Sustainable Action Leadership

Eco-fabrics Featured At G8 Summit

As reported by Eco Textile News: Eco-fabrics featured at G8 summit

TOYAKO – [08.07.08] Heat resistant PLA fabrics and recycled polyester textiles from Teijin Fibers have featured at an eco fashion show as part of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit of world leaders currently taking place in Japan.

Teijin’s latest ‘Biofront’ fibre was used in garments for the ‘Fashion for the Earth in Sapporo’ show, which took place under the auspices of the sponsor organisation and as part of The Environmental Exhibit of 2008 (sponsored by the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Commemorative Summit in the Hokkaido Environmental Exhibition Organising Committee).

All the garments worn at the show were made primarily of ‘green materials’ which included women’s jackets made of Teijin’s heat-resistant poly-lactic acid (PLA)-based fibre ‘Biofront’. Unlike earlier versions of PLA fibre, this new polymer has pushed up the melting point of ordinary PLA fibres to 210oC from 170oC, which has enabled high-temperature and high-pressure dyeing along with moderate-temperature ironing of the fabrics.

Previously it was virtually impossible to iron garments at high temperatures made with PLA without destroying the fibres. There were also issues surrounding the dyeing of deep shade fabrics due to the limitations of PLA when it came to heat resistance during dyeing.

Teijin says that Ms. Masako Oka, chairman of the fashion show‘s executive committee, has been promoting the use of the PLA heat-resistant materials at the event and has worked together with Teijin’s ‘Sustainable Management’ team.

Meanwhile, the huge message flags used for the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit events at the Environmental Exhibit 2008 were made from Teijin’s ‘Eco Circle’ recycled polyester fibres which have been certified with an ‘Eco Mark’ seal of approval. This message flag uses roller-screen textile fabrics developed jointly by Teijin Fibers and Tachikawa Corporation. Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd  

Green Labels Positively Impact Purchase Behavior

Posted on Environmental Leader May 20, 2008

Green Labels Positively Impact Purchase Behavior

Certain labels and certifications that garner higher awareness and understanding, in part driven by their longevity in the marketplace, are the most impactful to consumers, according to Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Database. While many new labels have come to market recently, they have not yet matched the impact of programs such as ENERGY STAR. However, as more consumers look for proof of marketing claims, robust and transparent certifications will be important aids to consumers.

LOHAS consumers, the portion of the population that is most interested in sustainability and the earliest adopters of sustainable products, are significantly more likely to indicate that these logos have a high level of purchase impact compared to the general population. In fact, nearly three-quarters of LOHAS consumers agree that a seal or certification mark indicating a product is environmentally-friendly raises the likelihood that they will buy it.

Federal Trade Commission-FTC Guidelines

What message can I communicate to my customers in regards to Environmental Claims?

Here are the FTC Guidelines/Resources

Click onto the document that you wish to reference:

• Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool Acts

• Environmental Marketing Claims

• RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER THE TEXTILE FIBER PRODUCTS IDENTIFICATION ACT     

• Part 260 -- GUIDES FOR THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS

 

THANK YOU.......

Thank you to all the regular readers of this blog, you have made this blog one of the
most searched for and read blogs on Organic Cotton, and Sustainable Fashion.... facts, practices and processes on the global internet.

Our regular readers are from every continent and dozens of countries including: France, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia and the UK.

Concern Over Recycled Polyester: As Reported by EcoTextileNews

Source:  EcoTextileNews  Concern over recycled polyester

TAIPEI – [13.05.08] Textile industry sources in Taiwan have revealed to our new sister publication – The Textile Dyer – that some suppliers of polyester fabrics made from recycled bottles have been taking things a little bit too literally, and have put financial gain ahead of environmental common sense.

Clothing retailers and brands could be in for a nasty surprise when they find out that some of the bottles used to make their textiles have never actually been used as drinking bottles by consumers.

One reliable industry insider, who refused to be named, has claimed that the demand for used bottles, from which recycled polyester fibre is made, is now outstripping supply in some areas and certain cynical suppliers are now buying NEW, unused bottles directly from bottle producing companies to make polyester textile fibre that can be called recycled.

Retailers and brands that can fully trace their supply routes are likely to be able to put a stop to this practice but those who buy fabrics and garments on trust, with little knowledge of where they come from, may find themselves exposed to accusations of greenwash and subsequent brand damage.

A related issue involves the dyeing of the recycled polyester fibres which are claimed by some dyers to be less consistent than virgin polyester. This is resulting in increased levels of re-dyeing which of course has massive environmental impacts of its own.

The demand for recycled polyester is growing rapidly and although as the commercial scale of production gathers pace, there is growing concern that dyeing consistency in some qualities is limited.

