Transparency matters

We firmly believe that the days of concealing supply chains are over – we compete together with our supply chain and take pride in our partners. Additionally, data sharing is integral to our due diligence strategy. Devold reports annually under the Norwegian Transparency Act, and our most recent report is available here. 

An antidote to greenwashing and bluewashing

Transparency cannot be selective. Devold is pioneering not only wool innovation, but also an unparalleled degree of transparency: We are offering insight into all tier levels – not just the very first. Devold therefore fulfills and goes beyond the demands of the Transparency Pledge. 

To uphold our commitment to transparency, we maintain a customised map from Open Supply Hub that offers visibility into the origins and processing of our fibres and materials used in our products. We have organised these suppliers into lists for clarity and to enhance your understanding of our supply chain structure.

The location of our product manufacturing is clear-cut: over 90 % of our sales volume is manufactured in our own mill. We operate a fully controlled process: We knit the fabric, we cut the fabric, we sow the garments, we add the finishing and, importantly, we pay our staff a living wage. As part of our quality strategy, we source directly where possible, be it our wool, the buttons, zippers, or the labels that are sown onto our products. It means we control the quality process right from the farm.

This direct relation with our supply chain allows us to provide detailed insights. However, it also entails heightened responsibility. There is nowhere else to point the finger. 

Protecting human rights

We firmly believe transparency is a fundamental catalyst for safeguarding workers’ human rights within supply chains. By obstructing insights into our supply chain, we would be acting counter to our human rights commitments. Our Human Rights Policy is available in full here. Our sourcing principles are available here.

While we carefully choose our partners, we acknowledge that due diligence is an ongoing process, as situations may change. To prevent human rights abuses within our supply chain, we choose to share it openly, and encourage stakeholders to flag early concerns regarding labour conditions or climate-related risks that may impact our extended workforce and their communities.

Please reach out to stakeholders@devold.no to raise any concerns you might have.  

This map provides an interactive overview of all our active suppliers. We have included data fields that are important to us and to stakeholders to assess our performance, including the duration of supplier relationships, demographics of workers, the promotion of freedom of association, and the prevalence of type 1 ecolabels that meet the new EU rules to put an end to greenwashing, such as the EU Ecolabel, the Nordic Swan, and GOTS.

In the dropdown under the field Filter by Contributor List, you can select the different lists to visualize and search. For instance, selecting the list “Devold - Sheep to Shop” will return all 34 of our wool growers in New Zealand. The data will be updated biannually, or earlier if there are significant changes to our supply base. The lists show our active suppliers as of May 2024.

* We have omitted one Tier 2 supplier due to trade secret considerations, which will be shared, if relevant, under NDAs.

Devold aims to secure continuous supply of high-quality wool by engaging directly with the value chain and strengthening the wool industry. In 2017, Devold established direct contracts with 11 merino wool growers spread over the South Island of New Zealand, selected based on strict quality criteria. Devold has since worked to further develop the Sheep to Shop program in close cooperation with the wool growers. As a result, there is now a waiting list for interested wool growers to join the partnership. Today, there are 34 partner farms in the program. 

The Sheep to Shop program is vital for several reasons:

• A continuous supply of high-quality wool due to direct sourcing
• An equal partnership, where both parties choose to work with one another
• Long-term contract with fixed prices and a quality bonus, developed together by Devold and the growers, ensuring predictability

Check your hangtag the next time you replace your worn-out garment with one from Devold.