TSG Hoffenheim is the founder of the first truly fair textile and lifestyle brand – Umoja. From cotton harvest to dyeing, from sewing to shipping, the entire value chain in Uganda is fair and sustainable. The Umoja Tribe is geared for growth and intends to acquire new partners for the development aid movement. It represents a fresh and serious lifestyle brand. The term umoja comes from the Ugandan national language Swahili and means “unity”.
“Making a difference, achieving something together, showing a common attitude for sustainable development and as a leading German football club giving something for the people and nature of the African continent – this is what the umoja brand stands for,” said TSG Managing Director Dr. Peter Görlich.
100 PER CENT MADE IN UGANDA
The umoja collection has been produced 100% in Uganda. The cotton has been grown and harvested in the Kasese region in the west of the country and is certified “Cotton made in Africa”. This high-quality seal means that only small farmers participate, who operate exclusively in rain fed agriculture, that means without any artificial irrigation. Child labour and forced labour are prohibited, equal pay for women and men applies, the use of genetically modified seeds is excluded. However, the fairest and safest conditions are not just for growing and harvesting – the entire creative process right up to the finished product, whether it’s a T-shirt, long sleeve shirt or hoodie (in many variations for women, men and children) is provided in Uganda. Fine Spinners, located in the Ugandan capital Kampala, is a partner of TSG Hoffenheim, and is responsible for further processing. The modern, stylish collection is based on the design of traditional, modern refined ethnic patterns.
The numerous positive effects of local umoja production, from climate protection and the conservation of resources to more and more socially fair working conditions, are combined with the transfer of financial resources: Ten percent of the revenues generated in Germany from the umoja collection flow directly back to the people in Uganda, where TSG Hoffenheim implements concrete initiatives in the fields of education and sustainable development.
In 2020 Thomas Kolster was part of the jury at D&AD Impact Awards and the above campaign reached the shortlist.