Sustainable Action Leadership

FTC Proposes Revisions to Green Guides

 

 

 

 

    Today the FTC announced 'Prosposed' Revisions to the Green Guides and is seeking comments on these proposed revisions. Comments must be received by December 10, 2010.

Green Guides Summary of Proposal

• General Environmental Benefit (e.g., “green,” “eco-friendly”)

•       Marketers should not make unqualified general environmental benefit claims. They are difficult, if not impossible, to substantiate. (The current Guides state that marketers can make unqualified claims if they can substantiate all express and implied claims. Otherwise, they should qualify the claim.)

•       Qualifications should be clear and prominent, and should limit the claim to a specific benefit. Marketers should ensure the advertisement’s context does not imply deceptive environmental claims. (In the current Guides, this guidance appears only in examples.)

• Certifications and Seals of Approval

•       This new section emphasizes that certifications/seals are endorsements covered by the Commission’s Endorsement Guides and provides new examples illustrating how those Guides apply to environmental claims (e.g., marketers should disclose material connections to the certifier). (The current Guides address certifications/seals in only one example in the general environmental benefit section. 16 CFR 260.7, Example 5.)

•       Because an unqualified certification/seal (one that does not state the basis for certification) likely conveys a general environmental benefit claim, marketers should use clear and prominent language limiting the claim to particular attribute(s) for which they have substantiation. (This provision highlights guidance already provided in current Guides’ Example 5.)

•       Third-party certification does not eliminate a marketer’s obligation to have substantiation for all conveyed claims.

Other areas covered in the proposed revisions include:

• Degradable
• Compostable
• Ozone-Safe/Ozone-Friendly
• Recyclable
• Free-of AND Non-Toxic

Proposed Guidance for Claims Not Currently Addressed by the Guides

• Made with Renewable Materials
• Made with Renewable Energy
• Carbon Offsets

FTC Proposed Revisions Guide HERE

Walmart, H&M Commit to Sustainability in Chinese Textiles

Original Post here on Sustainable Life Media

ByThomas Miner

September 27, 2010 – Last week at the Clinton Global Initiative 2 of the world’s largest clothing retailers, Walmart and H&M, agreed to work with their Chinese textile suppliers to reduce the water, energy, and chemical use in their supply chains through the Natural Resource Defense Council’s “Clean by Design“ project.
 
Based on the commitment announced today, Walmart agrees that the mills selected to implement NRDC’s program will provide benchmark data on water and energy use at the start of the assessment and will track and verify reductions they achieve. H&M, which operates more than 2,000 stores worldwide, launched a similar agreement with NRDC in Shanghai on Sept. 13.

So far, trial implementations at textile plants have shown that NRDC’s recommended practices can pay for themselves in less than eight months. Taken together, the best practices can cut approximately 25 percent of water and 30 percent of fuel use.

If just 100 small- to medium-sized textile mills implement NRDC’s recommended improvements, China would save more than 16 million metric tons of water annually, enough to provide 12.4 million people drinking water for a year. The practices can also eliminate nearly 1 million metric tons of CO2 annually, approximately the same amount of emissions from 172,000 cars per year.
 
Other retailers and brands collaborating with NRDC in the Clean by Design effort include Gap, Levi, Nike, Marks and Spencer, and Li and Fung, a large Hong Kong sourcing firm. 
 
For a more in-depth understanding of NRDC’s Clean by Design program, watch below.

 

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Low Impact For the Environment (LIFE) Textiles

 
Watch this informative video and find out how the INSTYLE Company working with Walmart has been producing sustainable and ethical textiles. INSTYLE is the winner of the United Nations of Australia - 2008 World Environment Day Awards, Business Sustainability - Environmental Best Practice Program. INSTYLE is also the winner of three awards in the NSW Governments 2008 Sustainability Green Globe Awards.

 

Walmarts "American Summer" By Way of China and South America…….

Walmart is unequivocally the “Green Giant”...  the “Green Superman,” they are able to take giant leaps of Sustainability with a single bound and change the world!!!!

They have done an outstanding job in the last five years of walking their talk in regards to Sustainability, some of which I am proud to have participated in.

I noticed on a recent trip to Walmart, the Walmart  “American Summer” shop—great stuff!!!  Almost all the T-shirts were made of Organic Cotton, and most were just $3.00…Really exciting…However upon taking a closer look—Nothing in this shop was made in the USA. Flip flops from China, T-Shirts from China,Pakistan and Guatemala.

I am thrilled that the Tee’s are Organic Cotton…but nothing in this shop was made in the USA…and yet the name of the shop is “American Summer” with a tag line of “Main Street USA 2010.” Many people on Main Street are having a tough time these days and many are unemployed. A great solution to  'Main Street USA' would be if Walmart were to source ALL their USA flag bearing products "From Farm (Raw materials) to Shelf" right here in the US? 

Just like we as US consumers are the root cause of the Oil Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico due to our addiction to oil, we are also the cause of  Walmarts “American Summer” by way of China, and South America sourcing model. We want products at affordable prices albeit cheap—and this is just the 'cause and effect' rule in action!.

Looks like Walmart still has work to do!!!! Big Company---Big Change---Takes Time……….  One thing I know for sure....in time they will do the right thing!!!                                                                          

 

Eco Efficient Solar Power Thanks to Denim

Researchers at Cornell University have found a seemingly simple solution to creating more efficient solar cells. It turns out that particular molecules found in blue jeans and some ink dyes can be used in a process for assembling a structure called "covalent organic framework" or COF, which can help create cheaper, flexible solar cells. While organic materials haven't proven very easy to use so far for creating solar cells, the researchers are finding that these molecules found in every-day materials might be just what we needed.

Original article here on: Treehugger

My Sustainable T-shirt-A Guide to Understanding Cotton Production and Eco-Labels

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK

My Sustainable T-shirt

A guide to understanding cotton production and what eco-labels mean for people and the planet.

Click here to: Download PAN UK My Sustainable T-shirt

Avoiding Greenwash and its Dangers

By Andrew Winston

This week is the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day. The hype is unbelievably high as companies step all over themselves to share their latest sustainability accomplishments. In general, this is a good thing and it's wonderful to see companies competing on green.

But there is a high risk of saying something that isn't quite true, or of overstating the truth. Because this is the time of year for somewhat self-important pronouncements of changing the world, it's also a time for greenwash.

The incidence of actual, pure greenwash -- outright, purposeful untruths about the environmental attributes or impacts of products -- is probably not that high. (I DON"T KNOW IF I AGREE WITH ANDREW ON THIS POINT?) But there's an awful lot out there that gets close (for a truly excellent review of the key missteps that would qualify, see the Seven Sins of Greenwashing from Terrachoice).

To finish reading Andrew's post, you can find it here AndrewWinston.com:

 

Building Trust Again after GM Cotton Contamination of the Organic Cotton Supply Chain

EcoTextile News Cover Story, March 2010.

Building Trust Again, By John Mowbry

Risk Management, By Coral Rose

How do we improve transparency in the organic cotton supply chain after the recent GM(Genetically Modified) contamination of the organic cotton supply chain?

  Download Ecotextile News cover story here

Copyright © 2010 Mowbray Communications Ltd

GMO-Free Is Fastest-Growing Corporate-Brand Claim

Original post here: According to Nielsen, Non-GMO is the fastest growing Corporate brand.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Store brands comprise almost 40% of items making health and wellness claims related to preservative; one in four organic product sales; and nearly one in five items making natural and fat claims in food, drug and mass channels, according to the Nielsen Co.

It found that GMO-free claims are the fastest growing among store brands. Sales of these items increased 67% in 2009 to $60.2 million, followed in popularity by gluten free (62%), absence of specific fat (53%) and lowers cholesterol (45%) store brands.

Private-label marketers are steering clear of other health and wellness claims for the time being, according to Tom Pirovano, director of industry insights at Nielsen.

Can Hemp Save the Planet? Or at Least Reinvigorate the American Economy...

By Coral Rose

The story of Hemp reads like a juicy novel; from ancient civilizations to our founding fathers, to World War II. It is a tale of intrigue, greed and fierce competition for markets.

Hemp is an economically and commercially viable raw material source for honestly, just about everything including food and fiber. Hemp is also an environmentally sound renewable energy source. Yet, hemp continues to be one of the most misunderstood plants on the planet.

Hemp is an incredible natural resource, it is one of the most versatile and diversified plants in the world. Hemp is cultivated with three main purposes; Hemp Fiber, Seeds and Seed Oil.

It is time to clear up the misconceptions about hemp and clear the way for sustainable economically viable opportunities for American farmers and American businesses. Because hemp is erroneously confused-yes confused to the point that it is officially classified as marijuana, our farmers and our economy are essentially left out of this multi-billion dollar industry while other countries, as close as Canada have successfully re-introduced hemp farming...................................................

To continue reading, link here to Sustainable Life Media “Can Hemp Save the Planet? Or at Least Reinvigorate the American Economy…. Original post: Sustainable Life Media

Organic Living; With Sustainable Textiles and Coral Rose

Organic Living by Eliza Sarasohn and Sonia Weiss-page 227

The Sustainable Action Leadership~Sustainable Textiles Blog was recognized as a leader in sustainable textiles. Thank you Eliza and Sonia!!!

Climb The Green Ladder

                                        Climb The Green Ladder

Make Your Company and Career More Sustainable

By Shari Aaron and Amy Fetzer

Be sure and pick up a copy of this book, many inspiring stories-including Sams Club and Walmarts GAME CHANGING entry into organics-highlighting the work of Coral Rose. A great framework for taking action now---

Are You Being Bamboozled? A Guide on How to Avoid Mislabeling

This Brochure is a Collaboration of:

Dr. Gwendolyn Hustvedt, Texas State University‐San Marcos
and
Coral Rose, Eco‐Innovations Sustainable Textile Services

Download Brochure Here

You Can Have Your Bamboo and Eat it Too--"Rayon Made From Organic Bamboo"

by Coral Rose

The FTC recently charged four textile companies with making false unsubstantiated “green” claims. According to the FTC these companies were deceptively labeling and advertising textile related items as made of ‘bamboo’ fiber, when they are made of rayon, and must legally be labeled "Rayon made from bamboo."

The question has again been raised......

"Can bamboo(technically "Rayon from bamboo") textiles be certified organic to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP)?" 

The last time this question was posed a few years ago, I was informed that bamboo was considered a product of a forest and therefore could possibly be eligible for FSC Certification.

Given the existing controversy that is still running wild in the textile market, I decided to again reach out to the USDA NOP for clarification. I received the following response:

According to Joan Shaffer, Office of Public Affairs at the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) “Bamboo” as a raw material for textiles is available for Organic Certification according to the USDA NOP.

“The organic standards cover agricultural products from livestock and crop.  Bamboo is a crop.”  Please see the explanations for textiles in this (Labeling of Textiles Under National Organic Program (NOP) Regulations) fact sheet.” 

“Below is an excerpt from the “Preamble” on “nonedible fibers products” in the organic standards.” 

“(6) Nonedible Fibers Products in the NOP. Some commenters asked the NOP to clarify the certification status of fibers such as cotton and flax. The final rule allows for certification of organically produced fibers such as cotton and flax. However, the processing of these fibers is not covered by the final rule. Therefore, goods that utilize organic fibers in their manufacture may only be labeled as a "made with..." product; e.g., a cotton shirt labeled "made with organic cotton."   USDA-AMS Office of Public Affairs

 The proper labeling in accordance with the FTC would be:

“Rayon(or Viscose) made from organic bamboo”

*Note that it is the bamboo itself as the CROP (raw material) that is allowed to be certified as organic to the USDA NOP Standard, and that the processing of the fiber and or garment is NOT considered in the process of certification to the USDA NOP Standard.

