NOT PERFECT BUT BETTER

FC St. Pauli is football. It's attitude. It's a way of life. That's why we put the skull and crossbones and our slogans on all manner of products, such as sweaters, shirts, scarves, lunchboxes and keyrings. And we understand the responsibility this entails. We bring the products into the world, so it's up to us to ensure that neither the environment nor people suffer as a result and that everyone gets a fair share of the proceeds - from the cotton farmers and the sewers and dyers to our staff in the warehouse and shops. And although sustainability is firmly embedded in our principles, there are still plenty of other ways we can implement it more consistently in our merchandising. We're on it. Step by step, we're running the rule over every product, checking whether it should stay in our range and, if so, examining the options for becoming even more sustainable. If we can make things better for the people involved, the environment and the club, we will.


It won't become perfect overnight, but always better than before.



Sustainability in our shops: FCSP Sustainable Product

Products that meet the FCSP sustainability standards are given the label "FCSP Sustainable Product". This means you have an FC St. Pauli promise that these products are sustainably produced and/or fairly traded. And don't be put off: the same goes for products that do not carry an external mark, such as GOTS, Fair Trade etc. Obtaining such certification can be a laborious and expensive process, especially for smaller companies.



Sustainability at FCSP:


FAIR

The heart of St. Pauli beats for everyone. We have a responsibility to ensure that anyone who is in any way connected with our products along the production and supply chain is not negatively impacted. That's why our Sustainability Working Group has drawn up a strict Social Code of Conduct to which we commit all our partners and monitor for compliance. Put simply, this means fair wages, safe and dignified working conditions, freedom of association, no discrimination and, of course, no child labour in the making of our products. To take this journey with others and have our efforts monitored transparently and independently, we are a member of the Fair Wear Foundation.

The heart of St. Pauli beats for everyone.

We have a responsibility to ensure that anyone who is in any way connected with our products along the production and supply chain is not negatively impacted. That's why our Sustainability Working Group has drawn up a strict Social Code of Conduct to which we commit all our partners and monitor for compliance. Put simply, this means fair wages, safe and dignified working conditions, freedom of association, no discrimination and, of course, no child labour in the making of our products.

Fortunately, our move towards increased sustainability isn't starting from square one - the skull-and-crossbones collection has never been produced in sweatshops in low-wage economies, but rather in European countries where we have developed trusting partnerships. But that isn't enough. We need clear standards and compliance in terms of the working conditions on site.


No compromises: the Social Code of Conduct

The most important tool for increased social sustainability is the strict Social Code of Conduct formulated by our Sustainability WG, which all our suppliers are required to sign. In doing so, they undertake to meet the following standards:

• No forced labour

• No discrimination

• No child labour

• Fair wages

• Freedom of association

• Reasonable working hours

• Proper health and safety

• Resource-efficient and eco-friendly production

• Compliance with requirements for all forms of labour relations

The Social Code of Conduct in full


Trust and control

That leaves the question of how we monitor compliance with these standards, of course. Certification labels such as the GOTS mark and Fairtrade, for which producers are required to undergo regular audits, are useful here. The audit reports and results of other certification organisations also help us to check whether our standards are being met.

Where no certification or equivalent documentation exists, we check ourselves. A lack of certification does not automatically equate to poor working conditions. Certification can be a heavy financial burden, especially for smaller companies, with whom we are happy to work. In these cases, we assess the working conditions under a practicable and coherent in-house monitoring system.


Member of the Fair Wear Foundation

Not only do we check our partners - we also undergo checks ourselves. Since spring 2021, we have been a member of the largest initiative for fair garment production, the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF). Fairwear is a non-profit organisation that works with its members (garment industry companies and brands) and other partners such as European and local trade unions, other NGOs, business associations and governments to improve conditions for workers in the garment industry. It organises training, education programmes and on-site audits, and operates a neutral and secure complaints system for workers. Fairwear also promotes cooperation between its members, as comprehensive, structural and sustainable improvements in factory production working conditions can only be achieved together. All good reasons to become a member, we felt.

Incidentally, we are the first and only professional football club in the world to become an Fairwear member. This is yet another way we are committing to fair production processes for our merchandise, and we will have this commitment audited by Fairwear every year as part of a transparent and independent procedure. You can finde the results HERE


Social responsibility for our partners

We have longstanding and trustful working relationships with many of our partners along the supply chain. If there is any uncertainty about our standards, we prefer to talk to our suppliers first and consider what opportunities for mutual improvements exist rather than simply end a good partnership. "Not perfect but better" applies not only to us. Because we believe that established and trusting partnerships increase our influence on site and are bigger levers for sustainable structural change in the long term.


