Three Swiss companies launch traceable T-shirt

Three Swiss companies have launched a joint product on the market: a T-shirt they describe as “truly unique”. gebana is based in Zurich and specializes in establishing sustainable food supply chains between countries in the South and Switzerland; Nikin is a sustainable clothing brand based in Lenzburg in the canton of Aargau; and Haelixa is a start-up located in Kemptthal in the canton of Zurich. According to a press release on LinkedIn, the three companies have worked together to develop the traceable T-shirt in partnership with Basel-based consultancy firm ecos, which specializes in sustainability.

The press release explains that the T-shirt – described by gebana as a TreeShirt – is produced in Burkina Faso and its raw material is fully traceable. It is made of organic cotton grown in Burkina Faso. Haelixa marks the cotton fibers with natural markers to make the raw material traceable, and two local companies, Filsah (Filature du Sahel) and Cotexa, then process the fibers into yarn and fabric. Fashion company xoomba, located in Bobo Dioulassou, dyes the fabric and sews the shirts out of it.

Gebana says the T-shirts are available in black, white, olive and pink, and in sizes XS to XXL. They can be ordered on the company’s website and will be delivered in autumn 2023. According to the press release, sales of the T-shirts will help producers in Burkina Faso, which is marked by political unrest and poverty. Processing the cotton locally ensures that value creation remains in the country, where it is urgently needed. ce/gba