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09 January 2025 Sustainability in the focus of the Turnfest 2025

Joint press release from Global Nature Fund and FEMNET

The International German Gymnastics Festival 2025 is teaming up with Global Nature Fund as part of the ‘Fair Wear Works’ project. The goal of this partnership is to give clubs practical info and help on how to buy sportswear responsibly. During the gymnastics festival, there will be lots of info and workshops on sustainable sportswear, and volunteers will get GOTS-certified gym bags.

Leipzig/Bonn, 9 January 2025: The International German Gymnastics Festival 2025 is sending a strong message about sustainability and is teaming up with the Global Nature Fund (GNF) as part of the ‘Fair Wear Works’ project. The aim of the collaboration is to provide clubs with practical information and assistance for the responsible purchasing of sports textiles.

‘We want to empower the purchasing managers of the clubs as part of a global movement for greater sustainability,’ explains Bettina Faust, project manager at Fair Wear Works. ‘Our project raises awareness of the importance of sustainable supply chains and highlights concrete opportunities for action.’

Fairness campaign at the Leipzig Gymnastics Festival 2025

‘The cooperation with the Global Nature Fund contributes directly to planned measures from our sustainability programme and underlines that sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in sport,’ emphasises Kati Brenner, OC Managing Director of the 2025 Gymnastics Festival.

A central component of the campaign is the ‘Sustainability’ ideas competition, which will start in spring 2025. Sports clubs are invited to submit innovative projects for greater social and ecological commitment. During the gymnastics festival, the campaign will offer numerous information and education formats as well as tailor-made workshops for clubs on sustainable textile purchasing. A special highlight: around 4,000 volunteers will be equipped with gym bags produced in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

With these measures, the campaign will reach around 100,000 club representatives and athletes as well as up to 750,000 visitors, raising awareness of the importance of sustainability in sport.

Background: Why sustainable sportswear is important

In Germany alone, around 11 billion euros were spent on sportswear and shoes in 2020 (source: BMWi, 2021). However, production is often associated with massive social and environmental problems: low wages, forced overtime and poor working conditions characterise the textile industry, while high water consumption and chemical use cause enormous environmental damage. In addition, the textile industry contributes 8% to global CO₂ emissions.

Popular sports, which embody fair play as a fundamental principle, have a social responsibility here. With sustainable purchasing solutions, clubs can not only set an example for human rights and resource conservation, but also strengthen society's awareness of sustainable development.

Fair Wear Works: Promoting sustainability in sport

In the Fair Wear Works project, Global Nature Fund and FEMNET e.V. have been working together since 2020 to promote socially fair and environmentally friendly supply chains in textile purchasing. Drawing on their respective expertise, the partners advise sports clubs, companies in the health sector and universities. As part of the project, we want to address questions and needs and approach sports managers with solutions for making their future textile purchasing in the area of sportswear and merchandise sustainable.

Fair Wear Works is funded by ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL gGmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Postcode Lottery and Fairtrade Germany. Thanks to this funding, a fairness campaign will be implemented as part of the project at the International German Gymnastics Festival 2025.

Gymnastics Festival 2025: Leipzig in the spirit of sport

The International German Gymnastics Festival 2025 will take place in Leipzig from 28 May to 1 June. With up to 750,000 visitors, 80,000 participants, 200 sports competitions – including German championships and world championships – and over 400 workshops, the Gymnastics Festival is one of the largest sporting events in Europe.

The high proportion of young participants (over 40% under the age of 27) and the integration of sustainability make the 2025 Gymnastics Festival a groundbreaking event.

About the Fair Wear Works project partners

The Global Nature Fund is an international foundation for environmental protection and nature conservation. With projects such as Fair Wear Works, the GNF is committed to promoting sustainable economic practices and fair working conditions. 

www.globalnature.org/fair-wear-works/

FEMNET e.V. is a women's rights organisation that has been working for over 15 years to improve working conditions in the global clothing industry through political engagement, education and counselling, and projects abroad.

www.femnet.de/fairwearworks

 

 

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