Relevant marks and memberships

The Fairtrade mark stands for fairly grown and traded products. The certification guarantees producers improved price stability and long-term partnerships. The standards also include criteria on democratic organisational structures, environmental protection and safe working conditions.

The Global Organic Textile Standard is the worldwide leading processing standard for organic natural fibres across the entire textile supply chain. While the focus is on ecological criteria, all companies involved in the production process are also monitored for compliance with minimum standards with regard to working conditions.


Ecological

For football to be played on our planet for generations to come, we also need fair play in terms of the environment. That is why we only print the skull and crossbones on organic cotton. Along with recycled fibres, organic cotton is also the material of choice for functional wear in other collections. Is that enough? Not for us, it isn't. There are still plenty of tweaks for us to make along our supply chain.


Fair play for the environment

These tweaks cover the entire life cycle of a product - from the design phase and material procurement and manufacturing processes to the use and disposal stage. Every phase has aspects that influence the sustainability of the product, such as resource consumption, CO2 emissions, chemical use and recyclability of the materials used.


Sustainability begins with design

Designing garments that are made to last is the first step towards sustainability. Our T-shirts, sweaters and jackets should stay with you for a lifetime, after all, irrespective of any fashion trends. The second is the resource efficiency of the design, as the pattern alone can avoid unnecessary fabric scraps. Generating as little waste as possible in our production is exactly what we want. And the end of life of the product should be a new "chapter" in the life of the material. To ensure garment recycling does not simply result in downcycled material of lower quality, we make sure the design either relies on homogeneous fabrics and material or takes good separability of different fabrics for the recycling process into account.


Conscious buying

Which fabrics do we buy and which not? The answer is dictated not simply by the function and the quality of the material, but also by our requirement for minimum resource consumption. First and foremost, this means keeping the consumption of water, energy, crude oil and chemicals as low as possible, but also taking up as little land as possible for cultivation. And in the case of animal fibres such as sheep's wool or silk, we work to ensure that due consideration is given to animal welfare.


What does this mean for our shopping list?

- All the cotton, wool, hemp or linen we buy is sourced from controlled organic farming. Our minimum requirement is for the fibre raw material to be certified according to GOTS, OCS or an equivalent standard. We also use recycled natural fibres as an alternative.

- Where possible, we use rayon, modal and lyocell, i.e. regenerated fibres made from renewable raw materials, only from certified wood or other sustainable sources.

- Whenever we use synthetic fibres, at least half must come from recycled polyester or nylon in line with the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), for example. In the long term, we aim to stop using petroleum-based synthetic fibres (by replacing them with bio-based or biodegradable synthetic fibres). We already refrain from using brushed fleece in order to keep microplastic shedding to a minimum.


Dyeing, printing and finishing without the use of harmful chemicals

We cannot do without fabric coloration and finishing processes, such as printing and impregnation, though admittedly, that would be the most sustainable solution. Here, too, we work to keep resource consumption as low as possible and avoid harmful chemicals and toxic emissions. Our production partners, for example, employ modern water-saving dyeing techniques and natural dyes for the coloration of natural fibres. We also refrain from using substances that impact the environment and health when imparting functional properties (e.g. waterproof/breathable) to clothing.


Eco-friendly logistics

Ecological considerations play an important role in the choice of our production sites and means of transport. The distances between the individual production stages should be as short as possible and the shipping process as low emission as possible, i.e. boat not plane, train not truck.

Which other ecological aspects play a role in the choice of production sites? In the best case, the electricity will come from renewable energy sources and the waste generated during production will be sent for recycling. The most important thing for us, however, is that producers are transparent in these matters and open to improvements.


Relevant marks

The Global Organic Textile Standard monitors the processing of textiles made from organically produced natural fibres, including ecological and social criteria, across the entire textile supply chain. All companies involved in a product must be audited annually in order for the product to carry the GOTS logo.

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) ensures the traceability of recycled materials. Companies using the GRS logo undertake to reduce the harmful impact to people and the environment through the use of chemicals, for example. Though the focus is on the manufacturing process for synthetic fibres, ecological and social criteria across the production process are factors for obtaining the certification.


Bluesign is a textile standard that focuses primarily on the safety of chemical substances. It assesses raw materials, intermediate products and end products at all stages of production.


The Green Button is a government-run certification label developed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) together with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in 2019. Various social and environmental standards must be met in order to obtain it.