While this may sound a bit absurd (and about as clean as coal) that rayon can indeed be considered an organic textile, it is the bamboo itself as the raw material that is being certified as organic.

***See August 1, 2009 Post below: Labeling of Textiles: National Organic Program (NOP)

First Clean Coal, Now Organic Bamboo? By Coral Rose

FTC Mulches False Bamboo Textile Claims  By Coral Rose

FTC Charges Companies with 'Bamboo-zling' Consumers with False Product Claims

Bamboo-based Textiles, Actually Made of Rayon, Are Not Antimicrobial, Made in an Environmentally Friendly Manner, or Biodegradable

Note from Coral Rose: After much hard work and effort, THE FTC is to be congratulated on bringing integrity back to the Eco-Textile Market.

Press Release 8/11/09:

The Federal Trade Commission has charged four sellers of clothing and other textile products with deceptively labeling and advertising these items as made of bamboo fiber, when they are made of rayon. The complaints also charge the companies with making false and unsubstantiated “green” claims that their clothing and textile products are manufactured using an environmentally friendly process, that they retain the natural antimicrobial properties of the bamboo plant, and that they are biodegradable.

“With the tremendous expansion of green claims in today’s marketplace, it is particularly important for the FTC to address deceptive environmental claims, so that consumers can trust that the products they buy have the environmentally friendly attributes they want,” said David Vladeck, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “When companies sell products woven from man-made fibers, such as rayon, it is important that they accurately label and advertise those products – both with respect to the fibers they use and to the qualities those fibers possess.”

FTC ALERT: HAVE YOU BEEN BAMBOOZLED BY BAMBOO FABRICS

FTC BUSINESS ALERT: HOW TO AVOID BAMBOOZLING YOUR CUSTOMERS

For the entire Press Release  Use this FTC Website link

Labeling of Textiles: National Organic Program (NOP)

Original Post 8.08

Labeling of Textiles: National Organic Program (NOP)

USDA regulates the term “organic” as it applies to agricultural products through its
National Organic Program (NOP) regulation, 7 CFR Part 205.(LINK HERE)

● Raw natural fibers, such as cotton, wool ,flax, etc., are agricultural products and
are covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. Off-farm treatment of
raw organic fibers are not covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. 

● Although the NOP has no specific fiber or textile processing and manufacturing
standards, it may be possible for fi bers grown and certified to NOP crop/livestock standards
to be processed and manufactured into textile and other products which meet NOP
standards. 

Labeling for Certified Handling/Processing/ Manufacturing Operations 

Only textile products certified to the NOP production AND processing standards are eligible to be labeled
“100 percent organic” and “organic.” 

100 percent organic 

● 100 percent organic fiber content.

● Only organic processing aids.

● USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail
displays—in proximity to certified products only.

● All operations producing, handling, processing and manufacturing the final product must be
certified. 

Organic 

● Minimum of 95 percent organic fiber content.

● 5 percent nonorganic substances, as listed in Section 205.605 of the NOP regulation.

● No non-organic fibers.

● USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail
displays—in proximity to certified products only.

● All operations producing, handling, processing,and manufacturing the final product must be certified. 

Other Uses of the Word “Organic” in Textile Product Labeling 

The NOP does not restrict the use of the term “made with organic …” in the labeling of textile products to
only those products manufactured in certified organic facilities or containing a minimum of 70 percent
organic fibers. However, all fibers identified in these textile products as “organic” must be produced and
certified to NOP standards. 

Labels on textile products from non-certified handling/processing/manufacturing operations: 

● May identify specific fibers as being organic if certified to the NOP crop/livestock standards.

● May state the percentage of organic fibers contained in the final product.

● May not use the USDA Organic seal.

● May not imply or lead the consumer to believe that the final product is certified organic 

Other Labeling Laws 

● NOP label requirements are in addition to those required by the Federal Trade
Commission’s (FTC) Textile and Wool Acts.

● Information on FTC labeling requirements for textiles can be found at the following websites:

Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements of The Textile and Wool Acts

Calling it Cotton

USDA regulates the term “organic” as it applies to agricultural products through its
National Organic Program (NOP) regulation, 7 CFR Part 205.(LINK HERE)

● Raw natural fibers, such as cotton, wool ,flax, etc., are agricultural products and
are covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. Off-farm treatment of
raw organic fibers are not covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. 

● Although the NOP has no specific fiber or textile processing and manufacturing
standards, it may be possible for fi bers grown and certified to NOP crop/livestock standards
to be processed and manufactured into textile and other products which meet NOP
standards. 

Labeling for Certified Handling/Processing/ Manufacturing Operations 

Only textile products certified to the NOP production AND processing standards are eligible to be labeled
“100 percent organic” and “organic.” 

100 percent organic 

● 100 percent organic fiber content.

● Only organic processing aids.

● USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail
displays—in proximity to certified products only.

● All operations producing, handling, processing and manufacturing the final product must be
certified. 

Organic 

● Minimum of 95 percent organic fiber content.

● 5 percent nonorganic substances, as listed in Section 205.605 of the NOP regulation.

● No non-organic fibers.

● USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail
displays—in proximity to certified products only.

● All operations producing, handling, processing,and manufacturing the final product must be certified. 

Other Uses of the Word “Organic” in Textile Product Labeling 

The NOP does not restrict the use of the term “made with organic …” in the labeling of textile products to
only those products manufactured in certified organic facilities or containing a minimum of 70 percent
organic fibers. However, all fibers identified in these textile products as “organic” must be produced and
certified to NOP standards. 

Labels on textile products from non-certified handling/processing/manufacturing operations: 

● May identify specific fibers as being organic if certified to the NOP crop/livestock standards.

● May state the percentage of organic fibers contained in the final product.

● May not use the USDA Organic seal.

● May not imply or lead the consumer to believe that the final product is certified organic 

Other Labeling Laws 

● NOP label requirements are in addition to those required by the Federal Trade
Commission’s (FTC) Textile and Wool Acts.

● Information on FTC labeling requirements for textiles can be found at the following websites:

Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements of The Textile and Wool Acts

Calling it Cotton

Better cotton threading its way towards global markets

Gland, Switzerland: The first batch of sustainable cotton – to be produced with a fraction of the water and pesticide use of traditional cotton cultivation – is expected to reach global markets starting next year.

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a partnership between major corporations such as Adidas, IKEA, Gap, and H&M, and NGOs such as WWF, recently created a new set of criteria to make cotton cultivation more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable.

The Better Cotton System outlines mechanisms to mitigate the negative impacts of one of the world’s most water and chemical crops, which is often grown in semi-arid and water scarce areas.

Cotton cultivation covers more than 2.4 percent of global arable land, involving about 30 million farmers. Cotton is produced in more than 65 countries worldwide, mainly in the developing world.

“The Better Cotton Initiative aims to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it and better for the environment it grows in” said Walter Wagner, WWF Switzerland, newly elected vice-chair of the BCI.

Pilot projects are slated to test the BCI system in Pakistan, India, Africa, and Brazil to provide sustainable cotton to textile makers and buyers starting next year. For example, the initiative aims to reduce water and pesticide use.

Projects underway in Pakistan and India led by WWF and IKEA have led to 75 percent reduction in water and pesticide use, while increase the net revenue to cotton producers by 70 percent.

“BCI endeavors to initiate global change in the mass market, with long-term benefits for the environment, farmers and other people dependent on cotton for their livelihood,” according to its website.

Original post here: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Panda.org

Link here: Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)

The (r)evolution of textiles:

From the Industrial Revolution to the Chemical Revolution to the
Green Revolution.

Check out Harmony Art's the (r)evolution of textiles.

the (r)evolution of textiles:

 
 

Looking Upstream: A New View of 21st Century Business Practices

By Coral Rose

Original post here:The University of Delaware's online FIBER JOURNAL publication

We have witnessed decades of widespread global economic growth, in which we have seen the standard of living for millions of people around the world rise to unprecedented levels. As China and India enter the age of consumerism, global economic development is linked not only to the core practices of business, but that of environmental and social issues as well.

Our planet now supports 6.5 billion people. We are adding to that, about 70 million people each year. Some may assert that the current global economic business model cannot support or sustain social and economic progress for the projected 8 billion people who will live on this planet by 2050.

In the world of globalization, fundamentally social and environmental issues are business issues and are inseparable from one another.

According to a recent poll conducted by the Global Strategy Group, 87 percent of consumers are more likely to buy products from a retailer that is committed to environmentally sound practices.

With increased awareness, the concern for many companies becomes how to achieve the maximum economic benefit from environmentally and socially responsible products and practices while at the same time increasing shareholder value and increasing stakeholder trust.

Hidden from our View

Today, the majority of products’ social and environmental impacts are hidden from our view — that is, the effects of a product’s social and environmental impacts (life cycle) before it hits the shelves and consumers’ hands. The average designer to purchasing agent (consumers as well) is unaware of the global impacts of their decisions. Hidden from their sight is what lies upstream; all the impacts of growing, processing, manufacturing and transporting raw materials and component parts. Twentieth-century business practices have taught these professionals to focus only on what is downstream (production to consumer).

In the United States in 1960, we were generating 2.7 pounds of waste per person per day. In 2006, that number is 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day. By the time that waste fills one garbage can, 70 garbage cans of waste was created upstream to make the stuff that is now going to the landfill.

To begin to create an accurate picture of what and who are upstream and to make informed decisions about what actions we will take downstream, we must begin to ask: What is the source of our raw materials? Where were the materials harvested, processed, produced? And who and what (people-animals-environment) in the supply chain is affected by the harvesting, processing, and production of our products?

Considering all the social and environmental impacts from harvest/processing to waste/reuse is a total mindset shift at the product design and creation level and a key component to sustainable economic development strategies.

Supply chain transparency is one of the basic tenents or “rules of engagement” for any 21st-century business model.

Ethical Consumerism

Ethical consumerism is on the rise. It’s a movement based on purchasing products that have been ethically produced by organizations that are involved in a process of ensuring that the basic labor rights of the employees of their Third World suppliers are respected.

According to a recent study reported by the Wall Street Journal, companies that embrace more ethical production practices (social and environmental) that are third-party certified, may produce larger profit margins.

What are consumers willing to pay for a pound of coffee based on what they were told about the company’s production standards?

• Ethical standards . . . . . . . . . $9.71
• Unethical standards. . . . . . . . $5.89
• Control (no information) . . . . . $8.31

Source: WSJ — Does Being Ethical Pay?

Consumers may be willing to purchase unethically produced products, but at a steep discount. A recent survey by BBMG indicated that 35 percent of all Americans have avoided buying a product because of a company’s practices. Return on investment (ROI) in the 21st century is clearly rooted in social and environmental responsibility and the ability of a company to look upstream when making sourcing decisions.

Fair Trade — Supply Chain Transparency

Fair Trade Certification is a market-based model of international trade that benefits over one million farmers and farm workers in developing countries. Fair Trade products have experienced consistent global growth in the 40 percent range over the last few years, making Fair Trade good for business.

