What are the certifications available with Hula Global?

Traditionally, Hula Global has worked with internationally recognized certification systems, which incorporate quality, compliance, traceability, and responsible conduct in the textile and apparel supply chain.

However, the company has had to adapt its certification strategies due to a range of industry concerns, the scrutiny directed toward ‘greenwashing’, and the practical certification realities in global manufacturing systems.

For example, in the past, Hula Global had a Sedex certification, which is a widespread social compliance and ethical trade certification in the apparel and textile industry.

Sedex allows companies to map, assess, and improve the working conditions in their supply chains through the sharing of audit transparency. It was due to certifications like Sedex that Hula Global was able to substantiate its advocacy for ethical sourcing, labor compliance, and safe working environments when many global brands were demanding such certifications from their suppliers.

Furthermore, Hula Global possessed REX certification for Europe pertaining to preferential origin certification under the EU Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

This certification applies to brands exporting to the European markets since it simplifies the customs and compliance processes for the trade regulations. It guaranteed that products created in Hula Global’s network met the requirements to qualify for lower duties and/or preferential trade treatment.

Hula Global also successfully retained the ISO 9001:2015 certification, pertaining to international standards for quality management systems. This certification demonstrated that the company had in place management systems that promoted consistent and improved processes and customer satisfaction.

ISO 9001 certification emphasizes organizational streamlining, documentation, and management of risks and systems, and quality control, which underscore Hula Global’s dedication to operational excellence.

In recent years, major third-party certification bodies like Sedex and the Higg Index have come under fire for potential greenwashing and a lack of transparency. From certification bodies to the media, there have been complaints that some certification programs do not work accurately, or perhaps, the working conditions do not exist, or the environmental impact has not been verified.

Consequently, several brands and manufacturers, including Hula Global, have begun to evaluate the level of dependence placed on many third-party certifications as the final word on sustainability or ethical standing.

Hula Global has plenty of companies as it makes this transition. Several prominent global brands and retailers have expressed the need to publicly question or revise their certification strategies, as some auditing processes are seen primarily as public relations tools.

Hula Global, for instance, prefers to substantively and reputationally move away from certification and instead focus on rigorous, legally binding internal standards within its manufacturing ecosystem.

Consequently, Hula Global is the first to develop a hybrid certification strategy. This means Hula Global operates both self-certified factories under its own Hula Global Assurance and third-party certified partner factories.

This means Hula Global is able to enjoy the flexibility to integrate self-certified and third-party certified partner factories, and maintain flexibility within its operational standards of quality, ethics, and compliance.

Self-certified factories under Hula Global Assurance have to follow the internal code of conduct of Hula’s Global Compliance and Operations teams on quality and ethical self-assessments.

This code of conduct mandates fair wages, safe working conditions, no child labor, no forced labor, reasonable working hours, and responsible environmental practices. While these factories are not certified by external auditors, they are monitored, uninterrupted, by Hula Global.

Hula Global also partners with factories that have legitimate third-party certifications. These are necessary for Hula Global’s end clients who possess regulatory, retail, or branding requirements around these certifications. These include:

These certifications are a prerequisite for brands operating in the sustainability, ethics, or eco-friendly sphere.

Hula Global’s mixed strategy makes it possible to accommodate all brand sizes and priorities. Established, larger brands needing strict third-party compliance can operate with fully certified factories.

Smaller and emerging brands, however, can operate with self-certified factories under Hula Global Assurance, allowing them to scale up without having to deal with high certification costs right from the beginning.

Overall, Hula Global’s position on certifications is indicative of broader industry realities, i.e., the industry of certifications is a useful one, but certifications themselves can never be a substitute for a well-defined regime of oversight, transparency, and accountability in the industry.

With the combination of certification and self-assured systems, Hula Global attempts to achieve a more pragmatic and trustworthy manufacturing ecosystem.

To sum up, Hula Global’s certification history includes Sedex, REX, and ISO 9001:2015, and it is currently using a dual system of self-certified factories under Hula Global Assurance and third-party certified factories operating under SEDEX, BCI, WRAP, SA 8000, GOTS, ECOCERT, and OEKO-TEX.

This model is designed to address industry challenges while maintaining high levels of ethics and quality for the customers.

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