The OCS 100 standard applies to any product containing 95-100 percent organic material (not only cotton). It verifies that the final product contains the stated amount of organically grown material. To obtain the standard, no more than five percent of any other material may be used.

The 100 by Oeko-Tex standard is a label that tests whether each component of a textile product is free of harmful residues. To obtain the certification, no harmful chemicals or substances prohibited or regulated by law may be found.

Not all businesses can afford these certifications. If we are certain that specific environmental standards have still been met, you will find the following icons on the product:

• Recycled fibres: at least half of the material consists of recycled synthetic fibres

• Organic cotton: cotton that is grown organically/certified organic

Economic
 

There can be no sustainability in the club without economic balance. We need the revenue from merchandise sales to keep FC St. Pauli, and all our sporting and social activities, afloat. Nevertheless, fast fashion is out of the question for us, so we are mindful of the need to ensure that achieving a more sustainable production process (which often means more expensive) does not affect the social compatibility of our prices.


Merchandise is one of the most important sources of income for the club alongside ticket sales and sponsorship. It helps us to plan for the long term and have no need for external finance (from benefactors, etc.). More important, generating the funds required for our ongoing football operations through our own efforts ensures we can maintain our independence. An independence that also gives us the freedom to include ecological or social criteria in the assessment of how successful we are.


Put simply:

We need and want to earn money, but not at any cost. Our merchandise sales should not come at the expense of the environment or people. This means we are always walking a fine line between the need to factor additional costs for a fairer and eco-friendlier supply chain into a sales price that meets our financial responsibility as a club and as an employer on the one hand, and the desire to meet our own aspiration of selling merchandise at socially acceptable prices, on the other. It's a challenge - but one we're happy to accept.

By the way, you can read why we believe that such an understanding of sustainable business is the basis for fair competition in the professional game in the joint position paper of our fan base and the club Ein anderer Fußball ist möglich – Den deutschen Fußball reformieren [Another Football is Possible - Reforming German Football].


No fast fashion

In concrete terms, this means we don't jump on every fashion trend simply to make a quick buck. We try to appeal to different tastes, but usually plan our collections 12-18 months in advance and then order only small production quantities in the first instance. Though we lose out on volume discounts as a result, we prefer to reorder if the demand is high instead of ending up having to throw products away.

We do not compromise on quality to keep the price down either - all our products are designed to perform well and to last.


Our brand partners

Our guiding principles state that sponsors and commercial partners must be "in accord with the social and political responsibility of the club". To be on the safe side, we conduct a "CSR check" when selecting our partners. This means we look for certifications, social reports, internal sustainability management systems, memberships in credible initiatives and an underlying openness and transparency on sustainability issues.






 
Local solidarity

Support your local community: FC St. Pauli would be nothing without its hood. This is why we support lots of initiatives to improve our part of the city. If we have an opportunity to help our Kiezhelden platform, fan-led projects such as Sankt Depri or the Hamburg club scene through the hard times by organising a solidarity collection, for example, we will do so, no question.

A share of the proceeds from the sale of selected products regularly goes to the Kiezhelden project. The money donated from this pot helps to support projects run by supporters and non-profits in St. Pauli. The decision on which projects will benefit is made by an advisory board made up of equal numbers of fan and club representatives.

However, we also target specific projects from the local and club community for support in the form of exclusive solidarity collections or donations of 'filthy lucre'. And because it's a shame we can only highlight these great initiatives during the short period of the fund-raising campaign, here's a list of some of the projects we've been able to support through our merchandise activities in the past:

Gender neutral
 

Whether you wear your clothes loose or tight, light or dark, casual and cool or full of glitter and glamour - none of that has anything to do with gender. That's why we prefer not to categorise our products where possible and are increasingly offering unisex fits, e.g. straight and tapered. We want a shop (and a society) where everyone feels comfortable and catered for.


One shop for all

Whether you wear your clothes loose or tight, light or dark, casual and cool or full of glitter and glamour - none of that has anything to do with gender. That's why we prefer not to categorise our products where possible and are increasingly offering unisex fits, e.g. straight and tapered. We want a shop (and a society) where everyone feels comfortable and catered for.

With that, everything has been said really - for now. Since March 2021, staff from our merchandise, marketing and CSR departments have been meeting regularly with volunteers from a wide range of groups from the club community (AG Diversität, Netzwerk Magische Frauen and St. Pauli Pride) in the working group Klamotten für Alle* [Clobber for All]. Their goal: nothing less than a mini-revolution in the world of fabric!

