Is ‘Made in Europe’ the more sustainable choice?
Not automatically. If the sewing workshop is based in Europe but the raw materials come from overseas without proof of origin, there is still a lack of transparency. What matters is not the origin label, but whether someone knows and monitors the entire supply chain. Kustom deliberately sources through China — with its own office on the ground that personally inspects factories.
- Our own office on site
- Swissasia Trading, Shenzhen — since 2011
- Factory visits
- Around 20 factories a year, three weeks of intensive work on site
- Local control
- On average, twice a week on the production floor
- Test levels
- Pre-production check, in-line inspection, final inspection
- Unannounced visits
- Part of everyday life
Why the ‘origin’ label is less meaningful than you might think
‘Made in Europe’ indicates where the final significant stage of processing took place — usually the sewing. It says nothing about the fibre, the yarn, the dyeing process or the conditions under which it was carried out.
That is precisely where the problem lies: if the sewing is done in Portugal but the fabric comes from overseas without proof of origin, the supply chain has not become any more transparent — it’s just that the label sounds better. For us, that is not a solution.
The more honest question is therefore not ‘where does the label come from?’, but ‘who is familiar with the supply chain and who is paying attention?’.
Why we’re deliberately going via China
China remains the heart of the manufacturing industry for textiles and promotional products. For larger volumes, the market is virtually unavoidable — that is the stark reality, and we prefer to acknowledge it rather than gloss over it.
We make the most of this situation: full control and fair standards, enforced through our own office rather than via intermediaries. Swissasia Trading in Shenzhen has been our direct link since 2011 — with the same quality standards as in Gossau.
Where European solutions make sense, we make use of them. It is not a case of one or the other, but rather a question of the specific product.
What monitoring actually involves
Every order follows a set procedure: sample approval, interim checks during production, and final inspection before packaging. In technical terms, these are known as the pre-production check, inline inspection and final inspection.
Added to this is our on-the-ground presence: once a year, we spend three weeks working intensively on site, visiting around 20 factories. The local team is much closer to the action — it monitors production directly on the shop floor an average of twice a week.
Unannounced visits are part of everyday life. Anyone who does not allow transparency or refuses such visits cannot be our partner.
Why on-site monitoring also makes a difference to the environment
Only discovering defects once the goods have reached Switzerland is an environmental sin: by that point, the goods have already travelled halfway round the world before turning out to be unusable.
That is why we intervene at an earlier stage. Identifying and correcting errors straight away on the production line not only saves stress and costs, but also conserves resources and reduces unnecessary emissions. We check everything before the container is sealed.
Frequently asked questions
Is ‘Made in Europe’ automatically more sustainable?
No. The label merely describes the final key stage of processing. If the raw materials come from overseas without proof of origin, the supply chain is no more transparent — it’s just that the label sounds better.
Why does Kustom manufacture its products in China?
Because that is still where the manufacturing expertise lies for larger volumes. Rather than trying to hide this, we opt for full control: we have had our own Swiss office in Shenzhen since 2011, rather than sourcing through intermediaries.
How often are the factories inspected?
The local team visits the production facilities on average twice a week. In addition, we spend three weeks a year working intensively on site, during which time we visit around 20 factories. Unannounced visits are part of this.
What happens if one partner refuses to let the other take control?
In that case, we won’t work with him. Anyone who does not allow transparency or refuses unannounced visits cannot be our partner.
Is there also European procurement?
Yes. Where European solutions make sense, we make use of them — decisions are based on the product, not on principle.