The roots of Fair Trade can be traced back to churches in North America and Europe in the late 1940s. The goal of these organizations was to provide relief to refugees and other poverty-stricken communities by selling their handicrafts to Northern markets. In the U.S., Alternative Trade Organizations (ATOs), such as Ten Thousand Villages and Equal Exchange, purchase from worker-owned cooperatives. The ATOs were formed to import Fair Trade crafts and coffee to the U.S. market.

In 1988, world coffee prices began a sharp decline, The Netherlands’ Max Havelar offered the mainstream coffee industry the first standardized system of Fair Trade criteria. Currently, Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) is the “umbrella organization” that establishes Fair Trade standards globally for the industry using a multi-stakeholder process.

Fair Trade standards require sustainable farming techniques and offer further price premiums for organic production, but Fair Trade certification does not guarantee that a product was organically grown. Where farmers are not certified organic, they are required to implement a system of integrated crop management (ICM). FLO stiuplates that the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) conventions be followed.

One hundred million people around the world rely on cotton for their livelihoods. Fairtrade certified cotton carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark was launched in April 2005. Countries and producers receiving certification for cotton include farmers in India, Mali, Peru, and Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Egypt. Pakistan and Brazil will follow in the near future.

Note: Under the FAIRTRADE Mark it is only the cotton that is certified Fairtrade, not the yarn, fabric, or garment. Therefore, a product can only be referred to as Fairtrade Cotton NOT for example a Fairtrade Cotton shirt. The label must read: “Made with FAIRTRADE Certified Cotton.” Currently The United Nations “Least Developed” Countries are the only countries eligible for Fair Trade Certification.

The term Fair Trade is sometimes used interchangeably with Ethical Trading. Ethical Trading refers to organizations. The FAIRTRADE Mark, applies to products rather than organizations.

Walmart — Increasing Social and Environmental Global Supply Chain Standards

Walmart Stores, Inc., recently announced in Beijing, China, that the company will focus on taking a number of steps to strengthen and enforce supplier compliance with rigorous social and environmental standards, including the creation of a new supplier agreement and scorecards that will require factories to certify compliance with laws and regulations where they operate.

The agreement will be phased in beginning with suppliers in China in January 2009. It will expand to suppliers globally by 2011. In terms of supply chain transparency, by 2009, Walmart will require all direct import suppliers plus all suppliers of private label and non-branded products to provide the name and location of every factory they use to make the products it sells. The company will also instruct all suppliers it buys from directly to source 95 percent of their production from factories that meet the company’s highest ratings on social and environmental practices by 2012.

Looking Forward

Organizations not communicating their social and environmental practices and progress may lose out to their competitors that do. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Not only understand but be responsible for improving your product’s life cycle. To better understand where you can improve your performance both economically, socially, and environmentally, consider Lifecycle assessments (LCA.) Reach out to NGOs and subject matter experts to support this process.
   

2. Develop and choose products that can be authenticated to the source. Strive to use independent third-party certification or accredited standards (e.g. Organic, Fair Trade).
   

3. Educate your organization, consumers, and investors. Focus on energy saved, waste reduced, pollutants eliminated, and protection of workers’ rights. Be prepared to link to a source that can authenticate all of the above statements and tell the whole story across the supply chain. Note both the successes and the areas for improvement. Supply chain transparency is the new business and marketing model.
   

4. Many view social and environmental sustainability as the competitive advantage to the slowing economy. Organizations that can adapt quickly to the current troubled economy and become focused on the cost savings of sustainable business practices may be the ones to deliver a return on investment in tough times. Cost savings derived from increased energy efficiency of the supply chain could lead us to not only cost savings but a more localized and regionalized supply chain versus one that is globalized.
   

5. Keep your eye on the future and horizon issues. Plan now. Should consumers opt to buy less, how will this affect your business model? Will you be offering more services to offset the lower product sales?

Economic success in the 21st century will be measured and led by brands and retailers that can successfully create long-term brand value and stakeholder loyalty by creating products, processes, and services that consider the environmental and social impacts of their supply chains.

Sustainability Leadership: An Interview with Coral Rose

You can find the original interview here; "Focus Sustainability" 2008; a comprehensive report by Lenzing Fibers.

Coral Rose, expert on Sustainable Textiles, talks about her views on sustainability in the 21st century. 

 What do you think about Lenzing’s achievements in sustainable management
and which aspects do you consider to be most essential according to your experience? 

Sustainable innovation is the key economic driver of the 21st century. Supply chain transparency is one of the basic tenets or “rules of engagement” for any sustainable business.
Lenzing offers the fiber market what few, if any, producers of fibers do, and that is both sustainable innovation and full transparency of the supply chain. One of the most important global issues is “what is the source of our raw materials? Where were the materials harvested, processed, produced?” This is a total mindset shift at the textile design level. 

Do you think that the communication of the Lenzing Botanic Principles has been
well received by the important players in the market? 

Lenzing’s Botanic Principles lead us back to the source of life on the planet, back to nature. They enhance the education of the market by applying these simple, yet easy to- understand principles. Botanic Principles connect the lifecycle of nature and sustainability to fiber innovation. Nature and sustainability are not separable. 

I strongly believe Lenzing’s products are a key component to any sustainable fiber strategy, when considering all the environmental impacts associated with fiber growing and production. Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL ® come out on top – practical, applicable and economically viable to integrate into fiber strategies of most global organizations. 

In which segments of the industry do you feel Lenzing innovations have been most visible? 

Lenzing places a high priority not only on supply chain transparency and disclosure, but also continual improvement and ongoing research and improvements of their products. Their innovations are especially vital to the activewear market as options to replace high-performance petrol based products, while maintaining quality fiber performance and economical viability. Many activewear brands are also struggling with finding sustainable options for organic cotton as their customers require garments that have excellent moisture management. Lenzing’s fibers offer the market sustainable fiber performance solutions.

Apart from the more product related aspects, how would you rate the importance of the more general social and environmental issues in the supply chain? Are customers prepared to pay premiums for outstanding performance in these fields? 

Fundamentally, social and environmental issues are business issues, and this concept is part of the core foundational principles at Lenzing. “People, Planet, Profit” is often used to describe the triple bottom line and the goal of sustainability. The fact is that they are all connected and should be thought of in one globally accepted conversation. Lenzing does just that. 

Human rights and environmental stewardship are inextricably linked. Everybody has the right to a secure, healthy and ecologically sound environment. We have also seen a huge market shift to fair trade products, from coffee to cotton, in the last few years. This is a positive sign that the brands and consumers are willing to pay extra to ensure that farmers and producers are able to live sustainably.

Lenzing sets very high benchmarks, where other fiber producers should aspire to. It is a key valued fiber partner and regards partnerships with the market to be very important. I recently toured the Modal facility in Lenzing, Austria, and was impressed with the closed loop system in place and accountability for all inputs and outputs. 

note; Believe it or not-that is a picture (above) of the Lenzing facility in Lenzing, Austria--right out of the "Sound of Music" in fact the Sound of Music was filmed on the bluff this picture was taken from!!!!!

“Sustainable innovation is the key economic driver of the 21st century. Supply chain transparency is one of the basic tenets for any sustainable business.” Coral Rose

Adidas Stores Display Green Duds on Paper Hangers

Original post here at Sustainable Life Media

March 24, 2009 - Adidas stores selling the company's new SVLR sustainable sportswear line are presenting their wares on recycled-content, 100% recyclable paper hangers made by Ditto, a green industrial design firm.

Adidas' SLVR clothing line features sustainable cotton, soybean-based fabric, and resource-efficient designs such as the "Zero Waste T," a t-shirt constructed from one piece of fabric with a single seam. But "green in the clothing industry isn't just about using bamboo fabrics or organic cottons or recycled denim," Adidas said in a statement. "It's also about how the clothing is presented to the customer."

Adidas collaborated with Ditto on the design for the new Ziggurat Paper Hanger, made of layered and highly compressed paperboard. The hanger has earned an International SPARKS Award for innovation in industrial design.

Adidas recently opened SVLR stores in New York and Paris and says it plans to introduce the line in other major cities later this year.

Cradle to Cradle offers certificate for textiles

Original post here on EcoTextileNews: Cradle to Cradle offers new ingredient certificate

CHARLOTTESVILLE – [04.02.09] Cradle to Cradle, the ecological certificate developed by the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) consultancy has introduced a new ‘approved ingredient’ element to its programme, which can be applicable to textiles and clothing.

The new Approved Ingredient certification programme assesses the sustainability of product ingredients for human and environmental health, as well as their recyclability or compostability. “The Cradle to Cradle Approved Ingredient certification makes it easier at the design stage to create ecologically-intelligent products by choosing materials that meet key sustainability criteria for material health and material reutilisation” said Jay Bolus, Vice President of Technical Operations for MBDC. “We invite material manufacturers to gain this designation and let their customers know about this as they qualify.”

The Cradle to Cradle Approved Ingredient designation is the second certification program developed by MBDC, which initially set out to identify end-products that met a series of environmental criteria with four levels of attainment, each requiring a higher achievement: Basic, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

MBDC‘s Ingredient certification is open to all manufacturers that make chemicals, materials or substances used in finished goods. Material assessments are conducted by an in-house team of scientists and project managers.

Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications

Control Union's New Recycled Textile Standard

Original Post Here: Control Union revises new recycled textile standard

NETHERLANDS-Control Union (CU) has issued a brand new version of its – of its brand new recycled fibers standard – with quite some changes to the story we broke EARLIER in full collaboration with CU.

As we went to press, Control Union contacted us urgently to say a new version of the Global Recycling Standard (GRS) has just been released that now focuses firmly on the percentage of pre- and post-consumer recycled content of a textile product instead of the previously announced three tier gold, silver and bronze system, which would have seen products classified simply by percentage of recycled raw materials.

As was pointed out to CU, the amount of post- and pre-consumer recycled content in a product is important to retailers so they can present a fully transparent story to consumers. Additionally, under a tiered system based on content alone it would be possible that a textile with a very high level of recycled cotton (for example 50%) to be graded alongside a fibre product with only 50% recycled polyester. Most recycled polyester fibres are at least 95% recycled content.

“It could also mean that a fibre producer could spin low grade fibre and then melt recycle into new fibre that meets the ‘gold standard’ (which previously stated more than 95% content),” said one industry insider.

So in the re-launch document for the Global Recycling Standard CU has worked closely with the industry to ensure GRS products will now be categorised based on the amount of pre- and/or post consumer recycled raw materials they contain. This amount is expressed as a percentage with a minimum of 5% content and the wording on GRS labelled products must say: “Made with recycled [raw material] – X% pre-consumer and X% post-consumer .”

The new GRS version also has strict provision for how internal waste is handled during the production process.

More on this story in the December issue of Ecotextile News. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications

 

Will Sustainability Feel the Squeeze?

EcoTextileNews Cover Story-November 2008 issue

by Coral Rose

As a result of the U.S. credit crunch and slowing economy, we are now seeing consumers including, ethical consumers become more economically conscious. What remains to be seen is how, if and when this might affect the solid upward trend of organic and sustainable fibers and products.

The Lenzing Group recently released results for the first half of 2008. With noted strong sales increases of 17.4%, they may be the first to acknowledge a shift in the market; “First signs of a weakening global fiber market were perceptible already from the beginning of the second quarter.”  And “The unfavorable economic development that started in the USA clouds expectations for the global economy. The weak dollar and turbulent raw material and energy markets will add further pressure”

In a global economy, U.S. issues are global issues. There are now concerns that the U.S. credit crisis is spreading to Europe and quickly becoming a global economic hurtle.