If you have any comments on the consistency of recycled polyester compared to virgin fibre please e-mail: editor@ecotextile.com

 

Navigating Organic~Eco Labels; Smart Solutions for Sustainable Business

 

by Coral Rose

The terms “eco, green, sustainable and organic” are being used openly and interchangeably in the market with the term ‘certified organic.’ Inappropriate use of environmental labels has caused confusion in the apparel market. To be sold in the US as certified organic cotton, all textile fiber must be certified organic in accordance with the USDA NOP (National Organic Program) program (or) for Europe the EU organic certifications EU 2092/91. Currently that is the legal requirement for certified organic cotton.

This is NOT business as usual, nor is this a trend, this is an entirely new business model, one where you need to know your supply chain clear back to the farm or fiber production facility. Where does your fiber come from? What is the country of origin? Bottom line: There needs to be Supply Chain Transparency back to the farmer and to the seed.

One reason that there is confusion in the apparel market is that the NOP Organic Standards were originally created for food.

So why is cotton included? The USDA considers cotton a food product until it leaves the gin. Upon completion of the ginning process, where the seed and fiber are separated, cotton consists of 60% seed and 40% fiber. Cotton seed enters the food chain. Cottonseed oil is found in many processed snack foods, among them chips, cookies, crackers and salad dressings. Cotton seed is fed to livestock, dairy cattle and poultry as a high protein supplement. The remaining fiber is baled and shipped to textile mills to be spun into yarn for fabric.

The Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)has been submitted for trademark rights. GOTS has offered the world the first globally accepted standard for certified organic fibers. (As early as Fall 2008, we may see the USDA NOP adopt GOTS as the USDA NOP official standard for fiber. )

The GOTS standard for organic textiles covers the production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural fibres. The final products may include, but are not limited to fibre products, yarns, fabrics and clothes.

“The aim of the standard is to define requirements to ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.” The standard provides for a subdivision into two label-grades. “ according to GOTS.

a) "organic" or "organic in conversion" 95% or more of the fibres must be of certified organic (or in conversion) origin. The remaining balance up to 5% may be made of non-organic fibres including defined regenerated and synthetic fibres. Blending (= mixing the same fibre in organic and conventional quality in one product) is not permitted.

b) "made with x % organic materials" or " made with x % organic in conversion materials" 70% - 95% or more of the fibres must be of certified organic (or in conversion) origin. The remaining balance up to 30% may be made of non-organic fibres. Regenerated and synthetic fibres are limited to 10% (resp. 25% in the US). Again blending is not permitted.

There is concern in the organic food and apparel market with standards that seek to certify blends and or low percentages of organic fiber content. If USDA/NOP recognizes GOTS as the US Standard for apparel, these minimal standards could go away as quickly as they appeared.

Your label claims CANNOT be deceptive according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Environmental Marketing Guides.

“It is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product, package or service offers a general environmental benefit.” Additionally, claims should be adequately qualified to avoid consumer deception.

FTC is an Independent Agency, appointed by the President. Its goal is to enforce consumer protection and antitrust laws AND the FTC has jurisdiction over environmental claims and Textile Labeling.

FTC’s GREEN GUIDES(link)  

The Green Guides do not set performance standards or grant eco-labels but require that labels and communications:

• Tell the truth
• Have substantiation
• Are based on consumer perceptions and require claims controls so they are not misleading
• Have clear qualifications & disclosures
• Specify whether claims apply to the product, the package, or both
• Do no overstate the product attributes

General Environmental Claims:

• Qualify: identify specific "green" attribute
• Third Party Certifications must be independent from advertiser
• Certification does not insulate advertiser - Avoid broad claims unless it is based on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and sustainable product standard addressing multiple environmental impacts      across the supply chain and social equity.

Symbols

• Avoid unqualified symbols, e.g. generic recyclable
• Use disclosures to qualify claims. Recyclable e.g. for this bottle may not exist in your area.

Bottom line; Before you label-Educate yourself!!!!!!

 

Sustainability Resources.........

General Sustainability recommended websites 

Biomimicry;  www.biomimicry.net
Business for Social Responsibility; www.bsr.org
Climate Counts; www.climatecounts.org
Environmental Defense PAPER CALCULATOR; www.environmentaldefense.org/papercalculator/
Environmental Sustainability Index; www.ciesin.columbia.edu/indicators/ESI/
Design for the Environment; www.epa.gov/dfe
Fair Labor Organization; www.fairlabor.org
Global 100; www.global100.org
International Institute for Sustainable Development; www.iisd.org
International Labor Organization; www.ilo.org
Marks & Spencer Code of Conduct; www.marksandspencer.com/thecompany/ourcommitmenttosociety/index.shtml
MBDC; www.mbdc.com
The Natural Step; www.naturalstep.org
O2; www.o2-usa.org
Rocky Mountain Institute; www.rmi.org
SustainAbility at www.sustainability.com
Dow Jones Sustainability Index at www.sustainability-indexes.com
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Sustainability Division at www.un.org/esa/sustdev/
World Business Council for Sustainable Development at www.wbcsd.ch
 
