A responsible approach to materials and production is part of our philosophy. We want to actively contribute by promoting transparent supply chains and ensuring fair working conditions. Our CEO, Christian Pietsch, views responsible action as a holistic process: Progress in one area can have a positive impact on others. That’s why we encourage our team to regularly reflect on their daily work and identify opportunities for improvement.
Responsibility in the Supply Chain
Here are some of the measures we’ve taken to make a clear contribution in production and beyond:
- We work closely with our manufacturers and regularly verify that safe working conditions are maintained and that child labor is eliminated.
- Our leather is tested by an independent third party: TÜV tests for chromium VI and LWG certifications of tanneries—which adhere to defined standards for water, energy, and chemical use—ensure traceable quality.
- We use leather as a byproduct of the meat industry and give this material a new, meaningful purpose.
Repair
We offer a repair service for damaged items. Our customer service team is your main point of contact for repair requests and will handle all the details. Minor repairs can be carried out at our Gusti stores in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
Reuse and Recycling
If a Gusti product can no longer be repaired, it can be recycled. Through upcycling, old leather can be turned into new, useful products. For example, this process creates key chains, small bags, lighter cases, desk organizers, placemats, and bookmarks.
Chrome-free leather
We source leather from tanneries that produce chrome-free leather. This results in cleaner wastewater and helps reduce chemical residues in the wastewater.
Chrome-free leather is durable and does not compromise the quality or performance of our products. This is how we ensure that our products are manufactured under responsible conditions.
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Chrome tanning in accordance with international standards
Our Gusti Leder studio products are manufactured by companies that 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 conducted both in India and by TÜV SÜD. On our product pages, we identify products that have been tested by the TÜV logo.
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Packaging
At our distribution center in Rosówek, we rely on resource-efficient packaging solutions. Our packages are tailored precisely to the size of the product to minimize material usage. In addition, we consistently reuse the boxes in which the items arrive at our facility and avoid double packaging to prevent additional waste. Thanks to this reduction in volume, we’ve been able to drastically cut down on the number of transport vehicles: Whereas three trucks were previously needed for shipping, today a single vehicle suffices thanks to our 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, we installed our own solar power system on the roof of our Rostock office. The system generates approximately 27,000 kWh annually, which, in theory, covers more than the total electricity needs of our office building. The surplus electricity is fed into the grid operated by Stadtwerke Rostock. We have also installed a solar power system on the roof of our warehouse in Rosówek to make our energy supply more efficient and reduce our reliance on external electricity.
In addition, our websites are hosted by partners who have demonstrated that they use electricity from renewable energy sources.
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
In September 2022, we installed our own electric vehicle charging station next to our office in Rostock. It is available for use by all electric vehicle owners, not just our employees.
Ticket via Email
We send tickets digitally via email. By eliminating paper tickets, we specifically conserve resources and reduce unnecessary paper waste in our daily lives.
Responsibility as a Process
At Gusti Leather, we don’t view responsibility as a goal, but as a daily process. From generating our own electricity through solar panels at our locations to minimizing packaging waste and offering our repair service—every step counts. By valuing leather as a precious byproduct and focusing on durable designs, we create products that will last you for years and support more mindful consumption.
