We recognise the urgency to protect our natural environment.

Hand Organic underwear is natural, organic, and made with care and consideration. Our commitment is ethical and sustainable practices. Our gesture, a conscious way of consumption.

Organic certification assures the quality and consistency of all our garments and we make every effort along the way to work with those making the conscious effort to create change.

We are happy to answer any questions you have about our production process. 

Below you will find information about the incredible organisations who share our vision for today. 

OUR CERTIFICATIONS

AUSTRALIAN CERTIFIED ORGANIC - ACO

Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is Australia’s largest certifier for organic and biodynamic produce and has over 1500 operators within its certification system. ACO is a not for profit fully-owned subsidiary of Australia Organic Ltd.

ACO provides certification services to operators from all sectors of the organic industry. Certification ensures compliance with national production standards and allows traceback of all products to their origin.

FAIRTRADE COTTON

Fairtrade is a movement for change that works directly with businesses, consumers and campaigners to make trade deliver for farmers and workers. The international Fairtrade system (which the Fairtrade Foundation is a part of) represents the world's largest and most recognised fair trade system. They are a global organisation working to secure a better deal for farmers and workers.

Fairtrade is unique working with businesses, consumers and campaigners.

Farmers and workers have an equal say in everything they do. Empowerment is at the core of Fairtrade.

The Fairtrade mission is connecting disadvantaged farmers and workers with consumers, promote fairer trading conditions and empower farmers and workers to combat poverty, strengthen their position and take more control over their lives.

Fairtrade cotton was launched to put the spotlight on these farmers who are often left invisible, neglected and poor at the end of a long and complex cotton supply chain. Through tools like the Fairtrade Minimum Price and an additional Fairtrade Premium and stronger, more democratic organisations, Fairtrade has sought to provide these farmers with an alternative route to trade and higher, more stable incomes.

GOTS

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.

The aim of the standard is to define world-wide recognized requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.Textile processors and manufacturers are enabled to export their organic fabrics and garments with one certification accepted in all major markets.

https://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html

 

OEKOTEX 100

The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels, as well as accessory materials used. Examples of articles that can be certified: raw and dyed/finished yarns, woven and knitted fabrics, accessories, such as buttons, zip fasteners, sewing threads or labels, ready-made articles of various types (garments of all types, domestic and household textiles, bed linen, terry products and much more).

Since its introduction in 1992, the central focus of the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® has been the development of test criteria, limit values and test methods on a scientific basis. On the basis of its comprehensive and strict catalogue of measures, with several hundred regulated individual substances, the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® takes account of:

Important legal regulations, such as banned Azo colourants, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol, cadmium, nickel, etc.

Numerous harmful chemicals, even if they are not yet legally regulated.

Requirements of Annexes XVII and XIV of the European Chemicals Regulation REACh as well as of the ECHA SVHC Candidate List insofar as they are assessed by expert groups of the OEKO-TEX® Association to be relevant for fabrics, textiles, garments or accessories. Discussions and developments that are considered to be relevant are taken into account as quickly and effectively as possible through updates to the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® requirements.

Requirements from the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) regarding lead.

Numerous also environmentally relevant substance classes

With its decades of experience, the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, therefore, contributes to high and effective product safety from a consumer’s point of view. Test criteria and limit values in many cases go far beyond applicable national and international standards. Extensive product checks and regular company on-site visits also ensure that the industry has a globally sustainable awareness of the responsible use of chemicals. With this concept, the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® has taken on a pioneering role for many years.

Laboratory tests and product classes

The OEKO-TEX® tests for harmful substances are fundamentally based on the respective purpose of the textiles and materials. The more intensive the skin contact of a product and the more sensitive the skin, the stricter the human-ecological requirements that need to be complied with.

Accordingly, a distinction is made between four product classes:

Product class I: 
Articles for babies and toddlers up to 3 years of age (underwear, rompers, clothing, bed linen, terry products etc.)

Product class II:
Articles that are worn close to the skin (underwear, bed linen, t-shirts, socks etc.)

