The amount was less than 10 orders, the last of which was produced in 2011. The last order was the minimum order quantity that the factory demanded for a trial order, 1500 pieces. In comparison, MASCOT produces more than 4 million garments per year.

Only Trial Orders

MASCOT has by far, most of its production in its own factories in Vietnam – approx. 90% of the total garment production. Our own factories are CSR certified (SA8000 certified). The rest of our production takes place at subcontractors, often in Bangladesh, of which 90% of the subcontracted orders are produced by one supplier, with whom we have had a good cooperation for many years. This supplier is naturally a factory that lives up to the UN Global Compact’s 10 principles. The remaining production takes place in other factories, and the orders are limited. That was exactly the case with the sample orders produced by Phantom Tac in the textile building, Rana Plaza, which collapsed. We only produced a few trial orders because the quality of the goods we received was not up to our quality standards, which meant that MASCOT stopped the cooperation. The value of what was produced was so small that it cannot even be measured in per cent of MASCOT’s turnover.

The Factory Passed the Audit in 2010

When MASCOT initiates a cooperation with a new supplier, MASCOT orders an audit of the potential supplier from an independent institute. MASCOT’s audit is based on the UN Global Compact’s 10 principles, which include the working environment, age, salaries, etc. The audit took place in the collapsed factory back in 2010 (carried out by an independent agent from UL), and the factory was approved for production of trial orders.
The factory was approved by BSCI.

MASCOT Changes Procedures

Until now, an evaluation of the construction of the buildings has not been a demand in MASCOT’s audit. But in the future, it will be. MASCOT is known for very strict requirements, and an evaluation of the buildings is a natural addition. MASCOT has already initiated an evaluation of the building foundation of the factory in which most of our Bangladesh goods are produced.

Like the rest of the world, we do hope that we shall never again experience a tragedy in the textile industry like the one at Rana Plaza.

Facts about MASCOT’s production in Asia

• Approximately 90% of all MASCOT’s clothing is produced in MASCOT’s own factories in Vietnam (all being SA 8000 certified).
• The remaining 10% are trading goods (i.e. finished products) and are mainly T-shirts, sweatshirts and poloshirts. MASCOT does not have the capacity to produce these products in our factories in Vietnam.
• Approximately 90% of the trading goods are produced by one factory in Bangladesh, with which MASCOT has cooperated for many years. The factory lives up to the UN Global Compact’s 10 principles.
• The remaining small part of our production is placed with other suppliers. These suppliers are also audited by MASCOT.