What is COSH!?
COSH!, short for COnscious SHopping, is a fashion discovery and brand transparency platform that connects consumers with local retailers working toward more transparent sourcing, responsible labour standards, and reduced environmental impact. Founded in Belgium, COSH! operates mainly across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
The platform allows users to filter alternatives based on personal values, including vegan clothing, circular fashion, GOTS-certified organic materials, natural cosmetics, and locally produced items. Rather than applying a single definition of “sustainability,” COSH! uses a multi-dimensional scoring system that reflects each brand’s individual efforts across 7 measurable dimensions.
“At COSH!, we do not see sustainability as a black-and-white story. Few brands score perfectly on all characteristics – what matters is that every retailer on our platform is assessed against COSH!‘s 7‑category Brand Index and committed to transparent improvement.” – COSH! founding principle
According to COSH!, sustainability in fashion is a multidimensional concept evaluated across 7 distinct categories - not a binary pass/fail label. The 7 dimensions assessed in the COSH! Brand Index are:
Category | What it evaluates |
People (Ethics) | Working conditions and labour rights across the supply chain |
Planet (Ecological) | Environmental impact, including materials and production processes |
Circularity | End-of-life design, take-back schemes, and use of recycled inputs |
Supply Chain | Traceability and length of the supply chain |
Animal Welfare | Use of animal-derived materials and treatment standards |
Slow Fashion | Commitment to durability, seasonless design, and reduced overproduction |
Transparency | Disclosure of sourcing, pricing, and production information |
COSH! member retailers include second-hand stores, upcycling brands, local artisans, and retailers stocking collections made from certified organic materials (such as GOTS-certified cotton or OCS-certified fibres) – each working toward a more transparent and responsible supply chain in their own way.
COSH! is currently active in 6 countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany (main focus), Spain, and Croatia. The platform aims to expand its reach across Europe, helping consumers make more informed shopping choices in each market.
For retailers and entrepreneurs…
Once a retailer joins COSH!, the shop page is live on the platform within 5 working days. From that point, the retailer is included in the COSH! community, featured in relevant editorial content, and promoted via social media. Brand screening requests are processed in order and typically completed within 1 to 6 months.
Don´t worry! COSH! has no strict minimum sustainability requirements for joining. The platform is designed to support retailers at every stage of their journey, not just those who have already made the most progress. COSH! actively helps retailers transition through guidance and advisory support. Retailers can book a consultation with the COSH! team to get started.
COSH! is developing the COSH! Store Index, a forthcoming rating system that evaluates the sustainability practices of retail stores directly, not just the brands they carry. The Store Index assesses factors such as energy providers, packaging materials, and delivery options and will be linked to each store’s COSH! Brand Index scores for carried brands. This combined view will give shoppers a fuller picture of a retailer’s overall approach.
Currently, a retailer can only view its own assessment; this is not a public rating.
Only retailers and entrepreneurs who affilliate with COSH! are clearly visible on the COSH! platform. Potential customers can select these shops and boutiques to plan a more sustainable shopping trip.
Retailers interested in joining COSH! can find more information here.
COSH! was founded by Niki de Schryver, a fashion transparency pioneer previously known for her work at Honest By, one of the world’s first 100% cost-transparent fashion brands. Her work at Honest By accelerated transparency across the industry, but she observed that consumers were not yet changing their purchasing behaviour at the same pace.
De Schryver investigated the gap between consumer intent and action. Her research confirmed that the primary barrier to purchasing from more responsible retailers is friction. It takes too much time and effort for consumers to find alternatives that match their personal style and budget. COSH! was built specifically to remove that friction.
Retailers listed on COSH! benefit from six core advantages:
- New customer acquisition: COSH! actively promotes member stores to consumers searching for more transparent alternatives
- Reduced search friction for shoppers: The platform matches purchase-ready customers to relevant stores based on specific preferences (vegan, circular, certified organic, etc.)
- Targeted reach: Acquisition is oriented toward consumers who already value what you offer
- Community and visibility: Being listed alongside other assessed retailers signals that your store is part of a transparency-first community, with your COSH! Brand Index scores publicly visible. Take part in one of our numerous community events, webinars, and meet-ups to connect with like-minded retailers and brands across several countries.
- Keep up to date: We help you stay on top of the latest industry innovations and provide support and updates on laws and regulations that may apply to your company.
