Credit: CFL
The Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL) recently announced the purchase of 3,928 fairtrade-certified polo shirts for its employees in its Trains and Equipment, Passenger Activities and Infrastructure Operations departments.
The budget for this first fairtrade order, which was decided in February 2023, amounts to €55,000. The CFL said the purchase underlined its commitment to sustainable development that guarantees an environmentally friendly production cycle and fair pay for the producers involved.
"By purchasing Fairtrade workwear for our employees, we want to actively contribute to sustainable development," emphasised Marc Wengler, Managing Director of CFL. "We are giving a concrete sign of respect for human rights and the environment by providing our employees with Fairtrade polo shirts."
The new CFL agents' clothing is produced from cotton from the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh from which 24% of the world's organic cotton production originates. Everyone involved in the production chain is Fairtrade certified, noted the CFL.
Maral Overseas, a cotton processing company, produces 300 tonnes of dyed yarn, 700 tonnes of knitted fabric and 500,000 pieces of clothing each month. Purecotz, which exclusively produces organic and sustainable textiles, is the next link before Luxembourg brand Akabo comes in as the direct supplier to CFL. Akabo specialises in the production of 100% organic and fairtrade certified custom clothing.
"Factories like Maral or Purecotz show that it is possible to produce and make profits while respecting human rights and the environment," emphasised Geneviève Krol, Director of the NGO Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg. "By choosing Fairtrade certified textiles, CFL guarantees that strict economic, social and environmental standards are respected throughout the production chain."