Product class III:
Articles used away from the skin (jackets, coats etc.)

Product class IV:
Decoration/Furnishing materials (curtains, tablecloths, upholstery covers etc.)

Certification

The precondition for the certification of products in accordance with STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is that all parts of an article meet the required criteria - in addition to the outer fabric, for example, also the sewing threads, inserts, prints etc., as well as non-textile accessories, such as buttons, zip fasteners, rivets etc.

Additional preconditions are the existence and application of operational quality assurance measures, as well as the legally binding signing of undertakings and conformity declarations by the applicant.

ISO 14001 & ISO 9001

ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organisation with a membership of 163 national standards bodies, developing International Standards that provide solutions to global challenges.

ISO 14001 specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that organisations use to reduce their negative environmental impact and contribute to the environmental “pillar of sustainability”.

The intended outcome of ISO 14001 is to:

Enhance environmental performance

Fulfilment of compliance obligations

Achieve environmental objectives

ISO 9001 specifies requirements for a quality management system to ensure that products meet statutory regulations and requirements, as well as consistency for the customer. In this way it aims to enhance customer satisfaction.

All the requirements of ISO 9001 are generic and are intended to be applicable to any organisation, regardless of its type or size, or the products it provides.

Hand Organic certification affirms the quality assurance and consistency of all our garments.

HOME COMPOSTABLE AS 5810 ABAP 20001

The Australian Standard, AS5810, certification of products in accordance with the certification scheme for “Biodegradable plastics – Biodegradable plastics suitable for home composting AS 5810 – 2010.”

To be certified compostable and carry the Home Compostable Verification logo, suitable biopolymer materials must undergo a stringent test regime outlined by AS 5810-2010 and carry out by recognised independent accredited laboratories to the Australian Standard AS 5810-2010.

Once successful testing is complete, application for formal certification can be made to the ABA directly via your supplier of biodegradable products. In turn, the ABA has enlisted an independent third party testing laboratory to evaluate applications. If successful then an invitation is sent by ABA to license the Home Compostable logo by payment of nominal fee and signing a license agreement. Successful applicants will then be licensed to use the logo along with their unique certification number.

VINCOTTE S58 HOME OK COMPOST

SEEDLING

TÜV AUSTRIA (formerly Vinçotte) is a certification body authorised by European Bioplastics and may, therefore, award the Seedling logo to products that are in compliance with EN 13432. By awarding both the OK compost and the Seedling logo, TÜV AUSTRIA’s certificate holders have a way to give their compostable products recognition throughout the entire European market.

OK COMPOST HOME

Owing to the comparatively smaller volume of waste involved, the temperature in a garden compost heap is clearly lower and less constant than in an industrial composting environment. This is why composting in the garden is a more difficult, slower-paced process.
TÜV AUSTRIA’s innovative answer to this challenge was to develop OK compost HOME to guarantee complete biodegradability in the light of specific requirements, even in your garden compost heap.

It is worth noting that if a product is certified ‘Home’ Compostable that means it is also suitable for Commercial Composting. It will break down even faster under commercial composting conditions.

REACH CERTIFIED

REACH is the European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It entered into force in 2007, replacing the former legislative framework for chemicals in the EU. REACH shifts the responsibility from public authorities to the industry with regards to assessing and managing the risks posed by chemicals and providing appropriate safety information for their users. It impacts on a wide range of companies across many sectors beyond the chemical industry. It requires new forms of cooperation among companies, enhancing communication along the supply chain, as well as developing tools to guide and assist companies and public authorities in its implementation.

The main aims of REACH are to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment, including the promotion of alternative test methods, as well as the free circulation of substances on the internal market and the enhancement of competitiveness and innovation.

ROHS CERTIFIED

Rohs stands for restriction of hazardous substances. Rohs, also known as directive 2002/95/ec, originated in the European union and restricts the use of specific hazardous materials found in electrical and electronic products. All applicable products in the EU market after July 1, 2006 must pass rohs compliance.

