Sustainability at mey.
Chronicle of Sustainability
1928
We have been producing fabrics here in Lautlingen, Germany, ever since the company was founded. Today, we still knit around 90 per cent of our fabrics at our headquarters (CR Report 2025).
Ca. 1990
Development and communication of mey environmental initiatives to mey specialist retail customers
1997
“The Swabian Boomerang”: One innovative and successful example is the “Swabian Boomerang” hanger, which was introduced in 1997 and awarded the “Eco-Product of the Year” environmental prize just one year later. This hanger is not disposed of by specialist retailers, but is returned to mey. This hanger recycling system saves several tonnes of waste each year.
2012
In 2012, we became a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER. This partnership supported the development of our systematic chemicals management system and came to an end on 31 March 2021. Today, our chemicals management system is based on EMAS at our German sites and on OEKO-TEX® STeP at all our own sites. Our entire volume of materials is also certified to the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100.
2014
mey has been awarded the Sustainability Prize by Focus Money, with a GOLD rating.
2017
Introduction of GOTS certification for organic cotton products.
2018
– Switch to 100% green electricity (hydropower) at the Lautlingen headquarters
– Six bee colonies have been keeping busy on the company premises since 2018, pollinating the blossoms in the Swabian orchard meadows.
2019
Publication of the first CR report
2020
– OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification for our entire volume of materials
– mey is the first FSC®-certified clothing manufacturer in Germany. All our own cellulose-based fabrics are FSC®-certified.
– Changes to mey packaging: As part of the relaunch, all mey packaging has been switched to recycled (90%) cardboard. All cardboard packaging is FSC-certified. We have also stopped using film lamination and UV varnish on display windows to make recycling easier.
2021
– Switching from plastic hangers to FSC-certified wooden hangers for loungewear and nightwear
– Introduction of the mey Responsible Sourcing Standard for procurement
2022
– Installation of a photovoltaic system at the head office in Germany
– Nomination for the Baden-Württemberg Environmental Award
– Introduction of the EMAS environmental management system
– OEKO-TEX® Made in Green certification for individual Series and products
2023
Extension of our EMAS environmental management system to a second site
2024
– Switch to 100% green electricity at our own production site in Portugal
– Installation of a photovoltaic system at our own production site in Hungary
– Introduction of a systematic risk management framework for due diligence obligations in the supply chain, based on the guidelines of the OECD and the United Nations.
2025
Launch of a circular economy product: Zero Waste Bag
2026
Installation of a photovoltaic system, including battery storage, at the company’s own production site in Portugal
We take responsibility for our actions.
Ever since our foundation in 1928, long-term thinking and a sense of responsibility have shaped the way we operate – today, sustainability is firmly embedded in our corporate mission statement. At mey, we view sustainability as a cornerstone upon which our long-term business success can be secured. By continuously improving our standards and processes, we aim to enable the production of high-quality products with a long service life.
Our production is the core piece of our company.
With three production sites of its own in Germany, Hungary and Portugal, mey is an internationally positioned company. To this day, we still manufacture the majority of our products in our own factories. In addition, we work in partnership with carefully selected partner companies at various stages of the production process.
We are certified and we make the highest demands on ourselves.
Quality and compliance with recognised environmental and social standards are key criteria for our products. Since 2021, our material volumes have been covered by external certifications, including OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, GOTS and FSC®.
Due Diligence Obligations – assuming corporate responsibility out of conviction and tradition
mey takes responsibility throughout the supply chain. From raw material extraction to trading, we operate using transparency and risk management processes. The aim of our risk management is to identify and minimise human rights and environmental risks at an early stage, both within our own business and across our supply chain. In doing so, we adhere to the standards and guidelines set out by the OECD and the UN.
Peruvian Pima cotton. Picked and sorted by hand for premium quality.
The key component of the majority of mey’s products is our high-quality cotton. We source this from a range of suppliers, some of whom we have been working with successfully for over 30 years. Furthermore, innovative farming methods and organic cotton play a major role for mey.
Bees do not only produce honey. They keep the world running.
The abstract concept of sustainability becomes tangible and comprehensible when considered through the example of the situation facing bees. A world without bees would be unthinkable for our biological diversity and, ultimately, for our very survival. Bees are of great importance, and the pollination they provide is indispensable. In recent years, bees have therefore increasingly become an indicator of the health of our environment.
The hanger cycle by mey. An innovation in the lingerie sector for almost 30 years.
mey aims to optimise the use of resources as effectively as possible. One innovative and successful example is the ‘Swabian Boomerang’, which was awarded the ‘Eco-Product of the Year’ environmental prize as early as 1998. The hanger recycling system also helps to secure jobs in the region.