reduce the amount of conventional polyester in our products, and to replace it with recycled polyester. In addition, we're striving to increase the amount of third-party certified, recycled polyester, in order to verify the recycled material, make it easier for customers to make informed decisions, and reduce the negative effects of production on humans and the environment. We use the international standards Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS) as tools in this work. GRS places more stringent requirements, including at least a 50 % content of recycled materials, and additional social and environmental requirements related to production. Gina Tricot has joined the 2025 Recycled Polyester Challenge, a unified initiative from the Textile Exchange and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. Through this initiative, we have accepted the challenge to increase our use of recycled polyester as a replacement for conventional polyester to 50 % by 2025.

Polyester

Polyamide is made from crude oil and is one of the strongest synthetic fibres used in fashion apparel. Polyamide has many applications. It can be used to make soft and stretchy fabrics, which makes it ideal for use in socks and tights.  Polyamide is also combined with other fibre types to increase garment durability, and dyeing is generally easier than for other synthetic fibres.

polyamide

Lyocell is a durable organic material made from cellulose fibres from sources such as eucalyptus trees. It is biodegradable, and this more sustainable than viscose. TENCEL™ Lyocell is the trademark for lyocell produced by Lenzing. Production of TENCEL™ takes place in a closed-loop system where all substances used to process the fibre, including water, are re-used. Made using a responsible process, this particular fibre offers natural comfort with a cool, dry feeling on the wearer's skin.

Lyocell

To help you extend the life of your garments, we've created a product guide with tips and advice on how to care for your clothing.

product care

Linen clothing can shrink or lose its shape if washed incorrectly. That's why you should wash linen garments at no higher than 40 degrees Celsius and use a gentle detergent. Allow the product to air dry. When you iron linen clothing, use three dots on the iron to restore the softness after washing.

Always try freezing or airing to freshen up, but avoid direct sunlight. If you have stains, these can be spot treated. Wash as infrequently as possible to maintain fit and colour. When washing, turn inside out and run on low temperature without fabric softener. Don't forget to empty pockets, zip up zippers, and fasten buttons. Avoid tumble drying, if possible, opt to hang your jeans for air drying.

denim

Always try airing to freshen up and try spot treating if there is a stain. Follow the instructions on the inside of the outer garment and don't forget to empty pockets, fasten buttons, and zip up zippers. Dry cleaning may be required. If needed, and depending on the material, you can also brush your coat. Store on a wide hanger to maintain the shape.   When washing down jackets, turn the jacket inside out and wash at low heat in a washing machine that is not more than half full. Choose a gentle detergent and only use a third of the recommended amount of detergent. Avoid fabric softener as it can damage the down and impair the garment’s functionality. Dry your down jacket in a tumble dryer along with 2-3 tennis balls, which will help to distribute the down evenly and prevent clumping in the jacket.

Jackets and Coats

Always try airing to freshen up If needed, and depending on the material, you can also brush your jacket. Jackets with lining and shoulder pads should generally be dry cleaned. Consider using a steamer instead of an iron. Store on a wide hanger to maintain the shape.

blazers

Use a gentle detergent for your basic tops. Follow the instructions on the inside of the garment opting to air dry with the garments spread out on a drying rack or hanger. Only tumble dry if the washing instructions allow it. Store folded.

basic tops

Turn your shirts inside out and wash with similar colours and materials. Preferably let the garments air dry and only use a tumble dryer if the washing instructions allow it. Store on a hanger.

shirts & blouses

Wash inside out with similar colours on a gentle cycle to maintain colour and appearance. Follow the instructions on the inside of the garment and avoid strong chemicals, bleach, and dye. Let air dry on a flat surface, press gently on the garment without stretching it out. Remove pilling with a razor blade, pill remover or comb. Store folded to avoid stretching.

Knitted Garments

It is important for us to communicate the fibre content to our customers in order to encourage a better choice. We use our own fibre ranking system who is constantly being updated, however based on Made By’s Environmental benchmark for fibres as well as Mistra Future Fashion Fibre Bible. This table can be seen below. In this system fibres classified as 4, 5 and 6 are denoted “more sustainable” in comparison to conventional materials. In the coming years, we aim to steer our work towards increasing the number of 5’s and 6’s, which are currently the most sustainable fiber options. A product is classified as more sustainable when a minimum 50 % of the product includes more sustainable materials.

