The standard we hold
We believe the way a garment is made matters as much as how it feels on your child.
Transparency, to us, is not a page on a website. It’s a standard we hold ourselves to before making any claim. It means knowing where our products are made, understanding the standards our partners are held to, and verifying every step we describe.
We work with a small number of manufacturing partners, selected carefully and held to clearly defined standards across labour practices, workplace safety, environmental responsibility, and traceability. Each partner is required to review and sign our supplier code of conduct and support documentation tied directly to every Milana Label production run.
People: worker wellbeing and ethical labour
Echotex operates within established social and labour frameworks designed to support fair compensation, workplace safety, access to healthcare, and long-term financial security for workers and their families.
Key standards include:
Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI)
A globally recognized framework focused on improving working conditions and supporting ethical labour practices.
SEDEX
A transparency platform used to assess and improve labour practices, worker health and safety, and ethical compliance.
ISO 45001:2018
An international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, designed to reduce workplace risks and protect workers.
Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP)
A framework that supports consistent labour data collection and collaboration across the supply chain.
WRAP
Certification focused on lawful, humane, and ethical manufacturing practices.
Reported initiatives at Echotex include:
- Above-minimum wages, with base pay reported at approximately 48% higher than the national minimum
- Performance bonuses based on individual and team performance
- Provident fund and gratuity programs supporting long-term financial security
- Free meals provided during shifts
- Private health insurance for employees and their families
Women hold 162 leadership roles across Echotex’s departments, supported by equal opportunity policies for advancement and access to specialized care, including pre- and post-natal services.
To help offset rising living costs, Echotex also operates EchoMart, an internal program providing essential groceries to workers at prices reported to be 10% to 12% lower than local market rates.
Planet: energy, water, chemicals, and waste systems
Echotex reports an environmental strategy focused on reducing impact across water use, chemical management, energy consumption, and waste systems, supported through established environmental frameworks.
Key standards include:
bluesign®
A comprehensive system supporting responsible chemical use, water stewardship, energy efficiency, and safer production processes.
ZDHC
A framework focused on eliminating hazardous chemicals and improving chemical and wastewater management practices.
ISO 14001:2015
An environmental management system standard designed to support ongoing impact reduction and regulatory compliance.
LEED Platinum
Certification recognizing energy-efficient building design and reduced environmental impact across manufacturing facilities.
Higg Index
Tools used to measure and improve environmental performance across facilities and production processes.
Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)
A global framework promoting responsible water use and shared water stewardship.
Water stewardship at Echotex includes zero liquid discharge systems, with wastewater treated and recycled on site. Reported recycling reaches up to 96 percent through effluent treatment and reverse osmosis, supported by water-efficient dyeing technologies and rainwater harvesting systems across facilities.
On energy and emissions, Echotex operates LEED Platinum-certified facilities and on-site solar power installations reported at approximately 1,200 kWh, with planned expansion. The company has also committed to Science Based Targets, with a reported 42 percent reduction target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.
Waste management includes recycling of fabric waste within production systems where feasible, responsible handling of industrial waste through verified vendors, and repurposing of wastewater treatment sludge for cement use or conversion into organic fertilizer.
Our TENCEL™ program
Our TENCEL™ Lyocell pieces use fibre verified through Lenzing, and we are registered with Lenzing to use the TENCEL™ name. We are now moving TENCEL™ production to a new manufacturing partner. Rather than share details before they are confirmed, we are completing onboarding and verification first. Once that is done, we will publish their details and certifications here, as we do for every partner.
A note on accountability
Transparency is something we continue to build over time. Standards evolve, documentation requirements shift, and systems improve. Our responsibility is to stay clear and accurate about how our garments are made, verifying what we share and working with partners who hold the same standard. We choose long-term trust over simplified narratives, because real transparency is built through consistency, not statements.
