STRITEX: OUR STRATEGIC HUB IN WESTERN UKRAINE ​​​​​​​

At the heart of Fristads’ production is Stritex, our own factory in Stryi in western Ukraine, approximately 100 kilometres from the Polish border. At Stritex, we produce many of our most advanced garments, such as multinorm and flame-retardant workwear, as well as products made of circular material. The factory has been in operation for 75 years, from the beginning producing school uniforms for the Soviet Union. Fristads purchased the factory in 2001, and it has been an important production hub for us ever since. Since February 24, 2022, our Ukrainian employees have succeeded with the feat of keeping the production running with minimal disruptions, despite the Russian war of invasion.  

The past few years Stritex has made several important upgrades to the factory, including an improved production flow that contributed to a tripling of the output in just one year. Stritex is also a model of environmental stewardship, generating very little waste. All waste at the factory is separated and almost everything is recycled – paper, plastic and fabric. Small fabric parts are reused as insulation and filling for pillows and sofas. The factory uses energy-efficient sewing machines and an automated heating system with a smart thermostat to conserve energy.

Stryi, the city where Stritex is located, has been largely spared from direct Russian attacks – yet the war is never far away. The workforce is more transient than normal, with entire families leaving for neighboring countries and not returning in the foreseeable future. Sometimes, air raid sirens cut through the workday and the employees go down to the factory’s basement shelter. Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid have triggered blackouts as well, but with its own generator, Stritex has managed to keep production running.

Several Stritex employees have been mobilised by the Ukrainian Army, while a few men in critical positions have been temporarily exempted from deployment. Even though life goes on at the factory, almost everyone has a relative or a neighbour who has been injured or died in the war. Fristads has adapted to the role of wartime employer, and we have stepped up our social and corporate responsibility to new levels, for example by giving financial assistance to workers that have been mobilised for the army and to employees whose close family members have been injured or killed in the war.

Despite the challenges of war, Fristads remains committed to staying in Ukraine and expanding the production. We stay in frequent contact with our management team at Stritex and monitor the situation on the ground closely. If, at some point, it becomes too dangerous to keep the factory open, we will activate a contingency plan to secure production elsewhere and support our employees to the best of our ability. Keeping our colleagues and their families safe is – and will always be – our first priority.

While the war is affecting the mental health of blue-collar workers and management alike, their commitment to the company remains strong. By working, receiving a salary, and paying taxes – which in turn funds the army – our Ukrainian colleagues feel like they are making an important contribution to the defense of their country. The war has also increased the sense of togetherness and urgency of working towards a common goal: victory.

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