“In the short run, I hear people saying that we won’t have the resources to address sustainability now that we’re spending a trillion rescuing the financial system.  That seems backwards.  We need to address climate change and resource shortages even more aggressively.  It’s about risk management.  The leaner we are, the less stuff we use to make every product and service, the better prepared we are for whatever comes our way.” Andrew Winston, Founder of Eco-Strategies, and Co-Author Green to Gold.

We have witnessed decades of widespread global economic growth, in which we have seen the standard of living for millions of people, around the world rise to unprecedented levels.  As China and India enter the age of consumerism, global economic development is linked not only to the core practices of business, but that of environmental and social issues as well.

Our planet now supports 6.5 billion people. We are adding to that, about 70 million people each year. Some might assert that the current global economic business model cannot support or sustain economic progress for the projected 8 billion people who will live on this planet by 2050.

“In many ways, the credit crunch is the epitome of non-sustainability. Observing this crisis, you can study the consequences of non-sustainable (economic) actions that - in the end - will affect people, in other words the social/societal dimension of sustainability. For us this development strengthens the conviction that sustainable management is the only way of succeeding in the long run and we will continue to focus on sustainability in all respects." Friedrich Weninger, Vice-President, Lenzing AG. 

In the coming months, we will invariably see organizations implementing mid-course short term adjustments to their long term strategies. Some consider this the opportunity of the 21^st Century; to bring fresh ideas, knowledge, collaborative resources and innovation together in ways that link sustainability, with opportunities for sustainable economic growth. 

David Basson, President of Greensource Organic Company, views sustainability as “the competitive advantage to the slowing economy.”  “Sustainability is front and center on consumer’s minds right now, with high energy costs being a primary focus of the current Presidential elections.”

“We are seeing a tighter economy; consumers are looking for value and shopping at stores that they had not previously frequented.”  He noted a recent trip where he observed many high - end cars in a Walmart parking lot, he sees this as an enormous opportunity for Mass Market retailers.

While the current economic slowdown is not affecting Greensource fiber strategies, David Basson noted that pricing is still a large factor. As a vertical supplier he stressed the importance of long term relationships in his supply chain, as being “key to being able to service his customers through any economic challenges that may occur.”

Brian Powell, Director Sales & Operations-West for YKK USA, is optimistic about sustainability for the YKK brand. While foreseeing a potential definitive economic ‘downturn’ for the next year to eighteen months, “YKK understands that customers are resilient and will support the brands that can differentiate their product selections bringing added value such as sustainable designs/materials.” YKK is looking long term, and will move forward with sustainability. “YKKs culture is rooted in sustainability, we will continue to invest and build products cradle to cradle from recycled and or organic materials because we believe that profitability is synonymous with being sustainable.”

Patagonia is a brand that has successfully created long term brand value and stakeholder loyalty by considering the environmental and social impacts of their supply chain and products. Levi Straus & Co. recently reported that the current economic slowdown “is not hindering any product initiatives or other work LS&CO is doing in this (sustainability) area.”

"Marc Gunther, Senior Writer Fortune Magazine, who writes about the impact of business on society, with a focus on environmental issues, says “that this turmoil in the capital markets can't be good for the sustainability movement.” however, “if nothing else the economic slowdown is a huge distraction. But this will pass, eventually, and then there is no way that companies, and consumers, are going to be able to ignore sustainability"

"Walmart remains committed to Sustainability," according to Walmart spokeswoman Shannon Frederick; “At Walmart, we believe that being environmentally friendly and running a good business go hand in hand during times of economic prosperity as well as during tough economic times like our customers are currently experiencing. We remain committed to our sustainability-focused goals to be supplied 100% by renewable energy, to create zero waste, and to sell products that sustain our resources and the environment. All along we have said that we believe families should have access to affordable environmentally-friendly products. And we're committed to making sure our customers don't have to choose between a more sustainable product and one they can afford.”

How might the economic slowdown affect consumer purchasing behavior? Natural Marketing Institute recently reported that consumers state higher purchases of “Natural” versus “Organic” foods and beverages. “This is driven by a wide range of factors; levels of understanding, availability, price, and perceived benefits.”  Will we see this trend from organic to ‘natural’ (sustainable) in the fiber market?

As the impacts of a slowing economy are felt, companies that can adapt quickly to the troubled economy and become focused on the cost savings of sustainable business practices may be the ones to deliver a return on investment in tough times. Cost savings derived from increased energy efficiency of the supply chain, could lead us to a more localized and regionalized supply chain versus one that is globalized.

Economically tough times of the past yield us some insight to forthcoming possible actions; Retailers may sharpen margins and work towards leaner inventories; this will trickle down the supply chain. Brands and retailers may be less willing to make long term commitments at least for the short term until the rising economic tide has passed. Consumers will invariably spend less money while at the same time looking for products with added brand value, and consumers will shift to purchasing practical-no frills basics, this includes upcoming holiday gift purchases.

It is clear that companies who can strategize to thrive during this time, will no doubt be well situated for long term sustainable economic development and growth.

Copyright(C) 2008 Mowbry Communications Limited

Sustainable Textile Definitions and Fiber Glossary

By
Dr. Gwendolyn Hustvedt-Professor of Textiles Texas State University and
Coral Rose, Founder Eco-Innovations Sustainable Textile Strategies 

© Copyright: 2007 Coral Rose, Eco Innovations, may not be used without prior written authorization from Coral Rose.

Biobased: Biobased processes use naturally occurring organisms or enzymes. Biobased manufacturing processes generate by-products that are not hazardous, and that can be reused and/or are disposed of through biodegradable methods.

Biobased Fiber: Fiber that is derived from plants and processed using naturally occurring organisms or enzymes. Biobased manufacturing processes generate by-products that are not hazardous, and that can be reused and/or are disposed of through biodegradable methods.

Certified Humane: The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is a certification and labeling program that is the only animal welfare label requiring the humane treatment of farm animals from birth through slaughter.  The goal of the program is to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices. These animals are allowed to engage in their natural behaviors; raised with sufficient space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress, given ample fresh water and a healthy diet without added antibiotics or hormones. Note: Not all "humane" label claims are regulated.

Conventionally Produced: An agricultural product that is not certified as having been produced using organic or sustainable methods. Potentially toxic chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are commonly used in the agricultural processes.

Dyes (Low Impact): Dyes that contain no metals, low salt, and are AZO & dioxazines compound free. Low impact dyes require significantly less water for the dyeing process so there is less polluted runoff than from the conventional dye process. Organic cotton and most other fabrics can be successfully colored with fiber-reactive low impact dyes or all natural dyes such as-insects, clay, vegetables, berries, indigo, and other plant extracts.

Dyes (Fiber-Reactive): A color producing compound which has a molecular group capable of forming a covalent bond with atoms on the textile polymers. This bond is very strong which creates good colorfastness and reduces dye run-off during processing or care.

Ethical Trading: Ethical Trading (or sourcing) is a business model that aims to ensure that acceptable minimum labor standards are met in the supply chains of the whole range of companies products. This process ensures the basic labor rights of the employees are respected.

Fair Trade: Fairtrade certification is a market-based model of international trade that benefits over one million farmers and farm workers in over fifty developing countries.

Fairtrade Mark: A product that is produced and traded under Fair Trade conditions as defined by Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) and certified by FLO or one of its member National Initiatives. The Fair Trade Mark certifies individual products and not whole companies.

Fair Trade Principles: Fair Trade Principles Include; Fair Prices, Fair Labor Conditions, Direct Trade, Democratic and Transparent Organizations, Community Development and Environmental Sustainability.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO): The terms genetically modified (GM) and genetically engineered (GE) are used interchangeably by the industry, concurrently referring to genetic engineering, also known as recombinant DNA technology. GMO’s are genetically modified organisms, i.e. organisms whose DNA has undergone gene insertion. They are also called GEO’s, for genetically engineered organisms. If a GMO is used for food or to produce GM proteins used in food, the ingested product is called GM food. The term Bioengineering is also used to describe genetic engineering.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A pest management strategy that focuses on methods that are least injurious to the environment. Pesticides are applied in such a way that they pose the least possible hazard, and are used as a 'last resort' when other controls are inadequate.

Man-Made Fiber: Man made fibers are fibers that have been created by man using building blocks provided by nature e.g. proteins or cellulose as opposed to fibers made entirely by nature e.g. cotton. Man-Made Fibers include; rayon, modal, cupro etc.

Mercerization: A finishing process of treating a cotton yarn or fabric, in which the fabric or yarn is immersed in a caustic soda solution (sodium hydroxide) and later neutralized in acid. The process causes a permanent swelling of the fiber, resulting in an increased luster on the surface of the fabric, an increased affinity for dyes, increased strength and decreased shrinkage.

Naturally grown/all-natural: USDA guidelines state that "natural" meat and poultry products can only undergo minimal processing and cannot contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. The claim "natural" is otherwise unregulated.

Organically Produced Fiber: The raw fiber ingredients, such as cotton, flax or wool, have been certified as "Organic" by a USDA accredited certifying agent in accordance with the National Organic Program (NOP) Standards.

Plant-Based Fibers: Plant fibers are produced by plants, and are a product of agriculture. Cotton, Flax and Hemp are examples of Natural fibers grown in nature.

 

Pre-Consumer Recycled Content: Materials generated by manufacturers and processors, and may consist of scrap, trimmings and other by-products that were never used in the consumer market.

Post-Consumer Recycled Content: Post-consumer material is an end product that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste. Post-consumer materials include recyclables collected in commercial and residential recycling programs, such as office paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastics and metals.

Predator Friendly: A farming system that seeks coexistence with native predators rather than their elimination. Ranchers who seek certification as predator friendly agree to minimize contact between stock and predators and use non-lethal control methods for dealing with predators.

Recycled Content: The amount of material by weight collected, separated or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream for use in the form of raw materials, in the manufacture or assembly of a new package or product. Alternative Definition: An item that contains recovered materials. Recovered materials are wastes that have been diverted from conventional disposal such as landfills for another use. Recovered materials include both pre-consumer and post-consumer wastes.

Regenerated: Regenerated means fiber obtained from natural materials that involve a chemical process to convert the natural material e.g. wood into fiber e.g. viscose. Often referred to as man-made as opposed to synthetic.

Transitional Farming Practices: According to the USDA/NOP standards, farmers must practice organic methods for a ‘transitional time period” of three years on a given piece of land prior to receiving organic certification. "Transitional" means that the farmland is in the 'interim' period of that transition period towards organic certification. During that time all practices are certified organic by certifiers accredited by the National Organic Program.

Synthetics: Fabrics that are not from a renewable resource or natural origins. Synthetics include manmade polyesters and polyvinyl fiber derivatives such as Acrylic, Nylon and Spandex that have been synthesized from petroleum and carbon derivatives.

Fiber Glossary

Abaca (Manila): A vegetable leaf fiber derived from the Musa textiles plant, which is resistant to damage from salt water.

Acetate: A manufactured fiber formed by a compound of cellulose, refined from cotton, linens and/or wood.

Acrylic: A synthetic fiber derived from polyacrylonitrile.

Alpaca: A hair fiber from the Alpaca animal, a member of the llama family of the South American Andes Mountains.

Alpaca (organic): Free roaming, pasture rotation, distribution of the Alpaca’s manure as fertilizer, fed no hormones, no chemical dipping for ticks and parasites, no chemical ingredients are permitted on the land or animals.

Angora: The hair of the Angora rabbit. The clipped fiber from the Angora rabbit is the softest of rabbit hairs.

