“More and more retailers are interested in organic cotton”
In an interview with Textilwirtschaft, the two Remei CEOs Röttges and Hohmann talk about their strategy and the importance of transparent supply chains.
to the article Textwirtschaft issue no. 15
“Having secure access to organic cotton is becoming a strategic success factor for more and more companies. With the acquisition of BioRe India and BioRe Tanzania, we can ensure this in the long term. By integrating the operations, we have moved even closer together and the chain has become shorter. Sustainability along the value chain is easier to experience: brands and retailers are increasingly interested in it and make use of this benefit,” says Remei Co-CEO Marion Röttges.
“Intercultural cooperation has become even closer and the relationship between organic farms and farmers is more immediate and direct: mutual needs are recognised and integrated more quickly. This new closeness can be felt every day. Processes are becoming easier, and at the same time new personal relationships are emerging. This is very fruitful for our work,” adds Simon Hohmann, who as Remei Co-CEO is responsible for the areas of finance and cotton and yarn trade.
In addition to clothing, the company also sells cotton and yarns. So as a buyer, can I be sure that the products contain only your cotton?
Hohmann: We are involved in the process chain from the very beginning. We are also present with the farmers during the growing season and look after them. The cotton is then certified and goes into the ginning process. Here, too, we make sure that no other cotton is mixed with ours. We then book entire production lines for our yarns. This continues right up to the ready-made garments. So we always know exactly which parts are made from which batch of cotton. We operate a really meticulous flow of goods control.
Röttges: We reversed the direction right from the start. We don’t start with the finished product. In sourcing, you quickly end up in the anonymous cotton market. We virtually steer from the field to the shelf. We consciously want to do business differently. And the company owners, the board of directors and the employees are behind it.
