Ethical trade is better known as CSR: corporate social responsibilities. It concerns itself with working and environmental conditions.
WHITEWEAR sources its products in the far east, among other countries, which is why we aim to and commit ourselves to make an extra effort to improve working and environmental conditions. This is how we take responsibility for the working conditions
At WHITEWEAR, working with ethical and social responsibilities is high on the agenda. We feel a responsibility for the working conditions at our supplier's factories. As a result, we strongly feel that we can contribute to ensuring their staff is allowed to work under accountable conditions, and feel we need to help promote positive changes in any way we can.
We have compiled a Code of Conduct
We have written a Code of Conduct and share it with our business partners, suppliers, customers, and WHITEWEAR employees. Our Code of Conduct clarifies our expectations and demands towards our business partners and our employees.
Membership of amfori BSCI
WHITEWEAR is a member of amfori BSCI and uses its membership to influence and develop good ethical and social conditions in close cooperation with our suppliers. As part of amfori BSCI, we have access to a tremendous amount of educational material. This helps us achieve and maintain a good dialogue with our suppliers, thus strengthening their cooperation in creating a more socially responsible supply chain.
Strong business relations with our partners
At WHITEWEAR, a solid business relationship is at our cooperation's core. We know that long and good partnerships are as meaningful as proper tools and control. When it comes to choosing suppliers and business partners, we are in it for the long haul, which requires flexibility and agility to evolve along with the demands of time – together.
Procedures help secure responsibility
To further develop ethically solid trade at WHITEWEAR and its partners, we have set several goals and drawn up procedures. Every six months, we check to see whether we made our goals and sub-goals. We also evaluate our work with ethical trade in general and review whether our efforts need to be modified.
We have drawn up clear procedures to help guide us in our daily business. As a result, we have decided that "all business partners are offered a quality amfori BSCI onboarding trajectory and regular training". And also, that "WHITEWEAR commits itself to actively participate in establishing a positive development at our suppliers and business partners via our amfori BSCI work, thus achieving and maintaining grade-A or B audit results". How we commit to the amfori BSCI
Should we experience a lack of commitment or progress in one of our business partners, when it comes to this shared responsibility, we obligate ourselves to find the cause of these difficulties and seek guidance from amfori's Danish contact person. We do not terminate cooperation with any supplier based on a lack of commitment or progress for amfori purposes unless we have no other choice. After all, a terminated contract will not improve the conditions for the workers employed at that supplier – often quite the contrary – and we find ourselves morally obliged to protect the interests of those people.
We hope this has given you insights into the work we put into becoming – and remaining – a sustainable supplier of quality textiles atcompetitive prices. Should you have questions about this document, related documents, or our sustainable supply chain in general, please don't hesitate to reach out.
The EU directive on waste is changing legislation for waste management and encourages a route towards a circular economy. From July ’23, the Danish municipalities need to separately collect textile waste, followed in 2025 by the rest of the EU. In 2022 several pilot projects take shape to help clear the way, of which Textile Symbiosis Herning is one.
A circular economy aims to elongate the lifecycle of products. Traditional textile production has a significant impact on the environment, and any effort to increase the material’s lifetime will impact the environment beneficially. In contrast to the ‘take-make-waste’ linear model, a circular economy is regenerative by design and aims to decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources gradually. Businesses working in textiles can adapt the idea behind circular economies and use them to rethink their business methods. In addition, the development of new technologies, networking, and innovation leads to the effective recycling of textiles and textile fibres. Enter Textile Symbiosis Herning
Textile Symbiosis Herning is a 2-year project backed by the European regional development fund (ERDF) and the Danish Board of Business Development. Its goal is to be ready with solutions and legislation to create an efficient way of separately collecting textile waste on a national scale, starting in 2023. (Read more in an earlier LinkedIn post on the EU directive on waste).
At a New Year’s reception, Textile Symbiosis Herning and other members of SMV— a Danish trade organisation for small and medium-sized companies within industry, construction, and service— met with innovators and larger businesses. We loved experiencing these initiated partnerships up close, extending throughout the entire current framework of the textile industries, and already devising new angles and solutions that help achieve our common goals: to recycle used textiles. WHITEWEAR is part of Textile Symbiosis Herning
At WHITEWEAR, we feel that this project seamlessly fits our ambitions within increasing sustainability in the textile industry. Therefore, we are proud to be part of Textile Symbiosis Herning.