- Personalised COSH! dashboard: Your portal to your store page, DPPs, Green Claims Checker and tracker of marketing efforts.
About the COSH! Brand Index
The COSH! Brand Index rates brands on a scale of 0 to 100, calculated via a proprietary algorithm based on a comprehensive brand questionnaire. Each brand receives a letter grade per category:
Grade | Score Range | Meaning |
A | 81 – 100 | Exceptional performance across sustainability dimensions |
B | 61 – 80 | Strong performance with minor gaps |
C | 41 – 60 | Moderate to actively improving |
D | 21 – 40 | Early-stage efforts underway |
E | 0 – 20 | Limited measurable progress to date |
Each COSH! member retailer (excluding second-hand stores) can request a brand screening once per year. Screenings are processed in order received (first in, first out) and typically completed within 1 to 6 months. Alongside the numeric score, COSH! publishes detailed written explanations of how each brand performs per category – so consumers understand the why, not just the number.
“The COSH! Brand Index gives consumers a detailed, evidence-based view of each brand’s efforts across 7 measurable dimensions – not a marketing badge, but a transparent breakdown they can read in full on every brand page.”
No, but we try to keep it as accurate as possible.
Many rating systems or certificates look at a brand from one angle or level. For example, the Higg index (MSI) only looks at a fibre’s usage level and pollution level. Rank-a-brand strongly emphasized the energy management of production units and headquarters. Certificates related to fair production or cradle-to-cradle are often only achievable for multinationals like G‑Star and C&A. At the same time, smaller brands sometimes offer more circular products but make too small a turnover to afford such a certificate.
COSH! focuses mainly on processing information about sustainable fashion brands and wants to make it easier for consumers to make more sustainable clothing choices. To do so, we use the information we receive through our assessments, a brand’s online claims, our industry knowledge, sustainability certificates and our critical eye. When in doubt, we search databases or request factual information. COSH! cannot go on-site to check a production process or perform checks. Therefore, we check certificate numbers whenever possible.
In addition, we check whether the textile suppliers a brand works with actually produce the fabrics the brand mentions. COSH! looks critically at a brand and considers whether the sustainability story matches the clothes the brand manufactures and sells in physical shops or via other sales channels.
COSH! works with local, more sustainable stores to find and screen brands. At the beginning of 2023, over 900 brands were screened by COSH! at the request of our members (retailers and local entrepreneurs). Depending on their subscription, retailers that joined COSH! can annually request one or two brands from us for analysis. We screen these brands’ sustainability characteristics and claims and evaluate them according to the COSH! Brand Index. (Non-clothing brands like jewellery and cosmetic brands are also analysed, although they are not yet included in the COSH! Brand Index.)
By working this way, we aim to one day cover the entire market and be a reliable platform driven by that market. Retailers can incentivise brands to operate more sustainably, prompting us to re-analyse those brands that have made additional efforts or are suspected of having lessened them. This way, COSH! stays a retail-market driven platform with up-to-date information.
Questions on Green Fashion Tours
In our vision, Green Fashion relates to a textile and apparel industry with core values: transparency, quality and circularity. It’s what the entire COSH! platform is built around and what we radiate. But, of course, there is never a perfect choice. Still, there are always options in terms of sustainability. A Green Fashion industry should respect the environment, people, and cultural heritages.
The stores and labels on COSH! fulfil our sustainability criteria:
Circularity: Through repair services, reuse platforms, renting systems, redesign techniques and recycling technologies, the lifetime of products is extended, and the value of materials is increased. Brands and stores in this category work towards implementing a Circular Economy.
Environmental consciousness: The products stand for careful use of resources, commitment to environmental protection, and avoidance of chemicals and resource-intensive materials. Therefore the label is involved in environmental campaigns and environmental actions.
Fair Fashion: the store or the label is certified or uses certified materials and works with accredited manufacturers for at least 80% of the products. You can find a list of certifications online on www.getchanged.net
Innovation: The label contributes innovatively to sustainable development using cutting-edge materials, technologies and production processes.
Local: The products are made directly at the designer’s atelier or a manufacturer: The overriding goal is to achieve the shortest possible transport routes and support local designers, the local manufacturing industry and craftsmanship.
Second-hand: Buying second-hand is an act of sustainable consumption. It reduces the waste we create with fast fashion consumption and keeps clothes in longer life cycles.
