The truth is, we will never reach our ultimate goal. After all, sustainability is a commitment. Just like in sports, there is, and always will be, room for improvement. Having that said, we wouldn't be athletes if we didn't love challenges. We think of sustainability as holistically as possible: from the product range to materials, production, transportation routes and our growth. Even to the point where we no longer want to grow.
The most sustainable athletic swear will always the one that wasn't produced in the first place. That's why we think very carefully about what we produce. To make sure that we are on the right track, we integrated you, our target group, and asked which products you "really" need. The result is "multi-purpose" athletic wear, which is designed for running, working out in the gym, as well as tennis, among others – and in colors that can be effortlessly combined. In addition to this, we have also thought critically over how much to produce. Our initial production quantity is small. Only if you like our sportswear as much as we do, we will produce in larger quantities.
We are athletes and we need to perform - without compromise. At the same time, we have a responsibility to minimize the impact on our natural environment through our choice of materials. Many individuals think of this concept as a tightrope walk where you are always on the move but never actually arrive. We are however proud of where we already stand today: 79% of the materials we use are either sustainably grown organic cotton or recycled functional materials.
Fairness is just an empty phrase if it doesn't extend beyond the sports field. Similar to the athletic world, we give careful consideration over who joins our team. We have known our producers for years. Medium-sized, innovative companies, that share the same values as we do. They don’t only have superior quality and manufacturing standards, but also value fair working conditions and wages.
For our environment, not only what we send to you is important, but also how. That's why we use FSC-certified hangtags, recycled polybags, and shipping boxes made from recycled paper. We also ship exclusively via DHL GoGreen.
We support our 10 athletes and teams in their goals for faster, higher, further. Yet, what is often important within the sports world is sometimes viewed critically within business. The Starting 10 was not founded to generate the greatest possible profit for founders or investors. Instead, we feel bound by our values in everything we do. After all, if you make it your goal to grow endlessly, you rob others of a breeding ground. We donate 10% of our profits each year to individuals and organizations that promote sustainability. If that means we grow more slowly or not at all, that's perfectly fine.
Anyone who claims to be 100% sustainable is lying. Sustainability is a commitment, not a goal. We, too, are not at our destination, but on the way, and are therefore quite open about the stages we have already reached and those we still have to work on.
Even if we give our absolute best within the scope of quality assurance and returns management, we cannot completely prevent goods from being "unfit” for sale. The question is: how we deal with it? Our promise: No product will be shredded because a label is not 100% straight. Additionally, returns that are not fit for resale are not simply thrown away. We collect these goods in the central warehouse and perform a quality check. Every year Mikaelle or her mom Georgette visit their family in Cameroon and will distribute our sportswear in orphanages and schools. You will be able to see for yourself on our website, and other social media channels, that we keep our promises.
