Responsible use of materials and production is part of our philosophy. We want to actively contribute by promoting transparent supply chains and ensuring fair working conditions. Our managing director Christian Pietsch sees responsible action as a holistic process: progress in one area can have a positive influence on others. That's why we encourage our team to reflect regularly in their everyday work and to identify potential for improvement.
Responsibility in the supply chain
Here you will find some of our measures with which we make a clear contribution in production and beyond:
- We work closely with our manufacturers and regularly check that safe working conditions are maintained and child labor is excluded.
- Our leather is tested externally: TÜV tests on chrome VI and LWG certifications of tanneries with defined standards for water, energy and chemical use ensure traceable quality.
- We use leather as Byproduct of the meat industry and give this material a new, meaningful use.
Repair
We offer a repair service for damaged items. Our customer service is the central contact for repair inquiries and takes care of all the details. Smaller repairs can be carried out in our Gusti stores in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
Reuse and Recycling
If a Gusti product can no longer be repaired, there is the option to recycle it. Through upcycling, new, useful products can be made from old leather. This creates, for example, keychains, small bags, lighter cases, desk organisers, placemats, or bookmarks.
Chrome-free leather
Another step towards sustainability
We are collaborating with new leather manufacturers who will produce sustainable leather. The tannery will supply us with chrome-free leather, which means our production facilities will have cleaner wastewater, contribute less to environmental pollution, and our products will be more biodegradable.
We will source the most sustainable leather from these tanneries. Chrome-free leather is durable and does not affect the performance of the leather. All our products are manufactured with consideration for the environment.
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Chrome tanning according to international standards
Ours Gusti Leder studio-Products are produced by manufacturers who must comply with international production standards such as SA 8000. All types of leather are regularly tested for chromium VI residues in independent laboratories. These tests are carried out both in India and by TÜV SÜD. On our product pages we identify tested products with the TÜV logo.
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Packaging
In our shipping warehouse in Rosówek we rely on resource-saving packaging solutions. Our packages are tailored exactly to the product size to minimize material requirements. We also continue to consistently use the boxes in which the items arrive to us and avoid double packaging in order to avoid additional waste. This volume reduction allowed us to massively reduce the number of transport vehicles: While previously three trucks were needed for transport, today a single vehicle is sufficient thanks to optimized packing management. This leads to an effective reduction in transport-related CO₂ emissions.
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Solar systems in Rostock and Rosówek
In the summer of 2019, our own solar system was installed on the roof of our Rostock office. The energy generated there supplies our office with electricity and makes us energy self-sufficient. The system produces around 27,000 kWh annually – more than our office building needs. The excess electricity is fed into the Rostock public utilities network. A solar system was also installed on the roof of our warehouse in Rosówek to make the energy supply more efficient.
In addition, our websites are operated by hosting partners who use green electricity. This is how we enable an environmentally friendly shopping experience.
E-charging station
In September 2022, our own e-charging station was installed in addition to our office in Rostock. This can be used by all e-vehicle owners, not only by our employees.
Ticket via email
We have decided to send tickets by email to save resources. By replacing paper tickets with digital versions, we save resources and minimize our impact on the environment. A simple and effective measure for conscious consumption.
Responsibility as a process
We at Gusti Leather do not see responsibility as a goal, but as a daily process. From energy self-sufficiency through solar systems at our locations to avoiding packaging waste and our repair service - every step counts. By valuing leather as a valuable by-product and relying on long-lasting designs, we create products that will accompany you for years and enable conscious consumption.