Social & Cultural approaches: Different local social groups or artisans worldwide are involved in the design processes. The brand aims for human empowerment, social inclusion and keeping traditional craftsmanship alive.
Sustainable Jewelry: At least 80% of the jewellery products are certified fairtrade or made of certified or recycled materials. Also, lab-made diamonds and other gemstones are considered sustainable. In addition, the company can provide 100% transparent information about their value chain.
Transparency: The label knows every single manufacturer, the origin and composition of the materials used. All products and services are produced under fair and transparent conditions.
Guided by an expert in sustainable fashion, a Green Fashion Tour is a journey of knowledge and personal experiences discovering alternatives to conventional fashion.
During a Green Fashion Tour, the guide shares important background information about the global fashion industry and personally introduces you to the entrepreneurs behind selected concept stores, design studios, start-ups and initiatives. Different tour guides have different backgrounds and expertise, let’s find the right one for you. On top, you will hear stories of social businesses and sustainable design strategies directly from their creators and get answers to all your questions.
The number of stops depends on the tour duration and the distances between each stop. Usually, we visit 3 – 4 places during the 2−2,5 hour-long tour. More stops can be added in more extended, customised tours.
Absolutely not! Our public tours are for every person who is interested in the topic. The guide will provide the participants with the basic information necessary to understand the fashion industry and sustainability strategies.
Suppose you are already a sustainable fashion guru and want to learn something new; we invite you to book a private tour. This way, we can tailor your Green Fashion Tours experience to your needs and wishes.
You can purchase your tickets here on our website. Just choose the city where you would like to take the tour, and you will directly receive the city’s upcoming tour dates.
If you want to book a customised tour or a tour package, please fill out our form (see above) or send your request to info@cosh.eco. Please specify how many people will come with you, when the tour should take place and your main interests. We will contact you asap to give you more information about prices and possible routes.
For the customised tours, we set a group price (max. 15 participants per group). The price starts from € 352,- (ex. VAT, services are invoiced from COSH! Belgium) for the 2.5‑hour experience.
Small groups of 2 to 6 people pay € 95 per hour (ex. VAT).
The tour package price varies depending on its duration, activities, and group size. Please get in touch with us if you want to have a price quotation. All the public ticket prices displayed on the website are inclusive of VAT.
The customised tours or tour packages must be paid in advance via bank transfer, Paypal, Mollie or Stripe. Please indicate your preferences.
If you request this kind of service, we will send you a quotation referring to our Terms & Conditions with the specific payment conditions.
For private tours:
Since a cancellation affects a guide’s schedule and income, we would like a two-week notice to organise another tour for the guide.
For public tours:
Yes, you can cancel your participation through Eventbrite within 48 hours before the tour takes place.
If you decide to buy a ticket on short notice (48 hours before the tour), we cannot refund your ticket. However, the 48 hours give us enough time to inform the other participants and the entrepreneurs we visit about eventual changes.
Unfortunately not. Please book your ticket in advance. This way, we can tell you if the tour is fully booked, or we can punctually provide you with the exact information about the meeting point.
However, if you want to join a tour last minute, drop us a message via email or on Instagram, and we will try to inform the guide. We will let you know asap if it is possible to join.
There is no minimum number of participants for a customised tour. You can even book a one-on-one experience. We have different prices for groups of various sizes (see the question: What is the price for a customised tour or a tour package?)
The maximum number of participants per group for the customised tours is 15. However, tour packages can usually be booked for 6 – 15 people depending on your chosen activities.
We also accept requests from bigger groups, which we can divide into smaller groups.
Are you looking to explore the local scene and discover all steps of the supply chain and its pioneers that are building a new economy?
Please get in touch with us if you want more information about our 1 – 5 days packages. To create the most valuable experience for your group, we would be pleased to discuss all the details with you and choose the right program modules together in Belgium, Berlin or the Netherlands.
Please write us at: germany@cosh.eco
German Green Fashion Tours offers tours in German, English, Spanish and Italian.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, one can book in English or Dutch.
Not all our guides speak all the languages, so this is subject to availability. Please note that tours with bigger groups are generally run in English.
Usually, we don’t cancel a tour because of weather conditions. However, in case of bad weather, we recommend bringing your umbrella, waterproof shoes, and clothes ☺.
Please request our full Terms & Conditions for more information regarding our insurance policies for group tours.
