Swedish Stockings

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS 

• Sweden (Köping)
• Italy (Castel Goffredo)
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Africa
• Turkey
• Germany
• Czech Republic
• Israel
• South Korea

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES 

The brand works exclusively with hand-picked factories in northern Italy. Swedish Stockings requires all suppliers to undergo annual SMETA audits, and to map, track, and monitor all sites involved in production across all tiers of the supply chain. This helps to prevent unsafe working conditions, excessive labor hours, discrimination, low pay, and forced labor. They visit their factories at least once per year and ensure compliance with its social sustainability criteria and maintain collaborative relationships.

The Swedish Stockings brand transparently shares the names of their production partners. This information allowed COSH! to learn more about production sites and conditions. For instance, several producers have a SA8000 label and several sustainability labels such as OEKO-Tex 100 and GRS label (Global Recycling Standard).

In 2022, the Swedish brand said they were collaborating with the non-profit organisation ​‘The Perfect World Foundation’ to draw attention to overfishing and pollution problems in oceans.

They state that in 2023 they launched their own production company, however no further details are made available on their website. 

MATERIALS

• Amni Soul Eco® polyamide
• ECONYL® 100% regenerated nylon 
• EVO® plant-based polyamide
• Q‑NOVA® regenerated nylon (polyamide)
• Q‑CYCLE® recycled polyamide
• SENSIL® Ecocare recycled polyamide
• Elastane
• GOTS or OSC Organic Cotton
• RWS and mulesing-free Wool
• Cashmere

The brand states they use over 80% recycled materials in their collections. For tights, they rely on recycled and regenerated polyamides like Econyl®, Q‑Nova®, Q‑Cycle®, and Sensil® EcoCare. These materials are sourced from pre- and post-consumer waste such as fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial plastic waste.

They also incorporate EVO®, a bio-based polyamide made from castor bean oil residues, and Amni Soul Eco®, a biodegradable polyamide that breaks down in landfill conditions.

Since stretch and durability are essential for hosiery, all yarns are blended with elastane. Swedish Stockings aims to use Roica™ EF, a more responsible elastane made from 58% pre-consumer recycled content. However, due to limited availability of recycled elastane, they sometimes use virgin Creora® elastane produced by Hyosung in South Korea and for their Softwear Collection virgin elastane made in Italy.

In some of their socks collections, the brand incorporates natural materials like organic cotton, RWS-certified wool, and occasionally cashmere. To use more sustainable options, the brand chooses organic cotton and RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certified wool. A small percentage of the collection also contains cashmere, sourced from China.

PACKAGING 

All packaging is made from FSC-certified cardboard. While the hosiery is still wrapped in plastic for protection, Swedish Stockings continues to seek better alternatives. The brand does not specify packaging details for e‑commerce or supply chain logistics

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS 

Swedish Stockings outlines clear expectations for chemical handling and water management throughout its supply chain. According to the brand’s Code of Conduct, all business partners must comply with applicable laws and regulations on chemical use, disposal, and storage. This includes holding valid permits and following the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) of every chemical used.

To minimize water consumption, Swedish Stockings collaborates with production facilities that use more water-efficient dyeing processes. The dyeing of tights takes place after knitting and before sewing and shaping. The brand states that the wastewater from these processes is cleaned and treated to prevent environmental harm before it is released or reused.

All products are dyed using OEKO-TEX® certified processes, which means the chemical use is restricted and monitored for safety, and the finished products are safe for skin contact. Through these combined measures, Swedish Stockings aims to limit water waste and ensure more responsible chemical management across its supply chain.

The use of synthetic materials such as polyamide and elastane also carries the risk of microplastics being released when washing the clothes. Learn more about the impacts of plastic from clothing production here. 

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

Although tights are typically hard to recycle due to their blended synthetic content, Swedish Stockings is developing more circular product strategies. They design products to last longer through improved durability, reinforced toes and heels, and premium yarns. In 2023, they introduced a ​“Tights To Tables” initiative that recycles collected tights into furniture through a process of shredding, molding, and pressing the material into new objects. 

