Sustainability As A Working Constraint Not A Campaign
Sustainable development is treated here as a responsibility and an obligation rather than a campaign. In practice that means more products made from high-quality eco-friendly materials, regular checks and evaluation of the supply chain, and active work on packaging and transport to reduce carbon emissions.
Where The Work Actually Happens
Eco-Friendly Materials
More and more of our products are made from high-quality, eco-friendly materials. Merino wool, hemp and recycled fibres are the technical yarns we specialise in, and the recycled polyester and responsible wool routes are covered by Intertek GRS 4.0 and RWS 2.2 scope certificates.
Supply Chain Evaluation
We regularly check and evaluate our supply chain to ensure the environmental friendliness and sustainability of our products. Partner factories are vetted before they are used and remain open to third-party audits and inspections.
Packaging And Transport
We actively explore and adopt more environmentally friendly packaging and transportation methods to reduce our carbon emissions and environmental impact. Consolidating several categories into one shipment is part of that, not just a convenience for the buyer.
Quality At A Reasonable Price
We continue to focus on environmental impact and to use more environmentally friendly materials, while improving the quality and performance of our products and keeping prices reasonable. A sustainable product that nobody can afford to buy does not reduce anything.
A Long-Term Business Case
Running a business in a sustainable manner protects the planet and creates more meaningful, longer-term business opportunities. That is why the certification sits with us rather than being pushed down to whichever factory happens to be running the order.
Claims That Survive A Compliance Review
Intertek GRS 4.0 and RWS 2.2 scope certificates are held by Shanghai Hicon Industrial Co., Ltd and cover socks and hosiery in men's and women's apparel. That is what allows a recycled content or responsible wool claim to be carried onto a retail hangtag rather than sitting in a brochure.
How A Certified Program Is Run
Claim Definition
We start from what the standard actually allows on a sock or a base layer, then work back to the wording your hangtag can carry.
Standard Selection
Recycled polyester routes run under GRS 4.0. Responsible wool routes run under RWS 2.2. We map your blend to the right standard before yarn is sourced.
Material Sourcing
The certified material route is confirmed at development stage, so bulk yarn is booked against a live scope certificate.
Blend Engineering
Blends are adjusted for knittability and durability so the certified version performs like the original, not worse.
Production Control
Certified production is run and documented under the scope certificate, with inspection at mid-term and final stage.
Documentation
Scope certificate details and transaction documentation are prepared per shipment for the certified portion of the order.
FAQ About Sustainability At HICON
Which sustainable fibres do you actually work with?
Merino wool, hemp and recycled fibres are the technical yarns we specialise in. Certification coverage differs by fibre, so tell us the target blend and we will confirm what can be certified.
How do you check the supply chain?
We regularly check and evaluate our supply chain to confirm the environmental friendliness and sustainability of our products, and partner factories remain open to third-party audits.
What are you doing about packaging and shipping?
We actively explore and adopt more environmentally friendly packaging and transportation methods. Consolidating several categories into one shipment is part of reducing that footprint.
Does sustainable mean more expensive?
Certified material routes carry a real cost, and we will tell you what it is up front. Our stated aim is to improve quality and performance while keeping prices reasonable, not to sell sustainability as a premium in itself.
Switch A Style To A Certified Material
Send the style and the claim you want to make. We will tell you what the standard allows, what the blend change does to performance, and what it costs.