Because although a fabric is neither male nor female, of course, it is all too readily divided into these categories according to its cut. Sure, that serves as a guide, but there have to be other ways of doing it. And that is precisely why the working group is looking at ideas for how the club shop can present clothing in a gender-neutral way that allows everyone to find their preferred size and cut without the need for much searching.

This won't happen overnight, but step by step, and with the help of a few shop hacks, we aim to find out how we can get a little closer to achieving our goal of freeing the FCSP shop from gender stereotypes.




 
TRANSPARENT

Talking is easy. To convince you this is more than just talk, we strive to make our sustainable journey as transparent as possible. All the information we can share will be made available for you to read as soon as we have it.


Our strict Social Code of Conduct, which requires our business partners to comply with minimum social (and ecological) standards, was developed in our Sustainability Working Group.

We are still at the beginning of our journey towards greater sustainability. Accordingly, we don't have any audit results or sustainability reports to make available to you yet. Step by step, we will publish them here - you have our St. Pauli word on that.

Occasionally, some partners may have reservations about sharing details of their business activities in public. If this is the case, and the reasons are understandable, we respect that. The belief that there are no disadvantages to being transparent is becoming more and more prominent, however. We therefore take the view that in the medium term we will be able to persuade our partners to provide more information about our production methods.




Certified and Membership
 

Fairtrade marks and ecolabels, which ensure resource-efficient and decent production conditions, play an important role in responsible decision-making, not only in the production of goods but also later on at the buying stage. Here's an overview of the marks and memberships in which we place our trust.

The Global Organic Textile Standard monitors the processing of textiles made from organically produced natural fibres, including ecological and social criteria, across the entire textile supply chain. All companies involved in a product must be audited annually in order for the product to carry the GOTS logo.



The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) ensures the traceability of recycled materials. Companies using the GRS logo undertake to reduce the harmful impact to people and the environment through the use of chemicals, for example. Though the focus is on the manufacturing process for synthetic fibres, ecological and social criteria across the production process are factors for obtaining the certification.



The Fairtrade mark stands for fairly grown and traded products. The certification guarantees producers improved price stability and long-term partnerships. The standards also include criteria on democratic organisational structures, environmental protection and safe working conditions.



We are the first and so far only professional football club to become a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF). Fairwear is a non-profit organisation that works with its members and other partners such as trade unions, NGOs, business associations and governments to improve working conditions in the garment industry in the long term. Once a year, Fairwear assesses the efforts its members are making to improve production conditions across the supply chain. They also check whether the Fairwear Code of Labour Practices has been effectively implemented in their own management systems.



Bluesign is a textile standard that focuses primarily on the safety of chemical substances. It assesses raw materials, intermediate products and end products at all stages of production.



The Green Button is a government-run certification label developed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) together with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in 2019. Various social and environmental standards must be met in order to obtain it.



The OCS 100 standard applies to any product containing 95-100 percent organic material (not only cotton). It verifies that the final product contains the stated amount of organically grown material. To obtain the standard, no more than five percent of any other material may be used.



The 100 by Oeko-Tex standard is a label that tests whether each component of a textile product is free of harmful residues. To obtain the certification, no harmful chemicals or substances prohibited or regulated by law may be found.

FAQs

Facing up to questions and criticism is important! It's the only way we can develop and improve. Talking face-to-face is what we like best. As that isn't always possible, here are some questions and answers as a start and an invitation to continue the conversation.

1. By what criteria are suppliers selected?

We place our faith in a few, but good, long-term partnerships with our suppliers, with whom we want to continue developing - economically, ecologically and socially. When we take on new suppliers, we attach great importance to ecological and social standards and not just quality standards, product competency and price levels.


2. Why do you also produce in countries such as Turkey?

We are aware of the political situation in Turkey, of course. Not all Turkish people support Erdogan, however, and they need our support. We have maintained a trusting relationship with our local supplier for many years, for example; the innovation culture and commitment to ecological sustainability, social responsibility and transparency is very high. Turkey, in particular, has high-quality production sites. And that's not all: the social and ecological standards of the sites where our products are made go far beyond the legal requirements. For example, they offer workers training on gender equality, support local not-for-profit projects and are extensively certified. The fabrics and materials we need are produced in the region as well, allowing us to take advantage of short transport routes.


