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Sustainability at Gusti Leder

We don't just create fashion, we make a difference!

Sustainability plays a central role in our company. We want to actively contribute to environmental protection and use various measures to achieve this. As a slow fashion brand, we promote sustainable consumption through the responsible use of resources. From reducing our packaging to using chrome-free leather – we are continuously working to reduce our ecological footprint and protect the environment.

How can we be more sustainable?

Our Managing Director, Christian Pietsch, is convinced that sustainability should be embedded throughout the company. He sees sustainable action as a holistic process in which measures in one area can also have a positive impact on others. Therefore, we encourage all team leaders and employees to actively consider how they can act more sustainably in their daily work.

Below we present some of our sustainable measures with which we contribute to environmental protection.

repair

We offer a repair service for damaged items. Our customer service is the central point of contact for repair requests and takes care of all the details. Minor repairs can be carried out in our Gusti stores in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.

Reuse and recycling

If a Gusti product can no longer be repaired, there's the option of recycling it. Upcycling allows you to create new, useful products from old leather. Examples include key chains, small bags, lighter covers, desk organizers, placemats, and bookmarks.

Chrome-free leather

Another step towards sustainability

We're working with new leather producers who will produce sustainable leather. The tannery will supply us with chrome-free leather, which means our production facilities have cleaner wastewater, contribute less to environmental pollution, and our products are more biodegradable.

We will source the most sustainable leather from these tanneries. Chrome-free leather is durable and does not compromise the leather's performance. All our products are manufactured with the environment in mind.

Reduced water consumption

Our Gusti Leder nature products are tanned using purely vegetable tanning agents. No chemicals enter the water. Nevertheless, the tanning process can require large amounts of water – according to international standards, sustainable tanning processes consume between 60 and 200 liters of water, which is equivalent to the capacity of a bathtub.

  • Chrome tanning according to international standards

    Our Gusti Leder studio products are produced by manufacturers who are required to comply with international production standards such as SA 8000. All leather types are regularly tested for chromium VI residues in independent laboratories. These tests are carried out both in India and by TÜV SÜD. On our product pages, we identify tested products with the TÜV logo.

  • Packaging

    At our distribution warehouse in Rosówek, Poland, we focus on sustainable packaging solutions. Our packages are precisely tailored to the size of the products to avoid material waste. The boxes in which the items arrive are reused. Our products are not double-packaged, thus avoiding additional waste. By reducing packaging sizes, we have also been able to reduce the number of transport vehicles. Whereas previously three trucks were needed to pick up the packages from the warehouse, now a single vehicle is sufficient. This contributes to reducing our CO₂ emissions.

  • Solar systems in Rostock and Rosówek

    In the summer of 2019, a solar power system was installed on the roof of our Rostock office. The energy generated there supplies our office with electricity, making us energy self-sufficient. The system produces around 27,000 kWh annually—more than our office building needs. The surplus electricity is fed into the Rostock municipal utility grid. A solar power system was also installed on the roof of our warehouse in Rosówek to make our energy supply more sustainable.

    Additionally, our websites are powered by hosting partners who use green electricity, enabling an environmentally friendly shopping experience.

E-charging station

In September 2022, a dedicated e-charging station was installed next to our office in Rostock. This can be used by all e-vehicle owners, not just our employees.

We promote sustainability through various strategies, including a slow-fashion approach for bags and accessories, providing a repair service, and taking targeted measures to reduce consumption and waste within our company. In doing so, we actively contribute to protecting natural resources and creating a healthy, green environment for future generations.