Fair working conditions
Equal rights for everyone
We believe that it’s important that our products are made under fair working conditions. Everyone working in the clothing industry should have a safe work environment and receive a living wage. We do our best to make this a reality with our Living Wage projects, and by working together with Fair Wear Foundation.
Fair Wear Foundation
Since 2015, we are affiliated with Fair Wear Foundation. This is an independent non-profit organization focused on improving working conditions in the clothing industry. They fight against child labor, for a living wage and for a safe and healthy work environment, to new some examples.
Practical steps are required to change the clothing industry. Fair Wear Foundation operates in the following way:
- They test to what extent brands comply with the rules of the Fair Wear Foundation (Brand Performance Checks).
- They test to what extent factories meet Fair Wear's labor standards (Factory audits).
- They organize training in factories, for management as well as the other employees.
- They establish helplines for factory employees with complaints.
The annual audit (inspection moment) shows improvement areas. We work on those together with our manufacturers. This way, we actively work on improvements. 90% of our factories are continuously and thoroughly audited.
Brand Performance Check & Social Report
Every year, Fair Wear Foundation carries out independent inspections at our factories to check the steps we are taking, and files a report in the 'Brand Performance Check' and the 'Social Report'. These reports are available below.
Brand Performance Check 2022
Social Report 2022
Interview: FWF x King Louie
In 2021, there was an interview between King Louie's CSR Manager Laura and sustainable fashion influencer Sara Dubbeldam on behalf of Fair Wear Foundation.
The result is an extensive and honest interview, in which Laura talks about King Louie's sustainable goals and the challenges that the company has to overcome.
Living wage
In 2022, we launched our first living wage projects. A living wage is defined as a wage that guarantees a proper standard of living. This includes elements like food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transportation, clothing and savings for unforeseen events. A living wage is higher than the legal minimum wage for factory employees. This difference is the reason for the so-called pay gap.
Living wage is a challenging subject for the clothing industry. The will to pay better wages is there, but there are a lot of obstacles. Such as political systems, cultural differences and unprotected workers. Still, we are eager to take on the challenge and started our first living wage research project in Turkey in 2022, called: 'For Fair Fashion: improving due diligence, wages, and equity for women in the Turkish garment sector'.
This research project is conducted jointly by RVO and Fair Wear Foundation -an independent, not-for-profit foundation and multi-stakeholder initiative –and its three member brands –King Louie, Schijvens and Kuyichi. It aims at analysing two risk areas in the garment supply chain: payment of living wages and violence and harassment on root causes, their connection, and how brands’ business practices impact them.
The research results will help to better understand the relationship between living wages, violence and harassment and how the two are impacted by brand due diligence*. The data collected in this study will be analyzed by academic researchers who will make recommendations and help develop an implementation project in the Turkish garment industry.
*A due diligence investigation focuses on establishing the accuracy of the information presented to the buyer.
