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Fair play on the ball is not enough - Fair Wear Works calls for and promotes sustainable textiles in sport

The Fair Wear Works project promotes ecological and social production conditions for textiles. With workshops, it offers active support for clubs to increase sustainability in the field of sports textiles and textile merchandise. VfL Bochum 1848 is the first club in the Bundesliga to implement Fair Wear Works recommendations.

The topic of sustainability must finally be given top priority in sport. A recent survey by the German Environmental Aid (DUH) in the Bundesliga shows: In many associations, there are major deficits in environmental and climate protection. In particular, there is a considerable need for action on waste prevention and the use of environmentally friendly materials. DUH survey results.

The Global Nature Fund (GNF) and FEMNET go even further and demand more sustainability also in the field of sports textiles and textile merchandise. The range of sustainably produced fan articles and textiles is still expandable in many sports clubs. In order to bring about a positive change here, the GNF and FEMNET offer individual training courses and workshops as part of the Fair Wear Works project, which concretely support the clubs on their way to more sustainability.

"Our workshops are aimed at those responsible in the clubs and cover topics such as the selection of sustainable materials, environmentally friendly production processes and the reduction of the ecological footprint in the merchandise sector", explains Bettina Faust, responsible project manager of the GNF. "We want to help the clubs take on environmental responsibility while raising awareness among their fans of environmentally friendly products."

Textile industry responsible for 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions

With regard to climate change, the production of textiles is particularly problematic. “The climate footprint is enormous. The entire chain – from cultivation and extraction of raw materials, through processing and distribution, to care and finally disposal – consumes vast amounts of energy and water and is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions,” says Bettina Faust. ‘Chemicals, hazardous waste and microfibers end up in the environment, and 85% of household textiles end up in waste.’

Possible solutions are obvious. For example, the organic cultivation of natural fibres, the use of renewable energies in production and recycling can massively reduce the environmental impact.

The team at Fair Wear Works also looks at social aspects in addition to the impact on the environment. It also examines the interrelationships between consumer decisions when purchasing textiles in the Global North and their negative effects on people and the environment in countries of the Global South. Problems such as health-endangering working conditions and exploitation of workers are still particularly prevalent in the textile industry.

Football clubs as an example: Environmental protection and social responsibility

The VfL Bochum 1848 is leading by example. In the DUH survey, the club was already able to score points with a minimum number of domestic flights compared to other federal leagues. The VfL is also at the forefront when it comes to parking: only 3 car parking spaces per 100 spectators promote the journey to the stadium by public transport or unmotorized.

Sportswear and fan articles should also meet social and ecological requirements. That's why GNF and VfL Bochum 1848 are working together as part of Fair Wear Works. "Together, we have worked out which environmental and social risks are relevant in the production of sports textiles and which measures the purchasing team of VfL Bochum 1848 should take in the future to further reduce negative effects in the procurement of merchandise," says Bettina Faust.

“We Bundesliga clubs have an exemplary role to play here. Football is the most popular sport in Germany and enjoys a huge amount of attention. VfL Bochum 1848 now offers many certified products in the fan shop, e.g. from biological substances that were produced under fair conditions", explains Deniz Ziber from VfL Bochum 1848.

Great leverage in purchasing

Professional clubs of the first leagues generate an estimated €200 million through the sale of merchandise. Sporty people spend more than 120€ per year on sportswear in Germany, which is according to Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection €6.4 billion for clothing and €4.6 billion for sports shoes^[i]

The consideration of ecological criteria in purchasing processes also has a positive impact on compliance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which relate to biodiversity, water and climate protection.

“We are convinced that football can be an important platform for sustainability. By supporting clubs, we want to help climate change become a fixture in sport,” says Bettina Faust.

Learn more about Fair Wear Works

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sources

^[i] Sports Economy Facts & Figures 2021, BMWi. https://sportsatellitenkonto.de/