Acetate: A manufactured fiber formed by a compound of cellulose, refined from cotton, linens and/or wood.

Bamboo: As one of the fastest growing plants in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years.  It spreads rapidly across large areas. Because of relatively quick growing time and the ability to be grown without fertilizers or pesticides, the fiber is currently being marketed as an ‘eco-green-sustainable fiber.’ There are also claims that viscose or rayon from bamboo is biodegradable and anti-microbial. There are potential risks associated with using bamboo as a polymer source for rayon since there is currently a lack of transparency in the supply chain. It is not always clear which type of bamboo is used for fiber, where it is grown, how it is cultivated, harvested etc. To date there are no known organic certification of bamboo. 

Linen from Bamboo: A mechanical way of producing bamboo by crushing the woody parts of the bamboo plant and then using natural enzymes to break the bamboo walls into a mushy mass so that the natural fibers can be mechanically combed out and spun into yarn. Very little linen from bamboo is currently manufactured for clothing because it is more labor intensive and costly.

Rayon from Bamboo: The process to make viscose or rayon fiber from bamboo is the same process used to produce viscose/ rayon from any other plant source. The cellulose is extracted from the bamboo, and then the cellulose is mixed with chemicals to convert the plant pulp into textile quality fiber. This process can be very polluting unless it is carefully controlled, which can be influenced by the age and condition of the equipment as well as whether there is any by-product recycling or effluent treatment.

Bamboo is not, in and of itself, recognized as a fiber in the US or EU.  What is referred to as bamboo fiber in the market is actually viscose/rayon.

Note: All viscose or rayon fiber from Bamboo (as a source) that is imported into the US must carry a legal fiber content label declaration of viscose or rayon. All bamboo imported into the EU must use of the legal content declaration viscose; the EU does not permit the use of the word rayon. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) you must label your garments; "Rayon from Bamboo"

Bast fiber: Strong, soft, woody fibers such as flax, jute, hemp, ramie, and bamboo (if the bamboo is a linen fabric) that is obtained from the inner bark of the stems of certain plants. Linen from Bamboo fabric may fall into this category of Bast fiber.

Cinchilla: A cotton, wool, and even synthetic fabric of sateen or twill construction with extra fillings for long floats.

Cupro:  Cuprammonium rayon (Cupro or Cupra) is a regenerated cellulosic fiber made from a cellulose source such as cotton linters (waste fibers too small to spin) using a solution including copper sulfate and aqueous ammonia. A fine lustrous fiber that is stronger than Viscose rayon, Cupro is sometimes trademarked Bemberg and is no longer produced in the US.

Eco-fleece: A nubby, soft fabric made from (PET) recycled soda bottles.

Flax: The Linum usitaatissimum plant, used to produce linen.

Hemp: A bast fiber obtained from the stalk of Cannabis sativa that is very hardy and requires minimal agricultural inputs. It can be grown easily without the use of pesticides. Hemp needs fertilizer and may be grown organically.

Jusi Banana Fabric: A fabric that is generally derived from banana leaves, but may also come from silk worm cocoons.

Jute and Burlap: Fiber used in textiles for interiors, consisting of bundles of fiber held together by gummy pectinaceous substances.

Kapok: A short, lightweight, cotton-like, vegetable fiber found in the seed pods of the Bombocaceae tree, commonly used in cushions, mattresses, and life jackets.

Kenaf: A bast fiber obtained from the Hibiscus cannabinus plant, used as a substitute for Jute. Kenaf is also suitable for non-wovens.

Lambswool: Wool that is taken from sheep before they reach the age of 7 months.

Latex: Elastic material derived from the Castilla elastica tree, used to provide stretch to fabrics. Synthetic latex is derived from petrochemicals. Natural latex needs the addition of cross linking agents to render it durable and usable in products.

Lenzing Fibers: There is only one case of manufacturing a regenerated cellulose fiber-where the chemicals used in the process are completely recycled  with a recovery rate of 99.5%, this is known as a closed loop system. The fiber made using this closed looped process is Lenzings TENCEL ® Lyocell. More accurately described Lyocell is a solvent spun fiber in which the cellulose is directly dissolved keeping the cellulose much closer to that found in nature. TENCEL® Lyocell also carries the Oeko Tex 100 certification and FSC certification (http://www.fsc.org/en/) currently organic standards are not in place for certifying regenerated fibers using trees as a source e.g. Eucalyptus, or Beechwood.  FSC certification for TENCEL® Lyocell is for the forest and for the pulp, they also have been awarded the European-Eco flower label. (www.Lenzing.com)

Latex (blended): Also know as Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR), is produced with petrochemicals and doesn't not have the resilience properties that 100% natural latex has. In Europe, anything that has at least 20% natural latex is considered natural.

Linen: A fiber derived from the inside the woody stem of the flax plant.

Lycra: A DuPont trademark for its spandex fiber.

Mohair: The fiber from the Angora goat, mohair is mainly produced in South Africa and Texas. The long strong, lustrous fibers are clipped annually and are excellent for use in upholstery and carpeting due to their resilience.

Modal: A regenerated cellulosic fiber derived from beechwood.

Nylon: The first completely synthetic fiber, nylon was developed in 1938.

Nytril: A synthetic fiber, most often used in sweaters or pile fabrics.

PLA (Poly Lactic Acid polymer): taken from lactic acid produced by fermenting a sugar source such as corn.

Polyester: A petroleum-based, synthesized fiber introduced and widely used in the early 1950s, often spun with cotton.

Polypropylene (also known as polyolefin and Olefin): A synthetic fiber characterized by its light weight, strength, and abrasion resistance, used in activewear apparel, rope, indoor-outdoor carpets, lawn furniture, and upholstery.

Ramie: A woody fiber derived from the stalk of Boehmeria species, grown mainly in China.Raime is naturally white, but also brittle.

Rayon: A manufactured fiber composed of regenerated cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or bamboo vegetable matter.

Silk: A fiber produced by the silkworm Bombyx mori, also known as the mulberry silkworm, with which the worm weaves its cocoon. Cultivated silk comes from silkworms raised in production facilities and the worms are killed before leaving the cocoons as moths in order to prevent damage to the cocoons.

"Peace Silk" is silk that is produced from the fibers of a cocoon cut by the adult silkworms as it exists alive, and is considered a more humane option. "Tussah Silk" known for its tan color, is made from cocoons that are harvested in the wild, often after the moths have left the cocoons.

Sisal: A bast fiber derived from the leaves of the Agave plant, which is found in the West Indies, Central America, and Africa.

Soy Fiber:  A fiber with a silky feel, the soy fiber is correctly termed "Azlon from Soy"; these protein fibers are produced using the proteins from soy beans. Azlons can also be made with milk proteins or even chicken feathers.

Soy Sunn: A bast fiber derived from the Crotalaria juncea plant.

Synthetic fibers: Are those in which man has produced the entire operation of the fiber production without allowing nature to manufacture the fiber forming substance (called polymers.). Usually synthetics are made from chemicals derived from non-renewable resources such as coal or oil. The most widely recognized synthetics are polyester and nylon. 

Tencel®: A registered trademark of the Lenzing Fibers Group for Lyocell. More accurately described Lyocell is a solvent spun fiber in which the cellulose is directly dissolved keeping the cellulose much closer to that found in nature. The source of the cellulose is Eucalyptus.

Tri-acetate: A manufactured fiber, which, like acetate, is made by modifying cellulose.

Wool: A protein fiber usually derived from the fleece of sheep or lambs. The term wool can also be generically applied to all animal hair fibers, including the hair of the Cashmere or Angora goat or the specialty hair fibers of the camel, alpaca, llama, or vicuna.

Viscose: Viscose rayon is the oldest and most commonly produced type of rayon. The fiber labeled "rayon" in the US, but however will likely be labeled "viscose" in Europe. Viscose rayon is absorbent but also has poor wet strength and often requires dry cleaning to retain integrity. Other methods of producing rayon include High Wet Modulus (Modal) which improves wet strength and Cupro.

 

© Copyright: 2007 Coral Rose, Eco Innovations, may not be used without prior written authorization from Coral Rose.

New standard for recycled textiles

THE NETHERLANDS – [11.13.08] In response to strong demand from brands and retailers, Control Union Certifications has launched the first Global Recycling Standard (GRS) for textiles and clothing to ensure greater sourcing clarity right through the production supply chain.

The new GRS is a three-tiered system with a bronze, silver and gold level standard based on the amount of recycled content in any one given product. The top level Gold standard requires that products containing between 95 – 100% recycled material, while Silver labelled products are made of up between 70 – 95% recycled product. Products labelled with the Bronze GRS logo have to have a recycled content of no less than 30%.

In all cases the products will have to display the percentage of recycled content and may be labelled with the appropriate gold, silver of bronze GRS logos.

“The launch of the Global Recycled Standard is in response to an increasing desire from the textile industry to back up claims that can be made regarding recycled products,” said Mark Prosé of Control Union Certifications, “the backbone of the standard is a track-and-trace system to back up such claims made by mills and brands about the level of recycled product.”

For tracking and tracing Control Union says it will use a transaction certification system instead of a virtual on-line system because it says that not everyone in the supply chain will want to disclose cost or any confidentiality.

Under GRS the use of the recycled materials in textile will be based on criteria already laid down by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).

The standard also includes environmental processing criteria in addition to raw material specifications. This includes strict waste water treatment requirements and chemicals use based on the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Oeko-Tex 100.

An element of social responsibility is also incorporated into GRS, which ensures workers’ health ahd safety and upholds workers’ labour rights in accordance with the International Labor Organisation (ILO) criteria.

The GRS is intended for global use, but has been kicked off in the Far East to start with and is combined effort from Control Union in the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Korea.

 Original post here: EcoTextile News

Will an Economic Slowdown Affect Organic Consumer Purchasing Behavior?

The sales volume of organic products, which had been growing at 20 percent a year in recent years, slowed to a much lower growth rate in the last few months, according to the Nielsen Company, a market research firm.

“Organics continue to grow and outpace many categories,” the Nielsen Company concluded in an October report. “However, recent weeks are showing slower growths, possibly a start of an organics growth plateau.”

For the four-week period that ended Oct. 4, the volume of organic products sold rose just 4 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.

If the slowdown continues, it could have broad implications beyond the organic industry, whose success spawned a growing number of products with values-based marketing claims, from fair trade coffee to hormone-free beef to humanely raised chickens. Nearly all of them command a premium price.

While a group of core customers considers organic or locally produced products a top priority, the growth of recent years was driven by a far larger group of less committed customers. The weak economy is prompting many of them to choose which marketing claim, if any, is really important to them.

Among organic products, those marketed to children will probably continue to thrive because they appeal to parents’ concerns about health, said Laurie Demeritt, the president and chief operating officer of the Hartman Group, a market research firm for the health and wellness industry. But products that do not have as much perceived benefit, like processed foods for adults, may struggle.

Theresa Marquez, the chief marketing executive for Organic Valley, which sells primarily dairy products, said she was not worried about core customers because they were so committed to buying organic.

“I’m not sure the periphery — those that purchase perhaps only four or so times a month — will break the industry,” she said in an e-mail conversation after the convention. “But I am concerned that those periphery customers are important to the growth of the industry and without them, organic growth is sure to go flat.”

Organic Valley’s sales have slowed in the last four months, in part because of price increases, company officials said.