The substances banned under RoHS are lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (CrVI), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), and four different phthalates (DEHP, BBP, BBP, DIBP).

RoHS compliance is important as these restricted materials are hazardous to the environment and pollute landfills, and are dangerous in terms of occupational exposure during manufacturing and recycling

OUR SUPPLIERS

TEXTILE DEVELOPMENT

ABMT Australia

Located 40kms west of Melbourne’s CBD and Shipping Port, the Australian base is ABMT’s hub for Research and Development, as well as being the manufacturing base for ABMT’s Merino Wool, Organic Cotton and Fashion Fabric programs.

ABMT’s extensive assortment of knitting machines, in single jersey, double knit and jacquard, combined with the latest in low liquor ratio dyeing machines and broad finishing capabilities such as compaction and brushing, provide an almost limitless scope in circular knits. With the flexibility of local Australian production, ABMT offers MOQ’s as low as 500mts per order.
ABMT Australia is proud of its record in significantly lowering the environmental impact normally associated with textile manufacturing and also for the use of sustainable products and practices. Cleaner production measures were incorporated into the original design of the Australian plant.

Ongoing projects are always taking place to reduce electricity, gas and water usage.
With a full on-site 5 stage water treatment plant, up to 85% of ABMT water is able to be reused, either back through the manufacturing process or via 3rd party recycled water programs for agriculture parklands and industry.

ABMT is a fully certified processor of Organic Cotton knits under the guidance of Australian Certified Organic (ACO) with all fibre, dyes and auxiliaries are GOTS certified.

Accreditation / Certification

OekoTex 100

Australian Certified Organic

ISO9001 – Quality Management System (Aus)

ISO14001 – Environmental Management System (Aus)

Fairtrade Certified – Organic Cotton

MANUFACTURING

CCC

CCC Manufacturing is locally owned and based in Brisbane.

CCC Manufacturing undertake a mindful approach to sustainability throughout all assets of the business. From recycling and upcycling material to donating off cuts to different organisations.

At CCC Manufacturing their state of the art equipment and diverse high-tech fit out allows us to specialise in cutting, digitising & the grading of patterns. No cutting order is too small for their highly trained team and attention to detail and expertise combined the best equipment around ensures fast turnaround times for bulk cutting orders.

CCC is proudly accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia and are licensed to display Australian-Made.

Hand Organic wishes to demonstrate we not individually package our garments in plastic or any other matter. All garments after manufacturing are processed with quality and control department where they are, pressed and packaged into a paper lined box.

ELASTICS

Composition of GOTS Certified Organic Cotton

ISO9001 – Quality Management System

LABELS

GOTS Certified Organic Cotton

ISO 14001 & ISO 9001

PACKAGING

Our goal is to run a ‘zero waste’ enterprise through re-use/re-purposing, recycling and composting.

BETTER PACKAGING CO.

After working with couriers and eCommerce for years, Better Packaging Co. became aware and frankly horrified, at the amount of plastic waste the industry was generating.

Better Packaging Co. mission is to find the world’s most sustainable packaging solutions, solutions that consider the complete lifecycle impact of a product from raw material sourcing, right through to end-of-life disposal.

The comPOST Satchel Packs Hang Organic use meet a number of stringent tests for Composability. The Australian Standard, AS5810, is one of the toughest to achieve (they even check to make sure the products are non-toxic to worms!) and we’re proud to say our products pass with flying colours. Our packs also have the following certifications OK Compost Home / Vincotte and Seedling;

Better Packaging Co is a team of passionate individuals determined to improve the state of the environment. Having seen firsthand the amount of plastic waste generated by the eCommerce industry the company’s founders – Rebecca and Kate, decided to start with courier packaging.

Better Packaging Co-design revolutionary, customised packaging solutions for the new “eco-nomy”– a circular economy in which generating waste is not an option and the earth’s resources are not treated as infinite.

Better Packaging Co is an Australian Ltd company. Headquarters are in New Zealand (with an ABN) as well as a NZ Ltd Co. with warehousing and distribution in both countries as well as the USA.