Supplier

All the manufacturers that we work with, including external brands, must follow the guidelines in our Supplier Code of Conduct. The code covers areas including human rights, workers’ rights, the environment, anti-corruption and animal welfare. It is based on the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact and its underlying international conventions and declarations. In addition, we naturally comply with EU legislation and guidelines on the environment, product safety and chemicals.

Read our Supplier Code of Conduct here
Read our Code of Ethics here


Factories list

The Stadium Group uses almost 180 factories, primarily in China, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan, to make our own-brand products. Together with the wider industry, we need to show considerable responsibility for production- and work-related issues in the factories. To contribute to sustainable development and make a real difference, we need to work with other brands, companies and organisations in Sweden and in the production countries.

View our factories list here

Chemicals

We work actively to ensure that our production does not contain substances and chemicals that may cause skin irritation, allergies, cancer or negative impacts on the environment.

In dealing with chemicals, we follow the stringent restrictions and recommendations in the EU’s chemicals regulation REACH. According to REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006), anyone that manufactures, imports or sells a product that contains 0.1% or more of certain substances is obliged to provide information about this to consumers who request it. The duty to inform applies to substances inscribed on the EU’s Candidate List. These substances are particularly hazardous due to properties that are harmful to health and the environment.

Stadium has been a member of the Chemicals Group since 2012, and it has since grown into a network of over 140 member companies. The Chemicals Group passes on the latest knowledge in chemical- and eco-related issues to member companies in the textile and electronics industries. Together, we are preventing the occurrence of undesirable chemicals in goods such as textiles, shoes and electronics.

RSL

In 2015, the Stadium Group began work on creating a Restricted Substance List (RSL) – a list of chemicals and substances that we want to restrict or phase-out in production from 2016 onward. Our list sets higher standards than are required by law. Some of the substances that have proved a major challenge in production and that we are extremely keen to avoid in products are PFAS, phthalates and antibacterial treatments.

PFAS

Perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS) have many names, and may also be referred to as PFC, fluorocarbons or perfluorinated substances. These are a water- and dirt- repellent treatment that has long been used in the clothing industry. In clothing production, these substances are used, amongst other things, to impregnate textiles.

PFAS are on the EU’s List of Substances of Very High Concern, because they have been proven to contain endocrine disruptors, which can affect reproduction, and are also suspected of potentially causing cancer. In addition, the substances are extremely slow to biodegrade.

At Stadium, we say no to PFAS. We have phased out PFAS from our range at Stadium. However, we should note that certain outdoor materials in a very small number of products for external brands still contain PFAS. For these very few products, a joint strategy is in place with the brands concerned to replace these with materials offering the same functionality without PFAS.

The alternatives that we at Stadium choose to use are free from these perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS). Instead of PFAS, we use a non-fluorinated, bio-based and sustainable water-repellent finish.

From 2020, we are also selling only fluoro-free ski wax in all our sales channels.

Stadium has published our sustainability vision and direct statements to our suppliers on what we are choosing to remove from our range to make it more eco-friendly. One of these statements is that the products is to be free from PFAS.

Read more about PFAS and how the industry works with it here.

PVC and phthalates

Since 2016, we have completely banned soft PVC material in our range and we ensure that the chemical content of products does not breach the legal requirements concerning phthalates. We also set strict requirements to encourage our suppliers in the production chain to improve in this area, requiring that they comply with our chemicals requirements, for example.

Microplastics

Microplastics is a catchall term for all small plastic fragments up to 5 mm in size. They are either manufactured or formed through wear on plastics. Microplastics can sometimes be released from fleeces and synthetic garments during production, use and laundering. Stadium’s aim is to find design solutions to eliminate the problem that microplastics are being released from the materials currently on the market.

From 2020, we are explaining to our suppliers, in a collective document, how we want them to work on minimising emissions of microplastics. In the document, we highlight factors in the production process such as fabric brushing, water filtration, cutting, air quality and laundering.

Since there is a risk of microplastics being released throughout a product’s lifetime, not just in production but also in daily use, a special type of washing bag that we sell is a good way for individuals to reduce the rate of dispersal. Using the washing bag means that the shed microplastics are trapped in the washing machine instead of ending up in watercourses. You can also find out more about making your laundry more eco-aware here.

BPA and bioplastics

All Stadium’s own water-bottles are made from bioplastic and are produced in Sweden. The energy used for the manufacturing process comes from wind and hydro power, meaning minimal environmental impact. Bioplastic bottles look and feel exactly like ordinary sports bottles; the difference is that they don’t burden our planet with unnecessary carbon emissions. Bioplastic has the same properties as regular plastic, but the raw material is renewable, using waste products from sugar cane instead of oil.