Robert Atallah, the owner of Cedarlane Foods, which makes organic and natural frozen meals, said his business had slowed in the last 18 months, a problem he attributed to increased competition and the economy. He said that he believed a newly developed line of products could help sales but cannot convince buyers for grocery chains to commit.

“The morale of buyers is so low, they don’t want to buy anything,” he said. “It’s a sick feeling all the way around. People don’t know if their job is going to be there.”

But others said they had not yet noticed a slowdown and were optimistic that sales would remain steady — or possibly improve — as consumers ate fewer meals in restaurants and devoted more time to cooking. Some store-brand manufacturers said they were thriving as consumers looked for cheaper alternatives to branded products.

Some others said they were cutting back on organic food to save money.Joni Heard, a 29-year-old mother of two who lives in central Florida, said that in the past she would buy organic milk, cheese and produce but had cut back because it was too expensive. “I’m a stay-at-home mom and my husband — you never know if he’s going to be laid off,” she said in an interview, explaining that her husband works in construction. “I can’t justify spending $2 or $3 more for a single item.”

The shift to “NATURAL”

The Natural Marketing Institute recently reported that consumers state higher purchases of “Natural” versus “Organic” foods and beverages. “This is driven by a wide range of factors; levels of understanding, availability, price, and perceived benefits.” *Note: there is not a USDA Standard with third party certification in place for products with a “Natural” identifier as there is for and “Organic” label.

Will we see this trend from organic to ‘natural’ (sustainable) in the fiber market?

Portions originally posted Here by The New York Times;
Budgets Squeezed, Some Families Bypass Organics

By ANDREW MARTIN

 

Wal-Mart Strengthens Social and Environmental Goals

BEIJING – [10.22.08] Just as the global textile industry has started to question whether its journey towards sustainability can survive in these tough economic times, Wal-Mart has bucked the trend with a series of new goals and expectations to build a more environmentally and socially responsible global supply chain.

Lee Scott, the president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced the move at an unprecedented gathering of more than 1,000 leading suppliers, officials and NGOs in Beijing, China. “Sustainability is about building a better business. We think it is essential to our future success as a retailer – and to meeting the expectations of customers,” said Scott, “Maintaining the trust of our customers – today and in the future – is tied hand-in-hand with improving the quality of our supplier factories and their products.”

The company will focus on areas aimed at meeting or exceeding social and environmental standards, driving innovation and efficiency and building stronger partnerships with suppliers, government and NGOs.

As part of a series of new requirements for its suppliers, Wal-Mart is taking a number of steps to further strengthen and enforce supplier compliance with environmental and social standards, including the creation of a new supplier agreement that will require factories to certify compliance with laws and regulations where they operate – as well as rigorous social and environmental standards. The agreement will be phased in beginning with suppliers in China in January 2009 and expanding to suppliers around the world by 2011.

The company has pledged to bring more environmentally sustainable products to its store shelves and says it will partner with suppliers to improve energy efficiency in the top 200 factories it sources from directly in China by 20% by 2012. The company will share information and best practices with all of the factories it sources from as well as its competitors.

In terms of supply chain transparency, by 2009, Wal-Mart will require all direct import suppliers plus all suppliers of private label and non-branded products to provide the name and location of every factory they use to make the products it sells. The company will also have all suppliers it buys from directly to source 95% of their production from factories that receive the highest ratings on environmental and social practices by 2012.

Wal-Mart also announced a major effort to make Wal-Mart China a leader in sustainability in China by committing to make its stores more sustainable. The company will design and open a new store prototype that uses 40% less energy and will reduce energy use at existing stores by 30% by 2010. In addition, during the next two years, Wal-Mart China will aim to cut water use in all of its stores in half by investing in new hardware and systems and developing best practices that will help its associates and stores use water more efficiently.

Scott also sent out a strong socially responsible message to the Chinese manufacturing community: “I firmly believe that a company that cheats on overtime and on the age of its labour, that dumps its scraps and chemicals in our rivers, that does not pay its taxes or honour its contracts – will ultimately cheat on the quality of its products. And cheating on the quality of products is the same as cheating on customers. We will not tolerate that at Wal-Mart.”

The announcements build on Lee Scott‘s ‘Company of the Future’ speech to Wal-Mart store managers in January, 2008 where he pledged to make the company’s operations in China more sustainable and our build a more environmentally and socially responsible global supply.

Original Post: EcoTextileNews Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd 

Payless ShoeSource to Sell 'Green' Shoe Line

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
By David Twiddy, The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Payless ShoeSource is going green as it plans to sell a line of ecologically friendly shoes and handbags at low prices.

The Topeka, Kan.-based chain announced the new line yesterday with the first eight to 12 styles of women's shoes being introduced in between 500 to 1,000 of its 4,500 stores and its online store early next year. The shoes will sell for an average of less than $30 a pair. They will be joined soon with styles for men and children, the chain said.

The new brand, which has yet to be named, will be made from materials with less effect on the environment, such as organic cotton and linen, hemp and recycled rubber outsoles, the company said. The shoes will be produced on special machines that use biodegradable glues and be shipped in boxes made of recycled materials.

But these will not be your father's Birkenstocks, either, continuing Payless' push in recent years to improve the fashion and design level of its products.

"At the end of the day, what you're trying to do is really democratize 'green' here," said Matt Rubel, chief executive officer of parent company Collective Brands Inc. "We want to bring it to the people in a way where it brings compelling value and compelling good things for the planet."

Payless is not the first company to get into the eco-friendly shoe business.

Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for research firm The NPD Group, said companies such as Patagonia, Timberland and Teva have pushed an environmentally aware message with their shoes for years. They've been joined by smaller brands, such as Keep, Keen and Terra Plana.

But the sector still represents less than 4 percent of the overall footwear market, Mr. Cohen said, reflecting a huge opportunity for a retailer who can successfully appeal to consumers' desire to reduce their environmental footprint.

The typically inflated prices of eco-friendly products don't help, either.

"If you're going to play the green card, you'd better be sure that the product can stand up to the scrutiny that the consumer and the watchdogs are going to put on it," he said.

Mr. Rubel said Payless was able to keep its prices low by using its large market presence to get better deals on materials.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. First published on October 14, 2008 at 12:00 am

 

Wal-Mart Bans Uzbek Cotton

BENTONVILLE – [09.30.08] US retail giant Wal-Mart has instructed its global supply base to cease sourcing cotton and cotton materials from Uzbekistan in an effort to persuade the Uzbek government to end the use of forced child labor in cotton harvesting.

The move follows on from a move at the beginning of this year by UK retailer Tesco which also urged its suppliers to stop using cotton from the former Soviet Republic. See related story HERE.

The action by Wal-Mart follows months of work with industry trade associations, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and socially responsible investment groups to form a common position in condemning the Uzbek government‘s practices.

"We have formed an unprecedented coalition, representing 90% of the U.S. purchases of cotton and cotton-based merchandise, to bring these appalling child labor conditions to an end," said Rajan Kamalanathan, vice president of ethical standards. "There is no tolerance for forced child labor in the Wal-Mart supply chain."

The Environmental Justice Foundation is one such organization that has run a long, effective campaign against the cotton industry in Uzbekistan and published the land-mark document ‘White Gold – the true cost of Cotton’, which dealt with this issue.

With Wal-Mart‘s active participation, four industry trade groups, the American Association of Footwear and Apparel, Retail Industry Leaders Association, National Retail Federation, and the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel sent a joint letter to the Embassy of Uzbekistan on Aug. 18, 2008, demanding an immediate end to the use of forced child labor in cotton harvesting.  In  response, the Uzbek government issued on Sept. 12, 2008 a National Action Plan which details steps to eradicate the use of child labor. The Government has set out a working group to monitor practice against the new minimum age of 16.

Once these steps can be independently verified, Wal-Mart says it will modify the direction to its suppliers.

Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd 

 

Sustainability Leadership- an Interview with Coral Rose

You can find the original interview here; "Focus Sustainability" 2008; a comprehensive report by Lenzing Fibers.

Coral Rose, expert on Sustainable Textiles, talks about her views on sustainability in the 21st century. 

What do you think about Lenzing’s achievements in sustainable management
and which aspects do you consider to be most essential according to your experience? 

Sustainable innovation is the key economic driver of the 21st century. Supply chain transparency is one of the basic tenets or “rules of engagement” for any sustainable business.
Lenzing offers the fiber market what few, if any, producers of fibers do, and that is both sustainable innovation and full transparency of the supply chain. One of the most important global issues is “what is the source of our raw materials? Where were the materials harvested, processed, produced?” This is a total mindset shift at the textile design level. 

Do you think that the communication of the Lenzing Botanic Principles has been
well received by the important players in the market? 

Lenzing’s Botanic Principles lead us back to the source of life on the planet, back to nature. They enhance the education of the market by applying these simple, yet easy to- understand principles. Botanic Principles connect the lifecycle of nature and sustainability to fiber innovation. Nature and sustainability are not separable. 

I strongly believe Lenzing’s products are a key component to any sustainable fiber strategy, when considering all the environmental impacts associated with fiber growing and production. Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL ® come out on top – practical, applicable and economically viable to integrate into fiber strategies of most global organizations. 

In which segments of the industry do you feel Lenzing innovations have been most visible? 

Lenzing places a high priority not only on supply chain transparency and disclosure, but also continual improvement and ongoing research and improvements of their products. Their innovations are especially vital to the activewear market as options to replace high-performance petrol based products, while maintaining quality fiber performance and economical viability. Many activewear brands are also struggling with finding sustainable options for organic cotton as their customers require garments that have excellent moisture management. Lenzing’s fibers offer the market sustainable fiber performance solutions.

Apart from the more product related aspects, how would you rate the importance of the more general social and environmental issues in the supply chain? Are customers prepared to pay premiums for outstanding performance in these fields? 

Fundamentally, social and environmental issues are business issues, and this concept is part of the core foundational principles at Lenzing. “People, Planet, Profit” is often used to describe the triple bottom line and the goal of sustainability. The fact is that they are all connected and should be thought of in one globally accepted conversation. Lenzing does just that. 

Human rights and environmental stewardship are inextricably linked. Everybody has the right to a secure, healthy and ecologically sound environment. We have also seen a huge market shift to fair trade products, from coffee to cotton, in the last few years. This is a positive sign that the brands and consumers are willing to pay extra to ensure that farmers and producers are able to live sustainably.

Lenzing sets very high benchmarks, where other fiber producers should aspire to. It is a key valued fiber partner and regards partnerships with the market to be very important. I recently toured the Modal facility in Lenzing, Austria, and was impressed with the closed loop system in place and accountability for all inputs and outputs. 

note; Believe it or not-that is a picture (above) of the Lenzing facility in Lenzing, Austria--right out of the "Sound of Music" in fact the Sound of Music was filmed on the bluff this picture was taken from!!!!!

“Sustainable innovation is the key economic driver of the 21st century. Supply chain transparency is one of the basic tenets for any sustainable business.” Coral Rose

Paper; Seeing the Forest Through the Trees

Getting Clear On What to Look for in PAPER PRODUCTS

 

All the problems associated with paper are predicted to grow even faster in the near future, as developing countries increase their use of paper and other wood products. Our forest footprint--the amount of forested area that humans use to meet their forest-product needs--has grown by 50 percent since the early 1960s, and experts predict a 50 percent increase in the world's paper consumption by 2010. Computer use has not produced a hoped-for reduction in paper consumption: Personal computers print out a global total of 115 billion pounds of paper each year, and the average U.S. consumer uses more than 700 pounds of paper every year--twice the European average.