Other "Organic and Sustainable" Industry Related Resources

Andrew Winston; www.eco-advantage.com
Better Cotton Initiative; www.bettercotton.org/site.php
Cotton Inc; www.google.com/ig?source=gapg&hl=en
Fair Trade Certification; www.fairtrade.net
GAIAM; www.gaiam.com
Hartman-Group; www.hartman-group.com
Making Sense of Sustainability; http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/ m.hunt email;mary@ecolutionaryselling.com
MTS; www.mts.sustainableproducts.com
Organic Trade Association; www.ota.com
Soil Association; www.soilassociation.org
Sustainable Cotton Project; www.sustainablecotton.org
World Watch Institute; www.worldwatch.org/
World Resources Institute; www.wri.org
WWF; www.wwf.org

Coral Rose; Founder, Eco-Innovations; www.e-Ecoinnovations.com or Coral@eco-textiles.com or

Coral Rose, Sustainable Action Leadership Blog; www.coralrose.typepad.com

Green-tegrity Fact Check: Should a Garment With 5% Organic Cotton Be Considered Organic?

Should a garment with 5% Organic Cotton Be Considered Organic?

 According to the National Organic Program (NOP) the answer is NO, as noted in a previous post.

Q. FTC regulations allow special fiber content claims to be made at the 5% threshold level. Can I label my clothing “made with organic cotton” if they only have 5% organic cotton?

A. No. The NOP regulations require at least 70% certified organic content for products to be labeled as “made with organic."

Ecorazzi recently ran a piece on the Greenwashing of a Banana Republic T-Shirt. (pictured on this post) per Ecorazzi;  “They are made from 87% cotton, 8% spandex, and 5% organic cotton. A source has revealed to us that these shirts “come in plastic bags that most of the stores just throw away because they can’t recycle.” Are we seeing here a classic case of greenwashing?”  “On the other, labeling something ‘eco-friendly’, even though 95% of it is not, seems a bit of a reach”

So why would anyone want to use 5% organic cotton in a garment? I didn’t understand it either, so I asked several people I know that are blending 5% organic cotton in garments (clients of mine, brands and retailers.)

It seems that during the last six to eight months, there has been a proliferation of misinformation in the market regarding the supply of organic cotton. It seems that many brands and retailers are under the impression and have been told,  that there might or could be a shortage so it would be wise to use a 5% blend and at the same time they are under the impression that it would enhance the credibility of the garment to use a voluntary 5% Blended Standard. ( Which now, according to the NOP is invalid in the US.) Another reason cited for using a 5% blend has been that 70-100% organic cotton is cost prohibitive. I can assure you, that if Wal-Mart is buying 70-100% organic cottons that it is not cost prohibitive-while organic cotton can cost on average 10-15% more-a blend of 5% would therefore be almost mute.

In speaking with a large producer/supplier this week at the All Things Organic Show in Chicago, it is not true that there might be a shortage, infact, I was told that there is actually quite a bit of organic cotton available and this source cited the fact that so many brands and manufactures have been blending 5% as one of the reasons. The unintended result could be adverse effects on producers and farmers, effecting their livelihoods if they are unable to sell the cotton or if they have to sell at a loss.

There is also concern that the 5% fiber blend (such as that noted by Ecorazzi in the article) will undermine the organic food market and the great work done there for many years in the organic food industry.

Perhaps what the organic cotton industry needs is a David Bronner (see previous post) to take a stand against claims that seek to undermine the integrity of the organic label in textiles?

Dr. Bronner's Hits Back with Green-tegrity

I spoke at a seminar this week at All Things Organic with David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronners. David is an example of exemplary integrity to the organic industry.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 28 PRNewswire-USNewswire

"Offending Companies Claim "Organic" or "Organics" on Labels But Main
Cleansing Ingredients Are Based on Conventional Agricultural and/or
Petrochemical Material.

The family owned Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court today against numerous personal care brands to force them to stop making misleading organic labeling claims. Dr. Bronner's and the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) had warned offending brands that they
faced litigation unless they committed to either drop their organic claims or reformulate away from main ingredients made from conventional agricultural and/or petrochemical material without any certified organic
material. OCA has played the leading role in exposing and educating consumers about deceptive organic branding. 

David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps says, "We have been deeply disappointed and frustrated by companies in the 'natural' personal care space who have been screwing over organic consumers, engaging in misleading organic branding and label call-outs, on products that were
not natural in the first place, let alone organic." Dr. Bronner's has determined, based on extensive surveys, that organic consumers expect that cleansing ingredients in branded and labeled soaps, shampoos and body washes that are labeled Organic", "Organics" or "Made with Organic" will be from organic as distinct from conventional agricultural material, produced without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides, and free of petrochemical compounds.

