HauteCoton and Fair Trade

In order for our product to meet GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STNADARDS (GOTS), our manufacturer must meet certain requirements, including socially responsible criteria from working with the farmers in an ethical manner, to harvesting the organic cottonseed, to using environmentally friendly procedures, to ethically manufacturing and producing our product. We have visited the manufacturing facility ourselves and seen with our own eyes the labor and livelihood of all workers involved. This was important to us. We needed and wanted to do this in order to have peace of mind, so we can truly stand behind our product and the HauteCoton brand with 100% certainty. We are providing a product that is aligned with the way we also choose to live. This is our promise to you.

Furthermore, we are happy to be working with a manufacturer that goes above and beyond for their employees. All workers are paid well above the minimum wage stipulated by the Government of India. In addition to wages, workers receive many allowances and premiums such as a house rent allowance (5%), a provident fund (12%), yearly bonus (14% of total wages), canteen allowances providing a full well-balanced meal served daily, transport to and from the factory for those employees’ living further away, medical insurance benefits for employees’ and their families as well as supporting education for over 160 of their employees’ children. This program has been running since 2009.

A third-party European auditor from Social Accountability International audits the factory on a yearly basis and must meet the SA8000's criteria. This certificate consists of various industry and corporate codes to create a common standard for social welfare compliance. Our manufacturer is also audited annually by the Control Union in order to maintain the GOTS certification for organic cotton products and processes. The US Fairtrade association has also audited the facilities for safe and fair labor practices and has granted our manufacturer the Fairtrade US certification. In addition to this, our manufacturer also received the internationally recognized certification for Fairtrade practices. It is the most widely recognized and trusted ethical label in the world.