Fiber Content

Recycled Paper
Recycling saves trees and forest ecosystems, sequesters the heavy metals in inks and keeps them out of the general waste stream, saves landfill space, produces jobs, saves water and energy, and generates far fewer greenhouse gases than virgin paper production. Purchasers of recycled paper help create a market for recycled paper and incentives for the recovery of paper; the percentage of office paper currently recycled in the U.S. is a pitiful 20 percent.

Recycling skeptics often claim that paper recycling involves toxic solvents and detergents, but newer de-inking systems, now widespread in the industry, have eliminated these troublesome substances.

Look for the following labels on recycled paper:

% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW): This phrase defines what percentage of a paper is derived from consumer-generated paper that has been recycled from the solid waste stream. This is the most efficient reuse of paper, and as a rule of thumb consumers should seek out the maximum percentage of post-consumer content, as opposed to "pre-consumer" paper, which involves mill wastes and scraps.

% Recycled: This term indicates that a paper contains the specified percentage of all recycled material, including along both pre- and post-consumer content.

Alternative Fibers
Tree-free paper is available made from a variety of substances, including flax and linen, tobacco leaf, agricultural stalks and straws, bamboo, coffee-bean residue, esparto grass, seaweed, bagasse (leftover sugarcane stalks), old money, old clothing and ground junk-mail. These fibers also can be combined with paper made from wood pulp and recycled even further. Currently, the chief tree-free papers include:

Kenaf: A relative of hibiscus and cotton, kenaf is an annual plant that produces more than twice the amount of fiber per acre as a pine forest. It requires few pesticides and herbicides and is naturally whiter than wood pulp--requiring, therefore, less bleaching.

Cotton: Sources are rags, old clothes and blue jeans, and waste cotton from cotton mills. Fortunately, most paper efficiently uses industrial by-products and post-consumer waste that would otherwise be garbage. At least one company, Green Fields, makes organic cotton paper products.

Hemp: Hemp produces excellent fibers for paper--at least twice as much fiber as pine. It requires few chemicals to grow and, like kenaf, is naturally lighter in color than wood pulp.

Bleaching Process

Chlorine-free paper processing uses less than one tenth as much water, according to the Chlorine Free Products Association. Look for paper bearing the following CFPA certifications:

TCF: Totally Chlorine Free, for virgin (non-recycled) paper that is unbleached or processed without the use of chlorine or chlorine derivatives

PCF: Processed Chlorine Free, for recycled paper in which the recycled content is not further bleached with chlorine or chlorine derivatives; any virgin material portion of the paper must be TCF.

ECF: Elemental Chlorine Free, for paper bleached with a chlorine derivative, such as chlorine dioxide; ECF reduces emissions compared to chlorine gas, but still produces dioxins, furans, and other organochlorines as by-products. PCF and TCF are much preferable.

Third Party Certifications

Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment by identifying and promoting products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, and minimize global warming and ozone depletion. Green Seal both recommends paper products that meet its criteria, and certifies paper products when manufacturers submit to inspections to verify their production processes.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) can certify that the pulp used to make paper originates from well-managed forests with intact, healthy ecosystems.

Original post here
@ the green guide 

Leave No Trace and Sustainable Business Cross Paths

When you put on the ‘lens’ of Sustainability,

‘Aha’s’ happen everywhere—in any place, at any time.......

As I hiked the picturesque Ozarks near my home this past weekend, (yes, I sat right by that waterfall pictured above and had lunch today)

I was reminded of Henry David Thoreau’s quote "In wilderness is the preservation of the world."

Leave No Trace principles that have been pervasive in the world of sustainable ‘outdoor recreation’ for many years, now offer us some Best Practices for Sustainable Business as well.

At its core, Leave No Trace is about Sustainable Recreation; "Ensuring that our activities today do not adversely impact those tomorrow."

...........Does that sound familiar?

Leave No Trace is a set of principles for participation in outdoor recreation that seeks to minimize the impact on the natural environment. Proponents of Leave No Trace believe that individual impacts caused by recreation can accumulate to degrade the land

Leave No Trace is often summarized: "Take only photos, leave only foot prints."

The roots of Leave No Trace can be traced to the 1970s and 1980s. In the 70s, groups such as the Sierra Club were advocating minimum impact camping techniques. In 1990 a national education program was developed by the United States Forest Service in conjunction with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

Leave No Trace is best understood as an educational and ethical program, not as a set of rules and regulations.

Principles: Leave No Trace framework for outdoor recreation decision making

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare: Poorly prepared people, when presented with unexpected situations, often resort to high-impact solutions that degrade the outdoors or put themselves at risk.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Damage to land occurs when surface vegetation or communities of organisms are trampled beyond repair.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly: Though most trash and litter in the backcountry is not significant in terms of the long term ecological health of an area, it does rank high as a problem in the minds of many backcountry visitors. Trash and litter are primarily social impacts which can greatly detract     from the naturalness of an area.
4. Leave What You Find:  Leaving rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects as found will allow others a sense of discovery. Similarly, Leave No Trace directs people to minimize site      alterations, such as digging tent trenches, hammering nails into trees, permanently clearing an area of rocks or twigs.
5. Minimize Use and Impact of Fire: Leave No Trace encourages people to use lightweight camp stoves, instead of fires, because the naturalness of many areas has been degraded by overuse of fires and the increasing demand for firewood. True Leave No Trace fires show no evidence of having      ever been constructed.
6. Respect Wildlife: If enough people approach or interfere with wildlife, it can be disruptive to animal populations.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors: Following hiking etiquette and maintaining quiet allows visitors to go through the wilderness with minimal impact on other users.

The Leave No Trace program is managed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, formerly Leave No Trace, Inc., which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Consumers Think Sustainability is Here to Stay

The number of U.S. consumers who think sustainability is here to stay outnumbers those who don’t by two-to-one, according to Natural Marketing Institute’s LOHAS Consumer Trends Database.

And since consumers are expecting sustainability to stay, businesses should be prepared to meet those expectations, according to NMI. This has major implications for businesses across all market sectors, which will need to have long-term plans in place to address sustainability.

“Furthermore, those first to adapt and succeed in their industry will have first-mover advantage,” according to NMI. “There is no time like the present to evaluate a company’s impact and develop short-term and long-term goals for addressing your impact. Effective CSR encompasses more than just good PR. Companies must be actively practicing and promoting their efforts in terms of how they develop, manufacture, transport, sell products and services - and do so in a way which resonates with buyers.”
 

Eco-Sticker Smarts: New Eco-Textile Labeling Guide

New Eco-Textile labeling guide (click here for post) from EcoTextileNews

A new textile labeling guide which is set to cut through the confusion surrounding organic and eco-textiles standards and certification will be published in September 2008 by Mowbray Communications Ltd in partnership with the global textile exhibition organiser Messe Frankfurt.

This new, ground-breaking easy-to-read handbook will update readers on the latest voluntary and obligatory organic textile standards and certification along with eco-textile labeling and the various options available for sourcing textiles in a socially responsible manner.

Information on organic textile standards such as GOTS, IVN, IWTO, KRAV, BioSuisse and Organic Exchange etc will be supplemented by snapshots on how to certify textiles to these standards from companies such as Control Union, Soil Association, JOCA, IMO and ICEA etc.

Outside of the organic textiles area the new guide book will inform readers on the latest textile labelling criteria from bluesign technologies, Cradle-to-Cradle, EU Eco-Label, Oeko-Tex, Blue Angel, Better Cotton Initiative, FSC accreditation and more.

If you are a buyer or a textile manufacturer wanting to know more about sourcing and producing eco-textiles this new guide-book is a ‘must read’ information resource. It will also be updated annually as the criteria for these standards evolve in line with market requirements.

Easy explanations of what the NOP, EU 2092/91, IFOAM and JAS standards mean for both textile manufacturers and retailers will also be outlined in the guide which will also include a detailed glossary and tabular comparisons of the various standards.

The new publication will be printed in both English and Chinese to help to spread the message about sustainable textiles and clothing in both the major manufacturing and buying regions of the world.

If you would like to reserve a copy of this unique publication (estimated at around 92 pages), please CLICK HERE. There is only be a nominal cost to cover printing and distribution.

If you want to order bulk copies (for example retailers and brands who want to inform buying teams) then email [email protected] immediately as the first print run is almost allocated. 

Avery Dennison Puts FSC Logo On Clothing Tags

Avery Dennison tag and label manufacturing facilities in China and Korea have been given the Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody certificate. The accreditation means that apparel manufacturers and retailers can now display the FSC logo on tags and tickets produced on the FSC certified paper stocks from  Avery Dennison.This will send a clear message to consumers that a manufacturers or retailers brand stands for responsible paper sourcing and sustainable forest management practices, said Josh Dunn, who is leading the eco-friendly product management team at Avery Dennison Retail Information Services.

Products certified to carry the FSC logo include tags and tickets made from single-side coated, two-side coated and Kraft paper stocks.

 

Techno-Green Textiles

Excerpt from the latest issue of Textile Insight:

Click here: Fusing Eco and Function in this Season of Sustainability

Just like synthetics and natural fibers learned to co-exist in today’s marketplace – when was the last time you heard “cotton kills” or any anti-wool comments? – the worlds of eco and performance are now aligning.

No longer considered separate forces, the emerging trend is finding common ground where both man-made fibers and eco-based textiles can thrive. Indeed, these days the market appears to be asking for some bamboo with its CoolMax and nylon that is Oeko-Tex approved.

In this season of sustainability, not only is the merging of green and synthetic found in new product – consider Schoeller’s nanosphere technology used with hemp for snowboard garments – but the trend carries over to new production methods and innovative marketing efforts. Certification has ramped up considerably in the past year, and in many cases the industry as a whole is demanding “approved” products and processes in forming new partnerships.

New campaigns and corporate promotions are also centered on environmental initiatives, but based on green product that is performance-oriented.

Activewear Eco-Performance Innovations

Posted here by EcoTextileNews Functional and ecological

NETHERLANDS – [08.12.08] Polyester yarn producer Advansa has teamed up with Tencel maker Lenzing to introduce a new range of activewear fabrics which are claimed to offer both ecological and performance benefits.

The fabrics are a combination of Advansa’s ‘ThermoºCool Eco’ and Lenzing’s Tencel cellulosic fibre.

The new Advansa fibre is a PTT polymer based on ‘Bio-PDO’ which is derived from renewable raw materials such as corn sugar.

Together with Tencel this fabric is said to offer a high moisture absorption capacity due to Tencel yarns on the outer side of the fabric which rapidly removes moisture and the multi-channel cross sectional profile of the Advansa PTT ‘ThermoºCool Eco’ on the inner side which wicks moisture to the surface.

This combination of yarns is said to guarantee a drier skin surface during sports activities.

“Depending on the mass per unit area in question, textiles can be designed for various applications such as thermoregulating underwear, socks or textiles offering protection and performance solution for all environmental conditions,” said Advansa in a press statement.

It’s a Bird-It’s a Plane….No, It’s a Speedo LZR Racer?

Swimwear Apparel-Textiles- are making big news at the Beijing Olympics. Nine out of ten World Records that have been broken in the first three days of the Olympic Swim Program-have been broken by athletes wearing...... THE NEW HIGH TECH......