We’re already working on identifying possible areas and opportunities to incorporate reused textiles into our supply chain, and we look forward to testing and creating circular business models! The gross majority of our textiles are white or unbleached. This allows us to study how we may recycle uni-coloured textile waste and determine the demand for such fabrics in today’s textile industry. Fortunately, WHITEWEAR’s textiles are primarily made from cotton and cotton-polyester, making them reasonably uncomplex materials. We are bursting with ideas of recycling possibilities for our white textiles. So, now we need to use our network and seek the right technologies to turn these ideas into concrete initiatives. We want to support our customers
At WHITEWEAR, we aim to work towards an even more sustainable trade continuously. We want to strengthen our business by becoming a better partner and sounding board for our customers. We know that they need to build knowledge about their handling of textile waste, especially in light of the 2023 waste collection changes. Therefore, we hope that we, via Textile Symbioses, can achieve even closer cooperation with our customers.
Contact us if you have questions about us, our products, or our participation in Textile Symbiosis. Today is a festive day: we celebrate our 10th anniversary! Our fantastic journey has brought many exciting challenges. Above all, we have confirmed what we already suspected 10 years ago: we have a solid concept with considerable potential, making a difference in this industry.
WHITEWEAR is a success, not in the least because of solid co-operations, with skilled and dedicated employees, business partners, suppliers, and customers. People who have been, and continue to be, crucial to WHITEWEAR, to whom we wish to say: Thank you all so much! A good co-operation is the result of mutual respect and honesty – something we can say without a doubt we have experienced. WHITEWEAR ’s exciting journey continues, with an ever-stronger focus on sustainability. We strongly feel that we have a shared responsibility to take care of each other and our planet. Our industry is connected with environmental challenges – it is up to us to figure out how to develop and source our products differently. Our mission is to increase the share of sustainable textiles in the Scandinavian healthcare industry. We look forward to continuing and developing our co-operation with you all 😊
More and more companies start to focus on sustainability in recent years, starting a green transition - and with good reason! We need to be careful with our planet and its resources. That is why the time to act is now!
But where should you start? It can be hard to see the wood for the trees when it comes to sustainable alternatives, quality-assured certificates, and healthy production environments. Let us guide you! WHITEWEAR is an expert in textiles and can guide you towards suitable fabrics and qualities – and we live and breathe sustainability. In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about recycled polyester. Recycled polyester – hard-wearing since 1993
Should you opt for polyester workwear, WHITEWEAR recommends you use recycled polyester instead of traditional polyester. As you might know, polyester dries quickly. Even though it may seem like the latest new thing, recycled polyester has been around since 1993.
The only difference between then and now is that the production technologies have taken a giant leap forwards, resulting in far better fabric quality. Recycled polyester is used for a myriad of products, where the fantastic properties and durability of polyester come into their own. Especially for sportswear, workwear, staff apparel, socks, and more, polyester is a sensible choice. For more information about what to keep in mind when choosing workwear for your staff, read our blog, The Right Workwear for the Healthcare Industry: An Overview. Why use Personnel Apparel Made of Recycled Polyester?
Other than being hard-wearing, recycled polyester dries quickly – even when worn. In practice, it means that if you need workwear for your staff that works under warm conditions, recycled polyester is a safe choice.
Furthermore, staff apparel or workwear is used over and over again. Therefore, your workwear choice becomes a sustainable one by choosing a product that can withstand repeated wash and wear without losing shape, colour, or function. After all, isn’t it better to invest in one good quality shipment of workwear that’ll last you a long time over many substandard ones? Learn more about staff apparel by reading our blog, Three things you need to keep in mind when you buy staff apparel for the healthcare sector. This is how we make sure our products are of premium quality
When we use recycled polyester in our textiles, we use recycled polyester manufactured according to GRS (Global Recycle Standard). This gives us a transparent supply chain with full traceability regarding the fibres, working conditions, and environmental impact of the manufacturing process. In practice, we know for a fact that our recycled polyester is made from previously used plastic, such as old plastic bottles, fishing nets, etc.
Like all other WHITEWEAR products, our recycled polyester styles are OEKO-TEX® certified. Choosing OEKO-TEX-certified textiles helps protect your staff from harmful chemicals that are often found in non-OEKO-TEX-certified fabrics. Would you like to know more about how recycled polyester can make a difference for your staff apparel, patient apparel, or healthcare textiles?
Read more about our products and contact us to hear more about the possibilities for recycled polyester.
Picture this: it’s a warm and sunny day in the nursing home where you just finished giving room 103 a much needed thorough cleaning. It isn’t even lunchtime yet, but your shirt is already drenched in sweat. A recognisable scenario? It would be for most of us. But there is a solution! One that keeps your staff or your patients cool and comfortable in the warmest conditions: COOLMAX® fabric. COOLMAX® - what is it and why you should know about it
COOLMAX® is a highly breathable, sweat-wicking fabric that dries much faster than cotton. The material consists of manipulated polyester fibres with four channels. These channels make the fabric breathable compared to other fabrics, as they allow moisture/liquid to be drawn away from the skin.