3. Why do you produce outside Europe in India and China?

We want our customers to continue to be able to afford our products, in high quality and at socially acceptable prices. Under this premise, outsourcing production outside Europe is sometimes unavoidable, especially for products that require a lot of work by hand. India and China have advanced production facilities that demonstrably meet high ecological and social standards. In India, for example, we work with a partner who is highly experienced and innovative in all sustainability aspects and who manages the production on our behalf. Production takes place in a Green Factory in Tiruppur that is Fairtrade and GOTS certified. It is not easy to find a correspondingly high standard in Europe, quite apart from the fact that we would need the financial capacity to set up production in Germany or elsewhere in Europe.


4. Why can't you simply disclose all the production locations?

We would like to, but the decision is not ours to make; it is the prerogative of our local partners, for whom the arrangement and support of the factories constitutes a trade secret. We obviously respect that. We go there as often as possible and visit the production sites and suppliers. As such, we know exactly where our products and materials come from. The belief that there are no disadvantages to full disclosure of suppliers and production sites is becoming increasingly prevalent, however. We therefore take the view that in the medium term we will be able to convince our partners of this, allowing us to divulge this information in a comprehensive and transparent manner.


5. How can you ensure that your specifications are adhered to by the producers?

If certifications (e.g. GOTS, GRS, Fairtrade, etc.) and/or positive reports and results of audits already performed by other inspection bodies are available, we refrain from conducting our own detailed checks so as not to overburden producers with constant audits. If there is no such documentation, we try to build a picture ourselves or through our local procurement partners. In the first step, this is done via a Supplier Questionnaire covering aspects such as production and subcontractors, the structure of the workforce, working hours and measures regarding working conditions and ecology. Before a contract is awarded, we visit the production facilities in a second step. Producers are also required to sign the Social Code of Conduct and are subsequently monitored for compliance.


6. What happens if your specifications are not met?

If our specifications are not met, we allow the production facility approximately three months to rectify the situation. This is monitored during an on-site visit by members of our buying team or by our local partners and, if necessary, by a re-audit. If the noncompliance is only minor in nature, we monitor the improvements made in the areas concerned and request evidence in the form of photographs or documents. If we are unable to identify a common path for improvement and continued development, we will strive to find a responsible exit strategy that is socially acceptable for all affected employees.


7. Surely the most sustainable thing would be not to bring out new collections every year?

True. But merchandise is one of the important sources of income for the club alongside ticket sales and sponsorship. It helps us to plan for the long term and remain independent without having to rely on external finance (from benefactors, etc.). In this sense, merchandise boosts our financial sustainability, which we need to be a responsible employer - and to keep us in the game. In this scenario, we try to find the fairest and most ecological way to avoid exploiting people and damaging the environment as far as possible.


8. Will I still be able to afford your products?

We're doing all we can to ensure you can. Social compatibility is one of our guiding principles. We are committed to it and we put it into practice. As many people as possible should be able to afford our products. Sustainable production is more cost-intensive. Nevertheless, we try not to increase our prices or, if we have to, then only moderately. The decision for or against a sustainable product should not come down to price, after all.


9. Why don't you rid your range of products made of plastic or synthetic fibres?

We have already discontinued some products or switched to other materials. To produce functional sportswear, however, we still depend on synthetic fibres, especially polyester and/or polyamide (nylon). These fibres are usually made from petroleum, which means the problem originates in the raw material. We therefore require all synthetic materials to contain a minimum of 50% recycled fibres. To ensure compliance, we rely primarily on the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). In the long term, biodegradable synthetic fibres may be the solution to the problematic release of microfibre particles.


10. Will your brand partners and licensees be required to produce sustainably in the future? Or will they be delisted?

We also take sustainability aspects into account when selecting our commercial partners. This is the purpose of our CSR check, which looks at certifications, internal sustainability management systems, social reports, memberships in credible initiatives and openness and transparency on sustainability issues, for example. All our brand partners and licensees, by the way, are required to commit to our Social Code of Conduct.


11. Will all your merchandise be sustainably produced at some point?

Yes, that is our long-term goal. However, we are taking the path to greater sustainability step by step and looking at each product group individually. Instead of rushing into things, we are studying our options closely and assessing the consequences of any changes to ensure this process is as sustainable and responsible as possible.


12. Is sustainability a new marketing strategy for you now?

No, it's far too serious an issue for that. And to be honest, we wouldn't turn things inside out to the extent we are now simply for a marketing strategy. We talk about our sustainability efforts because we want to inspire as many people as possible - employees, members, fans, sympathisers, sponsors, partners and rivals - to join us on our journey. Because what's good can become better if it's shared.