Do all factories under the Hula Global network have third-party certifications?

Not all factories in the Hula Global manufacturing network have formal third-party certifications. This is neither a shortcoming of our supply chain nor a lack of respect for industry-accepted certifications.

Hula Global places great emphasis on internationally accepted certifications, and while we collaborate with certified factories, we also partner with smaller, newer, and more specialized factories that have yet to achieve formal third-party certifications.

Moreover, the cost of international certification for these smaller manufacturing units can be very high. These units, servicing Co-pilot program participants, usually work on low MOQs because of their lower fixed costs.

As a result, we can serve more diverse clients, especially newer and smaller brands and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands that need lower MOQs and more options. A good number of smaller production units in Hula Global’s Co-pilot program do not have third-party certifications. These production units typically focus on low-MOQ, prototype sampling, specialized product development, or early-stage brand production.

Many of these manufacturers possess high craft skill levels and are capable of making high-quality garments. However, they also lack the financial, administrative, and operational resources to secure and retain formal certifications like Sedex, GOTS, WRAP, or SA 8000.

While third-party certifications are an expensive and complicated process that requires ongoing investments in auditing, documentation, and compliance, for large factories that produce at scale for global brands, they are a necessary evil.

For smaller manufacturers that produce in limited quantities, the burdens posed by these requirements can be substantially financially and operationally damaging. Instead of eliminating these suppliers from our network, Hula Global purposefully and responsibly keeps them within an operationally constrained and monitored network.

Even in the absence of formal certifications, all Hula Global partner facilities, large, small, or anywhere in between, are expected to comply with an internal Code of Conduct that Hula Global has instituted.

The foundation of these codes of conduct is the tenets of ethical manufacturing, equitable labor, safe workplace environments, and overall responsible business practices.

A central tenet of the Code of Conduct is the promise of equitable working conditions and fair pay. All factories in the Hula Global network are to ensure that their workers are compensated at least at the minimum mandated by local laws and, to the extent possible, at an economically livable wage.

Factories have to make sure that all of their employees are treated with respect, are not overworked, and are in a safe environment. This means that even unaccredited factories are required to have some licensing for the moral and safe treatment of laborers.

Along with fair pay, the Code of Conduct aims for the provision of safe and clean working conditions. Factories must have good ventilation and lighting, safe machinery to work with, and clean sanitation.

The use of child labor, forced labor, and any kind of discrimination in hiring practices must not take place in any of the production partners, certified or not.

To keep a close watch over the standards, Hula Global conducts an internal self-evaluation and monitoring. While this may not be as rigorous as an external audit, it does utilize regular touchpoints, on-site assessments (when possible), and a review of actions taken to keep the factories in line with Hula Global. This model allows us to keep the smaller manufacturers on the edge of their seats while still providing ethical production. Moreover, with the passage of time, as smaller factories expand and gain more expertise collaborating with global brands, Hula Global actively motivates and assists them in obtaining third-party certifications.

Over the years, many of our partner factories have been able to advance from an uncertified to a certified status, with the help of guided compliance, documentation, and best practices. This strategy helps to elevate the standards of the industry as a whole while still having the ability to access a wide range of manufacturing diversity.

For brands that specifically need to work with certified production facilities, as those that sell in more highly regulated markets, work with large retailers, or sell themselves as fully sustainable or ethically certified,

Hula Global can design a factory relationship with those brands to meet their specific needs to satisfy them for having third-party certifications, while also not compromising on the quality and efficiency of the production.

Concurrently, for emerging brands, indie designers, and startups that need flexibility, speed, and lower MOQs more than formal certifications,

Hula Global’s factory network is a highly functional and scalable answer. These brands can still benefit from the ethical oversight of Hula Global while gradually scaling their production and, if necessary, moving to certified factories.

Hula Global's strategy demonstrates a solid grasp of the complexities of global apparel manufacturing, which, depending on market needs, includes both large, well-certified factories and smaller, artisan-driven workshops.

By incorporating both types of factories into our ecosystem while applying ethical compliance to both ends, Hula Global establishes a supply chain that is flexible, responsible, and easier to manage.

To sum up, even though not all the factories within the Hula Global network possess formal third-party certifications, each partner facility is, nonetheless, expected to comply with a stricter self-imposed Code of Conduct focusing on ethical manufacturing, fair wages, and safe working conditions.

This gives Hula Global the ability to strike a unique balance to support an ecosystem of diverse brands while upholding the principles of responsible transparency in production.

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