The fabric was developed to regulate body temperature. Moisture wicks through the material via its channels to the outer surface area. Here, the moisture evaporates at a much higher rate. This function allows the material to dry much faster than traditional fabrics. For which kinds of apparel would COOLMAX® be used?![]()
WHITEWEAR supplies several types of clothing in COOLMAX® quality. Mostly T-shirts, but also singlets, long sleeves, polo shirts, and leggings. Together, we can figure out what suits your company or healthcare institution best. We will translate your needs and wishes into the right qualities and fit for your staff or patients.
Lastly, we add a dashing splash of colour to ensure your new workwear or patient apparel matches your brand colours and corporate identity. More information about our range of knitted or woven textiles and apparel for hospitals, nursing homes, and professional kitchens can be found on our Products site. Why COOLMAX is an excellent choice for workwear and staff apparel
The secret lies in the fabrics’ breathability. This allows you to create comfortable workwear or staff apparel for personnel in numerous different functions and situations. The OEKO-Tex® certified soft COOLMAX® fabrics are an excellent choice for a singlet, or a T-shirt worn under a lab coat. Or maybe your workwear is not complete without a long sleeve shirt – here, we find our navy-blue model to be particularly popular.
Whatever your needs are, WHITEWEAR delivers the right COOLMAX® products for your staff, whatever their job description. Think of uniforms for your cleaning staff or workwear for your public park maintenance personnel. Even nursing staff and caretakers will love to get a COOLMAX® uniform. Read our guide to staff apparel in our blog entry: Three things you need to keep in mind when you buy staff apparel for the healthcare sector. COOLMAX Is an excellent choice for patient apparel
When it comes to patient apparel, your patients will likely be pleased with the temperature regulating abilities of COOLMAX® styles. A pair of leggings, trousers, or a long-sleeved shirt will keep your patients comfortable and neither too warm nor too cold.
Read more about how patient apparel can affect your patients care in our blog entry: Patient Apparel for Hospitals Would you like to know more about how COOLMAX can be of use to you?
Read more about our products or contact us to find out how your staff or workplace can benefit from COOLMAX® workwear or patient apparel.
Did you know that WHITEWEAR also delivers to private hospitals and clinics? Are you looking for practical, new workwear for your staff? Or would you like to make your patients as comfortable under the circumstances as possible, with quality hospital linen and comfortable patient apparel? WHITEWEAR are experts within all textiles for the healthcare industry – also for your private hospital or clinic. An overview for you:
Make your patients comfortable with excellent patient apparel
We have said it before and gladly do so again: patient apparel is essential for the people who check in to your private hospital. Nurses and doctors can easily recognise their patients and know for whom to care. Besides that, wearing patient wear helps your patients accept care.
WHITEWEAR's product range offers trousers, shirts, underwear, dignity gowns, and more. We are pretty confident that we have just the products you need – or else we make sure we can get it for you. Read more about patient apparel and why it matters so much to your patients in our blog: Patient Apparel for Hospitals Professional and functional workwear for private hospitals
When it comes to workwear, few things are more important than functionality and practicality. Your co-workers wear their uniforms for hours at a time and almost year-round. Putting on a uniform should be a pleasant experience for your staff – not a displeasing one. Together, we figure out what you value most in your staff apparel. After a decision on workwear is made, we take care of the rest.
WHITEWEAR's workwear is designed to make your staff's daily routines as easy and comfortable as possible. We have carefully selected the best materials for the job, creating durable and comfortable uniforms of precisely the right quality. After all, you wouldn't want your staff to worry about their uniforms being see-through, now would you? We never cease to look for ways to improve our products; workwear is no exception to that. Let us help you find proper uniforms for your staff – our blog offers you an excellent place to start: 5 tips for finding the best uniforms for nurses and doctors Linens, cleaning cloths, and sheets for private hospitals
As you undoubtedly know, private hospitals and clinics use many different kinds of textiles. These towels, cleaning cloths, linens, bed sheets, duvet covers, and more have something in common. They need to be durable enough to withstand the stringent cleaning process of hospital laundry rooms. These textiles need to be washed often and at high temperatures. Therefore, not just any fabric quality will do.
We help you pick suitable textiles for your private hospital
Our customers cannot be summed up in just a single category; we help many different companies find the textiles they need. We aim to help you to the very best of our abilities – professionally and efficiently. While doing so, we value good cooperation and a good atmosphere.