MORE SUSTAINABLE FIBERS

Denim has always been a large and important part of the Gina Tricot range. However, denim production is one of the most resource-heavy processes. This applies to both the production of the material and the dyeing process. Because of this, we have focused a lot on the sustainability of our denim range, paying attention to the choice of fibres, the water usage and production process itself.
Our denim suppliers Gina Tricot has a total of four denim suppliers: Baykan Denim and Maydenim Tekstil in Turkey, and Shasha Garments and Tusuka Trousers in Bangladesh.
Baykan Denim is Gina Tricot's oldest denim supplier, with whom we have worked since 2008. 60% of their energy is provided by their own solar panels. Baykan Denim runs several projects in different parts of the sustainability field. In 2022, for example, they reviewed their chemical use and managed to reduce it by 60%.
Maydenim Tekstil began producing for Gina Tricot in 2015 and holds an I-REC certificate (a type of energy attribute certificate (EAC)) for all energy consumption at its facilities. This certificate shows that 100% of their energy consumption is from renewable energy. 80% of the waste water in their processes is recycled. Also, they use enzymes in cleaning, instead of using pumice stone, as the enzyme method uses less water.
Shasha Garments has been a supplier for Gina Tricot since 2013 and, with its modern Jeanologia machine, can offer us EIM scores at product level. By using this machine, Shasha Garments reduces its water use in specific processes by 15%.
Tusuka Trousers was added as a supplier for Gina Tricot in October 2021. Tusuka Trousers has its own washing facility in its factory and runs its own sustainable initiatives that include rainwater collection and waste water recycling.
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Improved production of the denim fabric Conventional denim goes through various chemical and physical processes to speed up the natural process of developing an aged look and feel. These processes wear down the fabric's quality while consuming large amounts of water, energy and chemicals.
With the help of the EIM system, which is a global measurement tool founded by Jeanologia, the ecological footprint and occupational health effects of denim production are ranked on a scale. In this way, Gina Tricot and other members of the fashion industry can more easily prioritise improvement efforts in denim production.
40% of all our denim products are today produced with an EIM value lower than 33, which means that their production aims for less use of water, energy and chemicals. Our goal is to increase this figure to 100% by the end of 2025. 
100% of the cotton used in our denim products is either Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) cotton or certified organic cotton A conventional cotton plant requires large amounts of water and often needs artificial irrigation. As well as this, conventional cotton plants are usually sprayed to combat pests and weeds. Cotton is Gina Tricot's most used fibre and it's therefore important for us to be involved and to contribute to a more sustainable cotton production from an ecological, economic and social perspective. That's why we only buy cotton that is recycled, BCI or certified organic.
BCI is a non-profit organisation working to help cotton communities thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. Their educational programme trains farmers to use water more efficiently, to care for the well-being of the soil, and to reduce the use of the most harmful chemicals. Certified organic cotton is grown without chemical pesticides or fertilisers, and has a value chain that is completely transparent. Both of these types of cotton, along with recycled cotton, are included in what we deem 'more sustainable cotton' and at the end of 2020, Gina Tricot reached its goal of using 100% more sustainable cotton in our products. This is a milestone we are very proud of and which we continuously work to maintain. In the coming years, we aim to increase the proportion of recycled and organic cotton in our products. 
Water purification plants and collaboration with WWF The dyeing and washing processes in the production of denim require large amounts of water. If untreated water gets out into nature, the country's groundwater is affected, which in turn affects the availability of fresh water.
An effluent treatment plant (ETP) is a treatment system used to clean wastewater. There are several different ETP systems to use, such as chemical or biological purification systems. Biological wastewater treatment is designed to break down pollutants dissolved in wastewater through the action of microorganisms. We always aim for our suppliers to use a biological purification system as much as possible, due to its smaller footprint on the environment compared with a chemical purification system.
All of Gina Tricot's denim washing facilities have wastewater treatment plants that purify the water used in production either on site in the factory or adjacent to the factory. Here, ongoing checks are carried out, to ensure that the sewage treatment plants are working properly and that the purification function is active, as this enables the reuse of the water and ensures that the outgoing water is clean.
Together with our partner WWF, we strive to reduce any water risks connected to Gina Tricot. All of Gina Tricot's denim suppliers have therefore been evaluated using WWF's Water Risk Filter, which includes an assessment of various water risks in our supply chain linked to water quality, flooding and water shortages.

Our denim

We think it's important that our customers understand and know more about the contents of our products. That's why we label all of our products that contain traceable fibres and certifications. 
 Lenzing™ EcoVero™ viscose This product is made with minimum 50% Lenzing™ EcoVero™ viscose, a more sustainable viscose from Lenzing. EcoVero™ is viscose made from natural raw material wood sources, using an EU Ecolabel responsible production process.
Global Recycled Standard This product is made from GRS-certified polyester. GRS is an international labelling scheme designed to ensure that at least 50 % of the material in a final product is recycled. The standard takes the entire production chain into account – from raw materials to the finished product.
Organic Content Standard 100 This product is made with minimum 95% certified Organic Cotton (OCS). The cotton is grown without use of hazardous pesticides and effective management of water
Organic Content Standard blended This product is made with minimum 50% certified Organic Cotton (OCS Blend). The cotton is grown without use of hazardous pesticides and effective management of water.
European Flax™ European Flax™ ensures traceability and premium quality for flax fiber grown sustainably in Western Europe. It meets consumer expectations and CSR standards, being a vegetable fiber cultivated without irrigation or GMOs. The initiative supports ethical practices, environmental responsibility, and promotes a circular economy in the textile industry. <a href="https://allianceflaxlinenhemp.eu/en/european-flax-certification">Read more</a>
Tencel™ This product is made with minimum 50% TENCEL™ Lyocell, a more sustainable lyocell from Lenzing. TENCEL™ Lyocell is produced from sustainable forests and produced in a closed loop production process with reduced environmental impact.

Traceable fibres and certifications

We want our customers to know what our products contain, as well as the best ways to care for these products. Want to find out more about our Materials Guide, product care, or other tips? You'll find it all here!

product

Want to find out more about our Materials Guide, product care, or other tips? You'll find it all here!