Dockers

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS

• Bangladesh
• China
• Cambodia
• Pakistan

Dockers does not provide any specific information on production countries. The country of origin is also not consistently shown on the individual product pages, so it cannot be ruled out that significantly more countries are represented in the supply chain than is apparent.

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES

Dockers – as a brand under the umbrella of Levi Strauss & Co. – does not provide any specific information on the production countries or the social and labour standards there. 

There is also no indication of whether the brand works with permanent or changing suppliers, whether there are regular on-site visits or to what extent fairer wages or safe working conditions are guaranteed. It also remains unclear whether Dockers utilises certain certifications in the social area or whether external audits are carried out.

MATERIALS

• Polyester 
• Wool 
• Acrylic
• Cotton
• Repreve®
• Recycled polyester
• Recycled nylon
• Recycled cotton
• Recycled linen
• Recycled cashmere
• TENCEL™ Lyocell
• LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose
• Cottonised Hemp 
• Cotton Hemp (SEFF)
• SUPIMA® Cotton
• COOLMAX® EcoMade
• THERMOLITE® 
• EcoMade 
• TruTemp365® 

Dockers uses a wide range of materials, including classic fibres such as cotton, polyester and viscose, as well as increasingly recycled and alternative versions of these. 

A key component is the use of recycled fibres, including Repreve®, a branded polyester made from post-consumer PET bottles. Repreve® is used specifically for functional clothing, as it has a moisture-wicking, temperature-regulating and water-repellent effect. Other recycled fibres are also used, such as recycled polyester, nylon, cotton, linen and cashmere. The term ​‘recycled’ refers to post-consumer or industrial waste materials, but it remains unclear how high the recycled content is in the respective product and whether this is backed up by certificates such as GRS (Global Recycled Standard) – no corresponding proof is provided.

Dockers also uses organically grown cotton which, according to its own declaration, is produced without synthetic pesticides or genetically modified seeds. Here too, it remains unclear whether certification according to GOTS, OCS or comparable standards is available.

Functional fibres such as COOLMAX® EcoMade, THERMOLITE® EcoMade and TruTemp365® with REPREVE® complete the range and are partly made from recycled plastics. They improve moisture transport, thermoregulation and the elasticity of garments, which can be beneficial in terms of durability.

PACKAGING

Dockers does not disclose its packaging materials.

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS

Dockers particularly emphasises the company’s proprietary Water<Less® process, which is designed to significantly reduce water consumption when finishing textiles – for example during washing, dyeing or drying. According to the company, this technology has already saved 3 billion litres of water and recycled 2 billion litres of water. However, more detailed information on the methodology or on the products or locations concerned is not available. There is also a lack of verifiable certification or transparent reporting within the framework of recognised standards such as water footprint certificates (e.g. AWS standard).

No specific information is available on the use of chemicals, for example in the dyeing or finishing of textiles. 

There is a lack of detailed information on dyeing, printing and bleaching processes. Although terms such as ​‘garment dye’ or ​‘colour load’ are mentioned as innovations for uniform and durable colouring, no details are given as to which dyes are used, whether they are ecologically compatible or certified, or how the processes affect the environment and health.

Several products contain synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon or elastane – sometimes in recycled form, for example via REPREVE® or COOLMAX® EcoMade. These synthetic fibres are potential sources of microplastic emissions, particularly during washing. However, Dockers does not provide any information on the release of microplastics.

Ecological certifications – such as Bluesign®, Oeko-Tex®, GOTS or GRS – are also not mentioned in the published materials. Although terms such as ​‘organic cotton’ or ​‘more environmentally friendly viscose’ can be found, verifiability remains limited without clear reference to certificates or audit reports.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

Many products are made from material blends, such as cotton with elastane or recycled polyester with functional fibres such as Repreve® or COOLMAX® EcoMade. Although such blends improve stretchability, functionality and durability, they make it difficult to recycle them by type as they cannot be easily separated – especially when natural and synthetic fibres are combined.

The brand uses recycled or upcycled materials in some lines, such as recycled polyester, nylon, cotton, cashmere or linen. Although this can help to keep existing resources in circulation, such products – depending on the mix – can be more difficult to recycle at the end of their life.

There is no mention of a take-back system for used clothing. 

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL

Dockers does not offer a repair service. There is no mention of a take-back system for used or worn-out Dockers clothing. Other circular business models such as rental, second-hand sales or resale via its own platforms or third-party providers are also not currently part of Dockers’ brand strategy. 

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Dockers does not state any specific production countries in the publicly available materials. On individual product pages, the country of origin may appear occasionally, but not uniformly or completely, which is why it cannot be ruled out that other countries are involved in production.

• Bangladesh
• Pakistan
• China
• Cambodia
• Dockers is a brand of Levi Strauss & Co., headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA.
• Dockers operates internationally and sells its products in a variety of countries, including: USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan.

TRANSPORTATION 

• Dockers does not provide any specific information on transport within the supply chain. Due to the international positioning of the parent company Levi Strauss & Co., it can be assumed that materials and finished products are transported over long distances. 
• Dockers also does not provide any details on shipping logistics in the online retail sector. 

• Merino wool
• Cashmere (recycled)

The merino wool is described as machine washable, but there is no information on its origin, how the animals are reared or whether it is mulesing-free wool. It also remains unclear whether the wool is certified according to a recognised standard.

The recycled cashmere used in some items is also not specified in more detail. It is not known whether this comes from post-consumer goods, production waste or certified recycling systems. Here too, there is no evidence of traceability or ecological or social standards.

Dockers has not published its own code of conduct for handling animal materials. There is no publicly accessible position on the obligation to comply with animal welfare standards along the supply chain. No certifications are documented either.

PRODUCT DESIGN

The range mainly comprises chinos, trousers, shirts, polo shirts, jackets and functional basics for everyday wear and business casual. 

The style of the collections is strongly orientated towards a classic, functional and discreet look, often in the areas of business casual, smart workwear or modern everyday wear.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES 

Dockers follows the classic model of multiple collections per year, regularly releasing seasonal goods for spring/​summer and autumn/​winter as well as additional interim collections or special editions. 

The brand regularly participates in sales periods, both via its own webshop and via platforms or department stores’ chains. 

Dockers does not offer made-to-measure or made-to-order services. The products are pre-produced on an industrial scale and distributed via warehouses or retailers. 

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT

Dockers provides basic information on the product pages, including the material composition and care instructions. The country of origin is not mentioned on every product page, which makes full traceability difficult for consumers. Information on the exact suppliers, factories or certificates is also missing. There is no systematic transparency platform.

Additional sustainability features such as processing technologies or fibre brands used are mentioned occasionally, but are not listed uniformly per product.

It is not possible to trace individual purchases back to the specific production site, as Dockers does not provide any series or batch-specific information. 

TRANSPARENCY OF THE PROCESS

Dockers offers only limited insight into its production processes and supply chains. The publicly available information focuses on materials, technological features and isolated statements on the use of recycled fibres. There is no specific information on suppliers, production conditions or audit-related standards. It is not disclosed which suppliers are involved, how many partner companies the brand has, or which social or ecological audit procedures are used.

The information that is provided is mostly found on general brand pages or product overview pages. Although there are isolated references to countries of origin or material content for some items, there is no systematic product tracking (e.g. via QR code or digital product passport). The traceability of individual products back to the production site or the respective supplier is not guaranteed.

Dockers has not published an annual sustainability report that provides insights into the company’s social and environmental performance.