Indian Organic Cotton Scores Big in German Football Stadiums
SASI and its partners are taking their successful “From the Field to the Fanshop” initiative into a new phase, using the power of football to advance sustainability in Germany and in India.
On the 18th of November 2025, SASI together with its partners kicked off the second phase of the project ‘From the field to the Fanshop” in the HSV Stadium in Hamburg, Germany. Sustainability and merchandise teams from the eight football clubs, Brands Fashion, Fairtrade, Global Organic Texttile Standard (GOTs) and GIZ came together to discuss how the project partners can ensure lasting impact on the ground. Catharina Fricke, Head of Merchandising, at St. Pauli stated: "We have the responsibility for our Fans and the project farmers to contribute to a sustainable cotton market." Susanne Dienser, Representative at GOTs and Sascha Steinbrück, Head of Merchandising, at Hamburger SV agreed: "The project is part of something bigger than simply supporting the conversion from conventional to organic cotton, it improves the lives of families and the community. Clubs are multipliers by bringing the project’s organic and fairtrade certified articles in the fan shops. In that way fans can become part of the project."
Ensuring the longevity of results
The new phase will bring an additional 16 schools into the activities. They will integrate football and sport in the curricula to enhance social competence and support talent. The projects activities are designed in such a way that topics like gender and climate find their way in on the sport field, schools and farms. Additionally, phase II aims to integrate sports for development and excellences in the official curricula in the project region.
The new phase is marked by a clear commitment of the partners – Brands Fashion, Fairtrade and eight football clubs - to ensure impact and sustainability beyond the project period. Partners have stepped up their financial commitments and finance approximately 70 per cent of the project. The goal is to establish cooperations and structures in such a way that Phase III will be fully managed and financed by the partners themselves, "the objective is that the project becomes a system that functions independently of us." says Hannes Utescher, Advisor at GIZ. Matthias Diestelmann, CEO at Brands Fashion underlined that ensuring longevity of the project is the long term goal: "We are looking to involve more clubs and producers to become part of the project. Not just in Germany but internationally"