For example: The major cleansing ingredient in Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic" liquid soaps, body washes and shampoos is Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which involves ethoxylating a conventional non-organic fatty chain with the carcinogenic petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which produces caricinogenic 1,4-Dioxane as a contaminant. The major cleansing ingredient in Avalon "Organics" soaps, bodywashes and shampoos, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, contains conventional non-organic agricultural material combined with the petrochemical Amdiopropyl Betaine. Nature's Gate "Organics" main cleansers are Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (ethoxylated) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Kiss My Face "Obsessively Organic" cleansers are Olefin Sulfonate (a pure petrochemical) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine.

Organic consumers have a right to expect that the personal care products they purchase with organic branding or label claims, contain cleansing ingredients made from organic agricultural material, not
conventional or petrochemical material, and thus have absolutely no petrochemical contaminants that could pose any concern. 

Dr. Bronner's products, in contrast to the brands noted above, contain cleansing and moisturizing ingredients made only from certified organic oils, made without any use of petrochemicals, and contain no petrochemical preservatives. The misleading organic noise created by culprit companies' branding and labeling practices, interferes with organic consumers ability to distinguish personal care whose main ingredients are in fact made with certified organic, not conventional or petrochemical, material, free of
synthetic preservatives. 

The  Lawsuit Also Names Estee Lauder, Stella McCartney's CARE, Ecocert and OASIS. 

Ecocert is a French-based certifier with a standard that allows not only cleansing ingredients made from conventional versus organic agriculture, but also allows inclusion, in the cleansing ingredients contained in products labeled as ":Made with Organic" ingredients, of certain petrochemicals such as Amidopropyl Betaine in Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Even worse, despite Ecocert's own regulations prohibiting the
labeling as "Organic" of a product containing less than 100% organic content, Ecocert in practice engages in "creative misinterpretation" of its own rules in order to accommodate clients engaging in organic mislabeling.

For instance, Ecocert certifies the Ikove brand's cleansing products to contain less than 50% organic content, noted in small text on the back of the product, where all cleansing ingredients are non-organic including Cocamidopropyl Betaine which contains petroleum compounds. Yet the product is labeled "Organic" Amazonian Avocado Bath & Shower Gel. Another instance is Stella McCartney's "100% Organic" CARE line certified by Ecocert that labels products as "100% Organic" that are not 100% Organic alongside ones that are; the labels of products that are not 100% organic simply insert the word "Active" before "Ingredients." In allowing such labeling, Ecocert simply ignores the requirements of its own certification standards.

Furthermore, the primary organic content in most Ecocert certified products comes from "Flower Waters" in which up to 80% of the "organic" content consists merely of just regular tap water that Ecocert counts as "organic."

Explicitly relying on the weak Ecocert standard as precedent, the new Organic and Sustainable Industry Standard ("OASIS")-a standard indeed developed exclusively by certain members of the industry, primarily Estee Lauder, with no consumer input--will permit certification of products outright as "Organic" (rather than as "Made with Organic" ingredients) even if such products contain hydrogenated and sulfated cleansing ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate made from conventional agricultural material grown with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, and preserved with synthetic petrochemical preservatives such as Ethylhexylglycerin and Phenoxyethanol. [Reference: OASIS Standard section 6.2 and Anti-Microbial List] The organic content is required to only be 85%, which in water and detergent-based personal care products, means organic water extracts and aloe vera will greenwash conventional synthetic cleansing ingredients and preservatives.

.The OASIS standard is not merely useless but deliberately misleading to organic consumers looking for a reliable indicator of true "organic" product integrity in personal care. Organic consumers expect that cleansing ingredients in products labeled "Organic" be made from organic not conventional agriculture, to not be hydrogenated or sulfated, and to be free from synthetic petrochemical preservatives. Surprisingly, companies represented on the OASIS board, such as Hain (Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic"; Avalon "Organics") and Cosway (Head "Organics",) produce liquid soap, bodywash and shampoo products with petrochemicals in their cleansers even though use of petrochemicals in this way is not permitted even under the very permissible OASIS standard these companies have themselves developed and endorsed. 

National Organic Program; Sets the Record Straight Regarding Usage of 5% Blend of Organic Cotton in Textiles

1.) Does “made with organic cotton” clothing have to be made from NOP-certified organic cotton? Yes.

2.) FTC regulations allow special fiber content claims to be made at the 5% threshold level. Can I label my clothing “made with organic cotton” if they only have 5% organic cotton?

No. The NOP regulations require at least 70% certified organic content for products to be labeled as “made with organic."

Please see 4/14 post for full text of NOP Q&A.