WHITEWEAR offers you a solution where we take care of all the practicalities. You order your healthcare textiles, and we make sure they land on your shelves in the agreed-upon quality, size, and designs – on time.
Read more about our products and contact us to hear more.
We cooperate with many suppliers across the world. We deeply care about doing our part when it comes to improving working conditions. That is why, on March 1st 2021, WHITEWEAR became a member of amfori BSCI. What is amfori BSCI Amfori believes in a world where trade facilitates social, environmental and economic benefits for everybody. To achieve that, amfori BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) uses a code of conduct to which all members adhere. This code is built upon 11 principles and values that ensure ethically and socially responsible business conduct. The code also sets several demands for factories that produce our wares regarding their employees' working conditions. Conditions that are audited regularly by an independent third party. Amfori BSCI's 11 Principles
Amfori's Core Values Amfori has three core values that guide the organisation and its members: continuous improvement, cooperation, and empowerment.
Read more about our certificates and how we care for the environment and working conditions. What Does the amfori BSCI Membership Mean to WHITEWEAR? Many of our business partners are BSCI audited already. With the amfori BSCI membership, we can now actively participate in further improving working conditions, together with our business partners and in our own supply chain. The eleven principles represent areas where WHITEWEAR is obliged to continue working for an even better and more sustainable supply chain. The amfori BSCI membership also incorporates the amfori Academy – an innovative digital platform for developing sustainable supply chain management skills. It offers training to both our business partners and us – knowledge we can use when we visit our partners across the world, allowing us to evolve together. WHITEWEAR cares about the environment and decent working conditions for all parties involved, making the amfori BSCI membership a natural step in our continued development. Red more about our values and contact us to hear more about the possibilities.
Get a quick overview of your options before you order new patient apparel or workwear for your employees. During a busy shift, your healthcare staff should not need to worry about their uniforms. Workwear needs to be pleasant to wear and should support your staff in their tasks. WHITEWEAR is your expert in healthcare textiles, and we know just what you need. Here is an overview for you. We divide staff apparel into two main groups: uniforms for nurses and doctors, and those used in nursing homes and home care. We know from experience that, while there are many similarities, the daily routines differ in such a way that they influence the choice of workwear differently. Uniforms for Nursing Homes and Home Care Staff apparel in retirement homes, nursing homes and home care differ from place to place. However, we can identify a few common denominators that you should keep in mind when ordering new staff apparel for your personnel. The garments need to be practical to wear, achieve maximum freedom of movement, and not get in the way during the many daily tasks. Go for high-quality, durable materials that can tolerate frequent use and washing. Furthermore, we recommend you offer your personnel the possibility to wear layers. That way, they can quickly adapt to the weather. More examples of things to keep in mind when you choose workwear for the healthcare sector in our blog: Three things you need to keep in mind when you buy staff apparel for the healthcare sector. Uniforms for Nurses and Doctors Workwear for nursing staff and doctors need to be comfortable to wear – here, design and fit mean a great deal. But do not underestimate the importance of fabric quality. After all, your personnel will be non-too pleased with see-through uniforms, or workwear that easily tears after getting caught on a sharp corner. Whether you need a lab coat, scrubs, a tunic, or a shirt, pockets are indispensable. We recommend large, deep hip pockets and a chest pocket, as commonly used in Danish hospitals. Read more about staff apparel for hospital staff and our five tips for finding the best uniforms in our blog: 5 tips for finding the best uniforms for nurses and doctors. Patient Apparel When it comes to patient apparel, fit is an essential factor to consider. After all, patients admitted to the hospital have other things to worry about than ill-fitting garments that pinch in inconvenient places. The garments need to be produced in comfortable materials and designs. They also need to be easy to use for both your staff and your patients and be durable enough to resist a hospital laundry service's stringent washing procedures. Design and fashion are of lesser importance, not in the least because these garments tend to disappear. Furthermore, research shows that your choice of patient apparel can positively affect your patient's willingness to accept care. Patient apparel thus helps support the professional relationship between the patients and your personnel. Read more about patient apparel and the physiological factors to consider in our blog: Patient Apparel for Hospitals. Patient apparel has been a staple in WHITEWEAR's product range from the very beginning. Danish TV Midtvest interviewed us about this, in September 2020. View the interview here (in Danish) We Can Help You with Any Apparel Used in the Healthcare Industry
At WHITEWEAR, we are in full control of the entire process. You place an order, after which we take care of the rest, ultimately making use that you receive the right products in the agreed-upon qualities, sizes, and designs. Read more about our products and contact us to hear more about the possibilities. When it comes to cleaning, there is cleaning cloth better than a microfiber cloth. And not without reason! At WHITEWEAR we are not in doubt about which cleaning cloth our customers prefer: our microfiber cloths are sold best – by far. Naturally, the cloths vary in colour, size, and material, suiting the individual needs of our customers. Some cloths are even microchipped, to make keeping track of a large number of cloths easier. But why are microfiber cloths so popular? Allow us to explain. Microfiber cloths are especially handy for industrial cleaning It is as simple as that! Microfiber cloths are not abrasive and are good at wiping down surfaces, soaking up excess liquid, and removing dust, whether they are used small-scale in a family home, or on an industrial scale in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Microfiber cloths require less water than a regular cleaning rag and can even be used when dry, making them an eco-friendlier solution when it comes to cleaning.
