DIRTS, founded by Philipp in Aschaffenburg, Germany, DIRTS began as a passion project and has since developed into an established fashion label with a community of customers around the brand.
Eleven years later, the company remains small, with a team of ten people, while continuing to develop its approach to materials, production and certification. Philipp describes the ambition behind the brand simply: “We want to make the world of fashion a little better. Our focus is on slow fashion with clear values: honesty, transparency and social responsibility.” For DIRTS, putting those values into practice means looking closely at how its garments are made and working with defined certification requirements rather than relying on broad claims alone.
3,000 Pieces, 70% Certified
DIRTS produces around 3,000 garments each month, and the company reports that approximately 70% of its production is GOTS-certified. Manufacturing takes place in northern Portugal, where the spinning, dyeing and sewing facilities used for these products are located within relatively short distances of one another. “We want to understand our textile production in detail and work with a strong certification alongside our own processes. That’s why we chose GOTS,” Philipp explains.
7,000 km Saved – By Bicycle and Going Above and Beyond
DIRTS also looks at practical changes within its own operations.
For local deliveries within a 25-kilometre radius, the company uses bicycles. DIRTS reports that approximately 7,000 delivery kilometres each year are completed by bicycle rather than motor vehicle. The team has also developed its own approach to Black Friday, choosing to organise a lunch with factory workers rather than running its usual discount promotion. Within its own team, DIRTS also talks openly about inclusion. One colleague with Down Syndrome has been part of the company for more than three years, reflecting the different people and experiences that make up the small team.
Since becoming GOTS-certified, DIRTS says the certification process has also encouraged the company to look more closely at information from its textile value chain and its internal processes. “It’s important to us that we don’t just scratch the surface, but examine the information behind what we communicate,” Philipp says. “For us, that is particularly important when we talk about environmental and social topics.”
The Future: Zero Waste
DIRTS is also thinking about the next stage of its development. One long-term ambition is to operate its own sewing facility and explore ways to reduce waste and keep materials and garments in use for longer.
Rather than treating that ambition as an achieved outcome, the company sees it as an area for continued development. For a team of ten, DIRTS has plenty it still wants to explore. GOTS certification remains one part of that story!
