Our products

In the area of merchandising, we now work with more than 100 producers. To ensure a certain uniformity in our products despite the large number of suppliers, there are product standards to which our suppliers must adhere. This does not always work 100% of the time, but our aim for the future is to come very close to 100%. 

Examples of product standards are

• When using cotton as a raw material, it is mandatory to use organically grown cotton
• If polyester is used for textiles, recycled polyester must be used
• No individual packaging of textiles in plastic bags
• No plastic packaging for pins, key rings and other smaller fan articles
• Use of FSC-certified paper for packaging

The following criteria are generally important to us when selecting products:

• Is the packaging made from sustainable or recycled material and can it be recycled in an environmentally friendly way?
• Does the manufacture of the product meet our sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially responsible expectations?
• Is the product either manufactured near the place of distribution or transported in a climate-friendly manner (e.g. Made in Germany or transported by container ship)?
• Is organic material or other sustainable material used for production or is environmentally harmful material at least recycled (wristbands made from ocean plastic and jerseys made from recycled PET bottles)?

As the styles in the Greenkeeper collection are generally also manufactured according to GOTS and Fairtrade standards, which means minimum wages and generally better working conditions for farmers and seamstresses, as well as no poison or genetically modified seeds in organic cotton production, the products are generally slightly more expensive than conventionally manufactured products. Nevertheless, we try to ensure that the products remain affordable and believe that the higher quality of the fabrics and products means that the customer ultimately receives added value.

The slightly higher price is determined by

• Minimum wages in the production of raw materials and in manufacturing
• Seal - certification
• Country of manufacture, e.g. Europe instead of the Far East
• Manual labour instead of machine production
• Higher quality raw materials and materials

Since 2017, we have been offering a range of selected Eintracht Frankfurt styles under the name "Greenkeeper highlights". Greenkeeper is a play on words from "Goalkeeper" and "Green" is intended to combine naturalness, environmental compatibility and sustainability. The collection is also designed to be stylish and look good in leisure time and at the stadium. The GOTS standard* has always been emphasised for the materials used. 

Facts about the Eintracht Frankfurt Greenkeeper highlights:

• Established since 2017
• Products made from organic cotton with GOTS standard*
• Stylish and with Eintracht reference
• Fairtrade produced

*More information about GOTS here: https://global-standard.org/de/der-standard/philosophie

As already mentioned in the product selection section, one of the important points when selecting products is the type of material. For us, sustainability means that we increasingly use raw materials that have been recycled or upcycled wherever possible.

Use of recycled materials: 

• Nike Eintracht jerseys made from PET polyester material

Use of upcycled materials:

• Manufacturer Dirts, which produces new styles for men and women from our older jersey models from years gone by, giving them a new lease of life with a lot of love and craftsmanship
• Startup Airpaq, which produces stylish upcycled backpacks and daypacks from old car parts.
• Pomkaland, who make children's shirts and trousers from old jerseys

• What is the point of packaging?

Of course, it is always best if there is no packaging. But unfortunately, packaging is usually unavoidable when goods are shipped from A to B. Even delicate goods such as beakers, glasses, cups and light-coloured T-shirts or hoodies need to be protected from dirt and breakage. Packaging therefore serves as protection and also makes transport easier. In the past, almost all fan clothing and many other fan articles were packaged in plastic by the manufacturer, which of course has the advantage that you can see the goods and they are still protected. For the fan shops, however, every item of clothing had to be unpacked before being ironed or laid out.

Packaging is required for:

• Transport
• Protection against breakage
• Protection against soiling (e.g. white T-shirts)

• But the future should look different: 

In shipping, organic chips, corrugated cardboard cushioning mats or biodegradable bubble wrap could replace polystyrene and conventional plastic bubble wrap. From recyclable mailing bags (RePack) or a deposit scheme for cardboard boxes to reusable plastic boxes (DPD ShuttleBox), there is a lot possible here.

There is paper adhesive tape or adhesive tape made from recycled materials, which have already replaced plastic adhesive tape.

Already in use or in planning:

• Use of organic packaging material
• Use of reusable packaging (DPD ShuttleBox)
• Use of recycled and recyclable material
• Use of reusable packaging and deposit solutions
• Paper carrier bags made from recycled and sustainable paper with the "Blue Angel" seal

In the fan shop, we have been using paper carrier bags for over 15 years, which are now produced even more sustainably (Blue Angel). These are of high quality and can be used more often. A small contribution towards costs is intended to help prevent waste through direct disposal.