CALIDA

CALIDA’s collection is meticulously developed at its headquarters in Sursee, Switzerland, and produced in their own factories in Hungary and Romania. By maintaining production within Europe, CALIDA ensures adherence to the highest standards of quality, workplace ethics, and environmental responsibility. 79% of the materials used are sourced from Switzerland, Austria, and other European countries, supporting local suppliers and reducing the environmental impact of transportation.

The brand’s commitment to quality and sustainability is supported by a dedicated quality management team of 50 people. CALIDA boasts long-term partnerships, such as their 70-year collaboration with E. Schellenberg Textildruck AG in Fehraltdorf, Zurich, emphasizing stable and ethical business relationships.

Operating within the EU, CALIDA benefits from stringent European regulations that ensure safe and fair working conditions, reinforcing their commitment to ethical practices across every aspect of production. This proximity to headquarters allows for regular visits to production sites, ensuring that high standards are consistently met.

CALIDA utilizes a range of sustainable materials, including Tencel Lyocell, Modal, cotton, wool, SeaCell, and ECONYL, focusing on innovative and responsible materials. The brand champions innovative recycling with materials like ECONYL and embraces SeaCell for its environmentally friendly harvesting and beneficial properties. However, they do also use conventional materials such as lyocell, elastane, viscose, etc, but are trying to increase use of responsible materials more. 

Significant efforts in sustainability are evident through CALIDA’s certifications, including Cradle to Cradle, OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN, STANDARD 100, and STeP, ensuring products are made under environmentally responsible conditions and free from harmful substances. They also reduce water usage significantly in their Zurich-based dyeing process and use recycled PET for sleepwear packaging, which we hope to see transferred to their other facilities and packaging as well, respectively. 

CALIDA emphasizes circularity in its production processes, confirmed by its Cradle to Cradle Certified standard, which ensures that products are optimized for the biological cycle and free from toxic materials. This certification highlights their commitment to sustainability and safe production practices.

The brand extensively utilizes materials that embody circular principles, like ECONYL made from recycled fishing nets, contributing significantly to waste reduction and resource efficiency. CALIDA also incorporates a substantial number of monomaterial items, enhancing the recyclability of their products, although the exact percentage of these items is not specified.

By focusing on materials that support circular economy and achieving high standards of sustainability certification, CALIDA strengthens its environmental credentials and aligns with modern sustainable practices.

CALIDA is headquartered in Switzerland, with its production facilities located in Hungary and Romania. The brand sources 79% of its materials from European countries, ensuring a predominantly local supply chain which helps in reducing transport emissions. Notably, more than 60% of their raw materials are supplied by their supplier based in Zurich.

Despite the local European sourcing for the majority of materials, CALIDA also sources Merino wool from South Africa. The specific transportation methods for moving materials and products are not detailed, which leaves some uncertainty about the total emissions footprint of the brand’s logistics operations. Further information on transport logistics would be beneficial to fully assess the environmental impact of their supply chain.

CALIDA sources its wool primarily from Merino sheep in South Africa, ensuring that the wool comes from controlled, species-appropriate, and mulesing-free farming practices. This commitment reflects the brand’s adherence to ethical animal welfare standards, emphasizing humane treatment and sustainable sourcing methods.

CALIDA, with its deep-rooted Swiss heritage, is renowned for creating high-quality, timeless garments that span generations. The brand’s focus on ​“revolutionary classics” such as their pyjamas and bodywear underscores a commitment to maintaining exceptional quality and comfort over time. They continuously innovate to set new standards in sustainability, evident in their pioneering introduction of the OEKO-TEX Made in Green label.

In terms of garment construction, the seamstresses at CALIDA take an average of 28 minutes to finish a bra, reflecting a balanced approach to craftsmanship that ensures quality without compromising efficiency. The materials used are chosen for their superior fibre lengths (25 to 50 mm), enhancing the smoothness, suppleness, durability, and ease of maintenance of the products.

CALIDA also prioritizes product and consumer safety by rigorously checking for harmful substances. They provide detailed care instructions to extend the longevity of each item. This approach to production and care helps maintain the brand’s commitment to quality and consumer trust.

CALIDA excels in transparency, actively providing clear and accessible information about their operations and sustainability efforts. They are open about the volume of materials used, the production timelines, and the locations of their manufacturing processes. Importantly, CALIDA also shares names of their suppliers, a practice not commonly disclosed in the fashion industry, which significantly enhances their transparency credibility.

The brand’s commitment to openness is further demonstrated through employee testimonials and images of their factories, allowing consumers to see the working conditions firsthand. Their website offers an intuitive user experience, where customers can easily navigate and filter products by material, aiding in informed purchasing decisions.

Additionally, CALIDA has made all relevant certifications readily available on their website, ensuring easy verification of their claims. COSH! Would love to take it a step further with the brand, and get clarity on a few more topics such as packaging, and transportation.