NEW YORK - An initiative between US-based non-profit organisation Goodwill Industries International and Accelerating Circularity has received US$1.2 million from the Walmart Foundation to develop skills, systems and infrastructure to transform unsellable textile donations into recycling feedstock.
Accelerating Circularity works with a number of brands, retailers, recycling innovators and non-profits on textile recycling trials in both North America and Europe as part of its mission to turn spent textiles into mainstream raw materials.
Below we have provided some links to key not-for-profit organisations involved in sustainability and the textile industry. This list is not by any means exhaustive, but if you think we have missed an NGO or an important institute, then please let us know.
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Sponsored Content
SPONSORED CONTENT - The textile industry constantly faces challenges like the growing demand for sustainable textiles, compliance with environmental regulations, water consumption issues, and waste management. These challenges can hinder the overall manufacturing process and ultimately lead to decreased quality of production and products.
At Archroma, we believe that our solutions and processes can offer brands and mills improved operational excellence throughout their textile value chain and create differentiation for economic, technological and environmental sustainability.
ONE WAY+ is designed to help mills and brands adopt the best practices for improved productivity and efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
The program is a three-phase process of establishing the baseline, process design and implementation, and ongoing improvement. Tailor-made for selected customers, it draws on the expertise of a curated team of Archroma processing experts and leverages specialist tools and technologies, including Archroma’s ONE WAY Impact Calculator combined with Sustainability Improvement Program.
“By signing up to our ONE WAY+, brands and mills will receive expert support to achieve their sustainability targets and comply with relevant regulations and standards at the same time as significantly enhancing the quality, performance and added value of their products,” Anish Paliwal, Market Segment Director, CEL & Blends, WO Casual, Formal & Home Textiles, Archroma Textile Effects, said.
Mills that adopt Super Systems+ through the ONE WAY+ process can expect enhanced productivity and reduced resource utilization and utilities costs; in addition, also cleaner chemistry and the co-development of new aesthetics and functionalities. Participation in the ONE WAY+ process also indicates to brand partners that mills are committed to remaining sustainable by adopting global best practices and using products that are compliant with current and future regulatory requirements.
Brands that work with Archroma under ONE WAY+ will be supported with a roadmap to their sustainability targets. They will gain a better understanding of the sustainability status of their current suppliers and how this impacts their supply chain.
From base-line audit to results review, ONE WAY+ is usually carried out over 16 weeks, with a team of two or three Archroma experts working closely with the customer’s technical teams.
Archroma’s ONE WAY+ is a core pillar of the company’s “Planet Conscious+” vision. With the industry’s most extensive product portfolio and a comprehensive global footprint, Archroma has the expertise and drive to accelerate the textile and fashion industry’s transition to the most sustainable processes and lead it towards a more sustainable future.
SPONSORED CONTENT - The global discourse surrounding chemical restrictions within supply chains has become a focal point of political discussion. Insights from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA, 2023) reveal that 70% of the export volumes of hazardous substances pertain to industrial chemicals. These chemicals are utilized by companies across diverse sectors, often without full awareness. Fostering effective communication between downstream users and suppliers helps to facilitate the seamless flow of information. As concerns escalate regarding harmful chemicals prevalent in the textile and leather industry, coupled with growing criticism of lax regulatory measures, the industry is gearing up for a positive transformation.
The international OEKO-TEX® association supports textile and leather brands and manufacturers by facing these challenges with their modular certification system. The ECO PASSPORT certification for chemicals, colourants and auxiliaries analyses whether each ingredient in the chemical product meets the legal requirements and that it is not harmful to human health. The label proves which chemicals meet responsible textile and leather manufacture. The 24% increase in OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT certifications in the past fiscal year reflects the interest in solutions to its chemical management.
Companies working with OEKO-TEX® can benefit from a global network of certified suppliers to facilitate the sourcing of chemicals, materials, and business partners. Additionally, OEKO-TEX® is focusing on partnerships with multi-stakeholder initiatives to include as many different perspectives as possible and allow all parties to benefit from the cooperation. In this framework, OEKO-TEX® has strengthened its collaboration with ZDHC in 2023 to enhance the industry’s environmental performance. „Although we have been collaborating with ZDHC for over five years, this formal agreement will augment the benefits of both organisations to brands and their suppliers, “says OEKO-TEX® „Our goal is to share learning and experience, driving sustainability by eliminating harmful chemicals throughout the supply chain and lowering the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s impact.
ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® are establishing data-sharing processes that will stand to benefit customers, e.g., in the ECO PASSPORT process and through listing on the ZDHC Gateway. This will strengthen data quality, making performance and impact evaluation more credible.
OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT is an integral part of the association‘s modular certification system, as it is integrated into both the OEKO-TEX® STeP production facility certification and the traceable product label OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN. While companies have been benefiting from the internal modular approach for years, from 2024 OEKO-TEX® STeP-certified companies will additionally receive discounts for the ZDHC Supplier to Zero Program, which simplifies the certification process. For example, wastewater tests for OEKO-TEX® STeP are implemented directly into a ZDHC ClearStream, thus simplifying customer requirements. Additionally, STeP customers already benefit from the OEKO-TEX® x The BHive® partnership. It enables customers to digitalise their chemical inventories. Through The BHive® customers can conduct ZDHC Performance InCheck and conformance checks against the ZDHC Gateway, the largest database of chemical products certified against the ZDHC MRSL.
SPONSORED CONTENT - TESTEX is a globally operating and independent Swiss testing and certification institute. Our expertise lies in testing, analysing and certifying textiles and leather, and we are one of the official OEKO-TEX® representatives. From the raw material to the finished product – we set standards and support brands, retailers and manufacturers in achieving their environmental, social responsibility and quality goals.
OEKO-TEX® certification enables consumers and companies to protect our planet by making responsible decisions. With its modular system, OEKO-TEX® offers independent certifications and services to have products tested for harmful substances, to protect the environment and to ensure fair working conditions for people working in the textile and leather supply chain.
OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS: a step ahead of regulatory requirements
OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS is a management tool to meet due diligence requirements in the textile and leather industry. It certifies the management system of a company with a step-by-step approach to integrating human rights and environmental criteria into their management processes, allowing them to fulfil their due diligence obligations along their supply chains and identify risks at an early stage.
The RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS certification fulfils the requirements of the new German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettengesetz), which aims to protect the rights of people who produce goods for the German market, including garments and other textiles. The bill also covers environmental protection. To guarantee better human rights protection, companies must ensure human rights along their entire supply chain and set up grievance mechanisms and report on their activities.
Find out everything you need to know in our OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS Q&A and video:
Features
Billed as a first of its kind impact investment fund, the Good Fashion Fund was launched to provide finance for disruptive technologies in textile and garment factories in Bangladesh and India.
Three years on, the partnership of the Laudes Foundation and Fashion for ...