Antibacterial substances

We want to minimise the use of antibacterial substances in the products we offer. Reports from the Swedish Chemicals Agency and others show that antibacterial substances provide no positive clinical benefits, and so we see no reason to use them in our products. It is our responsibility as a sports chain to control and prevent all risks that may cause harm. By excluding antibacterial materials, we are able to offer our customers safer and more eco-friendly products.

Water

Minimising the use of water is a major challenge for all textile producers. For us at Stadium it is a priority issue, which is why we are investing heavily in the energy- and water-efficient Solution Dye technique, amongst other things. This technique for colouring the products is a sound way for us to minimise our environmental impact.

We have been using Solution Dye since 2010, so much of our total production is already dyed this way, and the aim is to constantly step this up. Stadium currently purchases fabrics from suppliers who use this technique for both woven and knitted material. In contrast to more traditional dyeing of whole fabrics, which requires large amounts of water, energy and carbon dioxide, the fabric’s fibres are coloured with Solution Dye right from the start. The fibres are then spun into threads and woven into fabric, removing the need to use enormous amounts of water and energy to add the dye at this point.

According to average figures, the approximate savings from Solution Dye, compared with traditional dyeing techniques, are:

Water: 80%
Energy: 60%
Carbon dioxide: 60%
Chemicals: 60%

Animal welfar

Animals have the right to be treated humanely and to have their basic needs met. Our production requirements concerning animal welfare are based on The Five Freedoms drawn up by the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Down

We support the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) in our use of down and 100% of the down products that we manufacture ourselves are RDS-certified. The standard ensures that the animals are treated with dignity throughout the supply chain and prohibits the plucking of down from live birds and birds that have been force-fed. This is done by giving the industry tools to ensure that down and feathers do not come from birds subjected to suffering and a system that makes the origin of the material traceable. We ensure that all the down sold at Stadium is traceable and produced in line with the widely recognised Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare.

In the winter season 2019, we also joined forces with re:down, as a result of which we now use only recycled down in some of our jackets.

Fur-free

Here at Stadium we took the decision to be a fur-free chain in 2001. In an agreement with Animal Rights Sweden, we have undertaken not to sell any products containing fur in our stores. This applies to both our in-house and external brands.

Mulesing

Stadium distances itself from all unethical treatment of animals in the production process. We do not accept mulesing (an action performed on sheep in Australia aimed at preventing them from being attacked by flies) and our range only contains merino wool products that are documented as being mulesing-free.

Angora

We do not permit angora in our product range.

Sustainable and recycled material

Our goal is for our in-house production to use 100% sustainable textile materials by 2025, and by sustainable materials, we mean materials that reduce the environmental impact and promote a fairer production process. These might be materials made from recycled cellulose or textiles coloured with the water-saving process Solution Dye. A more sustainable material should be easy to recycle at the end of its life but also last well so it can be re-used many times over.

Sustainable materials and their composition are important in making the recycling process as simple as possible. When working on product development, we have a strong focus on making the product last a long time in the best interests of the environment.

Sustainable cotton

Organic cotton has less of a negative impact on the environment because it is grown naturally from non-genetically-modified crops, without the use of synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. The absence of these harmful substances in the growing process also creates healthier conditions for the growers and workers.

In our partnership with Better Cotton, which began in 2017, we are committed to using 100% sustainable cotton. Sustainable cotton covers Better Cotton, organic cotton, recycled cotton and other eco-certified cotton alternatives.

Recycled material

Stadium is collaborating with Siptex and Sysav to establish a future textile flow for the circular developments we need in order to produce new materials. In our view, old textiles that cannot be re-used are potential new raw materials that can help to reduce the impact on our planet. We have placed an extra focus on polyester because we use many functional materials in our own production of sportswear.

Read more about our collaboration with Sysav here

Much of the material used in our own brands is recycled polyester made from old PET bottles. On average, it takes 7-10 plastic bottles to make a top and a pair of tights. We also work hard to recycle old textiles.

Our plastic bags are made from recycled plastic. Since 1 June 2017, we have been following the EU Directive on reducing the use of plastic bags by charging for them in all our stores, concepts, formats and events. The price depends on the size of the bag, and all profits are used in full for our collaborations, initiatives and projects aimed at helping, in various ways, to make the world a more active and sustainable place. Read more about where the money goes here.

The hangers in our new stores are polystyrene and will be used in our stores for 10 years before they are sent for recycling. In-store material has a focus on re-use, for example in the form of long-life materials and reusable signs.

re:activate

Don’t throw your sports gear away. We welcome any worn, scuffed and broken items, which we collect up and work with Human Bridge to dispatch for recycling or re-use. The sports products you no longer have a use for can be dropped into Human Bridge’s collection boxes, which can be found in all of Stadium’s stores.

A small gesture from you can mean a great deal to someone who really needs it. You can give someone a chance for a better life while at the same time helping to save the planet’s resources by extending the useful life of existing products.