Customers ask, Kaiko answers. 'How do you make sure that the factories have good working conditions for employees?'

Greetings from Ponte de Lima! The majority of our products are manufactured in the Finnish-owned Cottonhouse Lda factory in Northern Portugal. The factory employs 65 people.

The Finnish CEO of Cottonhouse Riikka Keski-Vähälä de Oliveira is responsible for employees, purchases and products. She makes sure that suppliers and partners follow ecological and ethical values.

Cottonhouse maintains their employees' skills through a continuous professional training programme and offers all employees 35 hours of professional training per year. In addition, private health care and occupational safety services guarantee the employees a healthy and safe working environment. The company also follows technological developments closely and machinery is kept up-to-date.

Cottonhouse pays its employees at least the minimum wage or more, depending on the job. In addition to the basic salary, there are incentives for, for example, diligence as well as productivity bonuses. Salary is paid also during summer holidays (3 weeks) and Christmas holidays (1 week). Possible overtime is mutually agreed with the employee and overtime is paid. According to the new textile industry collective agreement in Portugal, overtime of 2 hours/day and a maximum of 200 hours/year is allowed, if necessary. The statutory maternity and parental leave in Portugal is five months. After that, one of the parents may work shorter, six hour days until the child is one year old. Salary is paid for the full eight hours. Also annual salary increases are paid in accordance with laws and regulations.