Products. “Developing ideas for tomorrow”

As a leading international company in the premium and luxury segment of the apparel industry, it is a matter of course for HUGO BOSS to live up to its responsibility to consumers. For its collections, the Group uses exclusively materials that meet high quality standards and it ensures that HUGO BOSS products do not pose a health risk.

Correspondingly, HUGO BOSS obliges its suppliers to sign a guarantee declaration on compliance with the Restricted Substances List (RSL). The RSL stipulates that the materials used must comply with the respective national legislation and the Group’s internal guidelines, which are often more stringent than legal minimum standards, and must not pose a health risk either in the production process or to the consumer. HUGO BOSS supports such preventive measures with active tests for hazardous products performed in accredited laboratories which ensure the safety and quality of the products over the long term.

Likewise, HUGO BOSS attaches great importance to avoiding health hazards in the production companies. In this respect, the Group abstains from a procedure known as sandblasting. This procedure refers to the use of sand jets as a method of refining denim products to achieve a “used” look. Using quartz sand for this method without sufficient protective measures can lead to serious damage to employees’ health. The Group does not use any other sandblasting technology and therefore does not employ any other blasting agents.

Animal welfare and protection of biodiversity are similarly central principles of HUGO BOSS’ product responsibility. The Company respects wildlife conservation and thereby supports diversity of species. Any animal testing as well as animal breeding and rearing methods that are not appropriate for the species in question are consequentially rejected. Fur products only account for a very small share of the overall collection. If applied, fur is mostly used for appliqués and trimming on collars, hoods and sleeves.

In addition, HUGO BOSS has been in dialogue with several animal and consumer protection organizations for many years. As a result, the Company has decided, for example, to divert the sourcing of merino wool to sources able to prove that mulesing, which is a painful treatment for sheep, is not being applied.