Sustainability
Our Poncho factories – the details
Both factories - in Portugal and Pakistan - are family owned businesses. The factory buildings are very open and airy, creating a pleasant working environment, and they are equipped with all firefighting equipment and exits as required by law.
Products manufactured:
We are a manufacturer of cotton textile products, including Beach Ponchos, Beach Towels, Bathrobes and Cotton Blankets. The factory can also offer manufacturing services for any kind of other textiles products which customers may require.
Business Model:
The factory arranges the production of Terry cotton, Velours cotton, waffle cotton and other kinds of cotton fabric required for our products from specialised fabric manufacturers. The management at the factory also arranges the weaving, dyeing and finishing of all required fabrics as per our customers’ requirements. The final process is where all goods are stitched, ‘finished’, inspected by our quality control team and packed in our factory.
Our quality team inspect the production process from beginning to end - from raw material selection, through to weaving and dyeing and finally to stitching and finishing.
Our cotton:
We love our planet! ALL of our materials are "Standard 100" certificated by OEKO-TEX®. So what does this label actually mean?
If a textile article carries the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 label, you can be certain that every component of this article - i.e. every thread, button and other accessories - has been fully tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless in human and ecological terms.
The test is conducted by independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes on the basis of the extensive OEKO-TEX® 'criteria catalogue', including making sure that all items are manufactured using sustainable working conditions. In the test the inspectors take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances, which may be harmful to human and environmental health. In many cases the limit values for the STANDARD 100 go beyond national and international requirements.
The OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 'criteria catalogue' is updated at least once a year and expanded with new scientific knowledge or statutory requirements.
It is not easy for manufacturers and customers to keep an overview of the legal situation concerning harmful substances every day which is why the experts from the OEKO-TEX® institutes do this for us.
Employee Welfare:
We provide safe, airy working conditions to all of our employees. They are well paid and their wages are scaled in line with their skills, production ability and years of service with the company. We guarantee that those on lower salaries are paid above the minimum rate fixed by the Government. It states the minimum amount that must be paid to every worker performing an eight-hour-long shift. Besides their normal wages all employees are also entitled to weekly holidays, EOBI, social security and overtime pay.
Social Security and Old-Age Benefits
Our productions in Portugal and in Pakistan meet roughly the same requirements. For illustration here the example Pakistan: Our factory in Pakistan is registered with Pakistan Government Social Security system. This provides employees with free medical treatment – not just for them but also their families. All employees also benefit from EOBI - The Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI). This is the pension, old age benefits and social insurance institution of the Government of Pakistan. Our factory deposits monthly funds to both the EOBI and the healthcare department so that the employees receive all the benefits that they are entitled to.
Child Labour and Discrimination
Our factory operates a very strict zero tolerance policy with regards to the use of Child labour. It is strictly prohibited. The factory also ensures, through its working practices, that there is absolutely no discrimination against employees with regards to gender, religion, social status, disability, sexual orientation or ethnicity.