Choose the right kind of microfiber cloth Microfiber cloths can be knitted in two different ways: using WARP-knitting or WEFT-knitting. A microfiber cloth knitted with the WARP-technique, where the yarn zigzags along the length of the fabric, is a directionally stable, inflexible cloth that is very durable. A WEFT-knit, where the stitches run from left to right horizontally across the fabric, gives a more flexible, loose weave that can stretch in both directions. At WHITEWEAR we solely sell WARP-knitted microfiber cloths, as these cloths typically are of a higher quality – essential to both our customers and us. A standard WHITEWEAR microfiber cloth is made from 80% polyester and 20% cotton, in a 300 GSM quality. Typical sizes are 40 x 40 cm or 32 x 32 cm, naturally depending on which size fits best into the hand of the user. That being said, we can produce microfiber cloths in a wide range of models, sizes, colours and qualities. We are confident that we can find a cloth that suits your needs too! We produce microfiber cloths in qualities between 180 and 400 GSM. This is why you should choose WHITEWEAR microfiber cloths. It is quite simple: WHITEWEAR gives you a quality product at a favourable price. The quality is exceptional every time, regardless of you ordering just once or eight times – and all cloths are OEKO-TEX®-100-certified. Read more about cloths and contact us to hear how can help you get the best microfiber cloth for your business. Good advice for microfiber cloth users
You may experience getting dry hands when using a microfiber cloth. This is because the cloth degreases surfaces rather effectively – including your hands. We, therefore, recommend you use cleaning gloves when using microfiber cloths. When a patient is admitted to a hospital in Denmark, they often receive a set of patient garments to wear. Chances are that WHITEWEAR produced these garments – and we have done our utmost to ensure these patients receive the best garments with the most comfortable fit.
WHITEWEAR produces healthcare textiles and garments, following the individual wishes and demands of each customer. We can guide you to textiles in materials, fabrics, and qualities that best fit your designs and needs. When it comes to patient apparel, fit is an essential factor to consider. After all, patients admitted to the hospital have other things to worry about than ill-fitting garments that pinch in inconvenient places. The garments need to be produced in comfortable materials and designs. They also need to be easy to use for both your staff and your patients. Design and fashion are less important, not in the least because these garments tend to disappear. How Patient Apparel Can Improve Patient Care Producing patient garments is WHITEWEAR’s area of expertise. We know for a fact that the right patient apparel can make a difference for both your patients and your hospital staff. A few years ago, the Danish Nurses Organisation (DNO) interviewed ten patients to hear about their experiences regarding patient apparel. How Patient Apparel Helps Your Nurses The study shows that patient apparel made it easier for the nursing staff to recognise their patients, especially when they mix with other patients or a group of relatives. High-quality patient apparel can also help to reduce the risk of infection because the garments can endure being washed at very high temperatures. Furthermore, patient apparel is an excellent service for your patients, who never again have to worry about bringing clean clothes from home. That said, patient apparel can also contribute to anonymising patients and keep the patient locked in a patient role. How Patient Apparel Helps Your Patients The patients are generally content with their patient apparel, as it clearly labels them as patients. In a way, this helps them to receive and accept care. Patient apparel also strengthens the bond between individual patients, creating a sense of togetherness. On the other hand, can patient garments also make the patients feel more ill than they might be, as the garments identify them as being hospitalised. The study showed that many of the patients who were on the mend, therefore, preferred using their own clothes. Source: “Patient garments create and protect an identity” (in Danish) We know which patient garments you need The order process at WHITEWEAR is relatively straight-forward. You place an order, and we make sure the right garments land on your shelves, in precisely the qualities, sizes, and designs we agreed upon. We take care of all things practical along the way. Clean and simple, as we prefer. Read more about patient apparel here. Contact us to hear if there is any way we can help you with patient garments for your private or general hospital. |