Swedish Stockings acknowledges that most tights are made with material blends, specifically polyamide (nylon) and elastane, which are both synthetic materials. These blends are necessary to achieve the elasticity, durability, and fit required for hosiery. While they do not mix plant-based and synthetic materials in a single product, they also state that blended synthetic fibers like polyamide and elastane are currently not recyclable through standard textile recycling systems. 

This means while their products are made from synthetic blends (not mixed with plant-based fibers), they are still not mono-material, which limits recyclability. However, the brand is transparent about this challenge and is actively exploring innovations that could allow for more circular design in the future.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS 

Swedish Stockings Recycling Club initiative encourages customers to send in any brand of old, used tights in exchange for a discount on a new pair. These returned products are not re-used as clothing due to the fiber blends, but instead are repurposed in collaboration with designers and researchers, transforming used tights into tables and stools.

In 2023, 6,384 pairs of tights were collected through the Recycling Club. This initiative is currently available to EU customers only, with shipping costs covered by the customer. 

The brand does not currently offer a repair service. 

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN 

• Production locations: Sweden (Köping), Italy (Castel Goffredo), China, India, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, Germany, Czech Republic, Israel, South Korea
• Swedish Stockings HQ is located in Stockholm, Sweden.
• They sell their products internationally through their online shop, with a physical presence in retail stores in Denmark, Finland, France, Japan, Sweden, UK, USA.

On their website, Swedish Stockings shares a lot of information about their supply chain. This allowed COSH! to verify that all socks and tights are knitted and sewn within Europe, mainly in Italy. Much of the materials also come from their Italian supplier, although it is not always clear whether the production process itself takes place in Italy. 

Some materials travel a longer distance to get to Europe. The cashmere, for instance, comes from China and the sheep’s wool is sourced in South Africa. The brand also works with select producers from Japan, Israel, South Korea, Germany, Turkey, China, Czech Republic and India.

TRANSPORTATION 

Finished products are shipped to the brand’s warehouse in Köping, Sweden, then distributed globally. Transportation methods for e‑commerce are not disclosed.

Most of the collection contains no animal-derived materials and is therefore vegan. 

Only a small percentage of the products contain sheep’s wool and cashmere. Swedish Stockings mentions where the wool comes from, namely China and South Africa. While the responsibility is set to the supplier, the brand has its own code of conduct outlining minimum requirements for acquiring material from regions where animal welfare is respected and sourcing does not result in deforestation.

PRODUCT DESIGN 

The collections include tights, socks, knee-highs, leggings, and shapewear, with robust design features for durability. Swedish Stockings offers a relatively limited size range, with most hosiery products available in four sizes: XS, S, M, and L. Some styles extend to XL, but this is not consistent across the full collection.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES 

Swedish Stockings features a steady core collection, periodically refreshed aiming to limit seasonal overproduction. While they offer periodic promotions, they do not rely on flash sales. 

Tights are often very prone to tears and wear, and are therefore often seen as a disposable product. That is why Swedish Stockings not only researches the recycling potential of their tights, but also researches the development of tear-resistant materials. On the website, tips and washing instructions are provided as general texts to guide longevity processes. Despite all this, the lifespan of tights remains short, especially for more sensitive items, such as the transparent and lace tights, which can only be worn a few times.

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT 

By focusing firmly on transparency, Swedish Stockings demonstrates their commitment and ambition when it comes to sustainability. The brand aims to make all products fully traceable in their 2023 Sustainability Report. 

The product pages show material composition, country and factory of origin, longevity features, and care tips. To supplement this, they also provide size charts that include height and weight guidance to help customers choose the right fit. However, inclusive sizing (such as plus sizes beyond XL or petite options) is not widely available. 

On some product pages, a full ​‘product footprint’ report is visible.

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES 

The brand typically publishes an annual sustainability report with the most recent release in 2023, sharing details on their supply chain, materials and recycling projects. In general texts on their website they provide information on the factories they use, material breakdown and their Supplier Code of Conduct.