Responsible use of materials and production is part of our philosophy. We want to actively contribute by promoting transparent supply chains and ensuring fair working conditions. Our managing director Christian Pietsch sees responsible action as a holistic process: progress in one area can have a positive influence on others. That's why we encourage our team to reflect regularly in their everyday work and to identify potential for improvement.
Our measures
Here you will find some of our measures with which we make a clear contribution in production and beyond:
- We work closely with our manufacturers and regularly check that safe working conditions are maintained and child labor is excluded.
- Our leather is tested externally: TÜV tests on chrome VI and LWG certifications of tanneries with defined standards for water, energy and chemical use ensure traceable quality.
- We use leather as Byproduct of the meat industry and give this material a new, meaningful use.
Repair
We offer a repair service for damaged items. Our customer service is the central contact for repair inquiries and takes care of all the details. Smaller 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 is the option to recycle it. Through upcycling, new, useful products can be made from old leather. This creates, for example, keychains, small bags, lighter cases, desk organisers, placemats, or bookmarks.
Chrome-free leather
We source leather from tanneries that produce chromium-free leather. This ensures cleaner wastewater and helps reduce the environmental impact.
Chromium-free leather is durable and does not compromise the quality or performance of our products. This way, we ensure that our products are made under responsible conditions.
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Chrome tanning according to international standards
Our Gusti Leder studio products are produced by manufacturers who must comply with international production standards such as SA 8000. All types of leather 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 mark tested products with the TÜV logo.
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Packaging
In our shipping 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, which avoids additional waste. By reducing the packaging sizes, we have also been able to reduce the number of transport vehicles. While three trucks were previously ben to pick up the packages from the warehouse, today a single vehicle is sufficient. This helps reduce our CO₂ emissions.
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Solar systems in Rostock and Rosówek
In the summer of 2019, our own solar system was installed on the roof of our Rostock office. The energy generated there supplies our office with electricity and makes us energy self-sufficient. The system produces around 27,000 kWh annually – more than our office building ben. The excess electricity is fed into the Rostock municipal utility grid. A solar system was also installed on the roof of our warehouse in Rosówek to make the energy supply more sustainable.
Additionally, our websites are operated by hosting partners who use green electricity. This allows us to provide an environmentally friendly shopping experience.
E-charging station
In September 2022, our own e-charging station was installed in addition to our office in Rostock. This can be used by all e-vehicle owners, not only by our employees.
Ticket by email
We decided to send tickets by email to reduce our ecological footprint. By replacing paper tickets through digital versions, we save resources and minimize our influence on the environment. A simple and effective measure for a more sustainable future.
We focus on sustainability by pursuing various strategies. These include a slow fashion approach for bags and accessories, the provision of a repair service, and targeted measures to reduce consumption and waste within our company. In this way, we actively contribute to the protection of natural resources and create a healthy, green environment for future generations.