Speedo’s LZR Swimsuit (click here for Speedo website with daily Olympic updates)

According to a Press Release earlier this year. Speedo has harnessed the expertise of the United States space agency NASA amongst a number of international research institutes to create a faster suit.(All you sustainability enthusiast's will be excited that the methodology of Biomimicry was used to design this suit--Bio-Mimimicry is simply going with the flow of nature-nature who designs the world of the natural environment to be perfect and purposeful) 

Made from an ultra lightweight, low drag, water repellent, fast drying fabric, unique to Speedo, called LZR PULSE, the LZR RACER is the world’s first fully bonded swimsuit that is ultrasonically welded and gives the effect of no seams at all.

Ultra low drag LZR Panels are embedded into the base fabric to create a ‘Hydro Form Compression system’ helping to compress the entire swimmer’s body into a more streamlined shape and enabling them to cut through the water with more power and agility.

“When I hit the water, I feel like a rocket”, says Michael Phelps, holder of six World records, who has been involved in the development and will be sporting the LZR RACER as he sets out to achieve a world record breaking 8 gold medals in these Olympics. “I can’t wait to race in it………..this is going to take the sport of swimming to a new level”.

His comments, echoed by other elite swimmers, are gratifying for Speedo’s research and development team, Aqualab, who have spent more than three years in intensive research and development to create their most hydro-dynamically advanced swimsuit to date.

Check out this video: Speedo Launches LZR RACER

Speedo scanned the bodies of more than 400 elite swimmers and held technical tests involving more than 100 different fabrics and suit designs in the world’s leading flume and test center.

Team USA travels with a pack of scientists that are evaluating the performance of each swimmer.

Of course the new Aquatic Swim Complex, "The Water Cube" in Beijing is also being touted as a modern performance enhancing marvel and perhaps partially responsible for these world-breaking performances.

Perhaps they should change the name of the "The Water Cube" to the "Fishbowl?"

Now, if we could only get all those NASA scientists to work on improving the sustainability of performance based fabrics..........

Note: In the next 10 days, I will be reporting on advancements in sustainability made in the area of natural-regenerated and synthetic based performance based fibers~Coral

Greenwashing Washout?

Consumers are Experiencing "Greenwashing Washout"

 

The National Marketing Institute-(NMI) -LOHAS research shows that corporate sustainability messaging is not breaking through the clutter in consumers’ lives.

While leadership brands across a variety of industries have been a galvanizing platform for consumers to initially understand corporate sustainability. 

• The future of the green movement will require a new level of sophistication and clarity as consumers increasingly discern between those companies that are truly sincere versus those that are perceived as participating for superficial reasons.

According to NMI Managing Partner Steve French, “While numerous companies are attempting to gain credibility as good corporate citizens, consumers are overwhelmed by the myriad of communications and are, at times, unable to distinguish the legitimacy. Some companies who are doing relatively little with respect to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are perceived as just as responsible as those spending millions of dollars incorporating sustainability into their businesses.”

Simultaneously, many consumers remain contemptuous about the sincerity of corporate action and look for credible, third party proof of the claims companies make. 

Look no further than a brand such as Herbal Essence® compared to Estee Lauder’s Origins brand to see the value of third party claims in proving benefits to consumers.

Lack of credibility and trustworthiness will continue to cause confusion and blurring in consumers minds.
Simultaneously,
CSR messaging must be more meaningful, memorable, and relevant to consumers to have an impact. 

The Textile Dye-er Launched

 

The publishers of Ecotextile News have launched a new on-line publication called the Textile Dyer.

The Textile Dyer is designed to promote best industry practice in the textile dyeing, printing and chemical industries.

Sign up FREE for a temporary subscription to see the exclusive
content.(Click Here)

Textile Dyes and Dyeing Glossary

CLICK HERE:
Dyes and Dyeing Glossary; A Glossary of Terms for Materials and Processes in Textile Dyeing © Doug Wilson, 2004

How Green Is Your Wardrobe?

Orginal Post on EcoTextile News click here

MATLOCK – [08.07.08] A new on-line calculator which allows consumers to calculate the environmental impact of their clothing has been launched by Colour Connections Ltd – the same company which developed the ground-breaking textile eco-metrics (click here or see this blogs 7.18.08 post) for manufacturers and clothing brands.

The new ‘Household Textile Environmental Impact Calculator’ differs from textile eco-metrics in that it's aimed specifically at shoppers instead of the textile industry. Using a series of drop-down menus and a set of complex mathematics hidden behind its user friendly interface allows consumers to assess the environmental impact of the choices they make when they buy, care and dispose of household textiles and clothing.

All users have to do is choose from a list of common clothing items in terms of how many items they buy and how they are disposed in a twelve month period. Then users are asked how these items are washed, dried and ironed in a typical week. After pressing the 'calculate' button, users score a rating in terms of 'Environmental Damage Units' or EDU’s. The EDU value is an environmental measure which is scientifically arrived at based on water and energy use, the use of non-renewable resources and pollution.

The overall EDU score for each item of clothing depends on each individual consumer’s buying preferences, how they care for their garments and ultimately how they dispose of them.

“You may be surprised at how much impact your personal or family clothing preferences have on the environment,” said Phil Patterson, managing director of Colour Connections. “Doing one fewer tumble drying cycle per week saves 170 EDU’s, which is enough to make the fabric for 50 pairs of underpants.”

CLICK HERE to see how your wardrobe stacks up.

Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd 

Patagonia Providing Continuing Ed for Voters

Originally posted here on Smart Solutions for Sustainable Business Blog

by Mary Hunt

All that rock climbing must be what makes Patagonia fearless in the business world.

Today they announced that they'll be using their retail reach to encourage individuals to "Vote the Environment" and are using You Tube to get the message across.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW3V6ThF6dc&feature=user

Casey Sheahan, president and CEO of Patagonia says, "We're using our story-telling and marketing expertise to get this message out during a critical time in our country's history. We know that some customers may be put off by the strong environmental message. Not all our customers are environmentalists. But we are."

That last line is the most telling about Patagonia's brand, they stick to their mission regardless of who may not agree. That's being authentic at at a time when trust in corporations is at an all time low.

Patagonia understands its responsibility to not only make a profit, but to use its advertising and retail distribution connections to provide continuing education to the masses. If repetitive advertising can change a buying behavior, then it also can change a social responsibility behavior. 

It's hard to tell where the .com stops and the .org starts.

Patagonia has already given over $30 million to grassroots environmental activists since 1985. These are mostly micro projects, such as cleaning up a local river or bringing an environmental education class to a small town. Those actions don't make the big press releases, but are the ultimate in consumer engagement. It must be working, they crested $280 million in sales last year.

What I appreciate most is their ability to educate their base on both the micro and the macro issues impacting the planet. To do so they hold their own story up to scrutiny. Their "Footprint Chronicles" provide a retail-lite, Life Cycle Assessment. It falls short on quantified numbers, but does give a nod to the good and the bad of each product. That's a big step towards transparency.

"Vote the Environment" doesn't pick a party, it provides educational links for individuals to use and decide for themself who will do a better job. In the primaries, according to research by the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the environment was #18 on the list of top voter concerns across party lines. With this new initiative, Patagonia is hoping to put environmental issues into the #1 spot.

Contact Mary at [email protected]

Labeling of Textiles: National Organic Program (NOP)

USDA regulates the term “organic” as it applies to agricultural products through its
National Organic Program (NOP) regulation, 7 CFR Part 205.(LINK HERE)

● Raw natural fibers, such as cotton, wool ,flax, etc., are agricultural products and
are covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. Off-farm treatment of
raw organic fibers are not covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. 

● Although the NOP has no specific fiber or textile processing and manufacturing
standards, it may be possible for fi bers grown and certified to NOP crop/livestock standards
to be processed and manufactured into textile and other products which meet NOP
standards. 

Labeling for Certified Handling/Processing/ Manufacturing Operations 

Only textile products certified to the NOP production AND processing standards are eligible to be labeled
“100 percent organic” and “organic.” 

100 percent organic 

● 100 percent organic fiber content.

● Only organic processing aids.

● USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail
displays—in proximity to certified products only.

● All operations producing, handling, processing and manufacturing the final product must be
certified. 

Organic 

● Minimum of 95 percent organic fiber content.

● 5 percent nonorganic substances, as listed in Section 205.605 of the NOP regulation.

● No non-organic fibers.

● USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail
displays—in proximity to certified products only.

● All operations producing, handling, processing,and manufacturing the final product must be certified. 

Other Uses of the Word “Organic” in Textile Product Labeling 

The NOP does not restrict the use of the term “made with organic …” in the labeling of textile products to
only those products manufactured in certified organic facilities or containing a minimum of 70 percent
organic fibers. However, all fibers identified in these textile products as “organic” must be produced and
certified to NOP standards. 

Labels on textile products from non-certified handling/processing/manufacturing operations: 

● May identify specific fibers as being organic if certified to the NOP crop/livestock standards.

● May state the percentage of organic fibers contained in the final product.

● May not use the USDA Organic seal.

● May not imply or lead the consumer to believe that the final product is certified organic 

Other Labeling Laws 

● NOP label requirements are in addition to those required by the Federal Trade
Commission’s (FTC) Textile and Wool Acts.

● Information on FTC labeling requirements for textiles can be found at the following websites:

Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements of The Textile and Wool Acts

Calling it Cotton

M&S Plastic Bag Use Drops 80% in Ten Weeks

British retailer Marks & Spencer says shopper demand for plastic bags has plummeted 80% since it began charging for the bags in early May.

Marks & Spencer says it has saved 70 million plastic bags in the ten weeks since instituting a ten-cent surcharge per bag. The retailer has so far raised more than $400,000 from the charge, which it will donate to local parks and public gardens.

"It is fair to say that M&S’ carrier bag charging policy has provoked a lot of debate but these figures show that the overwhelming majority of our customers support charging and are already helping us to make a huge difference by bringing their own bags in with them when they shop with us," says Sir Stuart Rose, M&S chairman.

The policy is part of the company's sustainability program, Plan A which aims to reduce carrier bag usage by a third and to have no waste from its operations go to landfill by 2012.

Ikea is seeing similar success charging its customers for bags - its plastic bag use is down 90%. 

Shipping Costs Start to Crimp Globalization

August 3, 2008

Shipping Costs Start to Crimp Globalization-New York Times

By LARRY ROHTER

When Tesla Motors, a pioneer in electric-powered cars, set out to make a luxury roadster for the American market, it had the global supply chain in mind. Tesla planned to manufacture 1,000-pound battery packs in Thailand, ship them to Britain for installation, then bring the mostly assembled cars back to the United States.

But when it began production this spring, the company decided to make the batteries and assemble the cars near its home base in California, cutting more than 5,000 miles from the shipping bill for each vehicle.

“It was kind of a no-brain decision for us,” said Darryl Siry, the company’s senior vice president of global sales, marketing and service. “A major reason was to avoid the transportation costs, which are terrible.”

The world economy has become so integrated that shoppers find relatively few T-shirts and sneakers in Wal-Mart and Target carrying a “Made in the U.S.A.” label. But globalization may be losing some of the inexorable economic power it had for much of the past quarter-century, even as it faces fresh challenges as a political ideology.

Cheap oil, the lubricant of quick, inexpensive transportation links across the world, may not return anytime soon, upsetting the logic of diffuse global supply chains that treat geography as a footnote in the pursuit of lower wages. Rising concern about global warming, the reaction against lost jobs in rich countries, worries about food safety and security, and the collapse of world trade talks in Geneva last week also signal that political and environmental concerns may make the calculus of globalization far more complex.

“If we think about the Wal-Mart model, it is incredibly fuel-intensive at every stage, and at every one of those stages we are now seeing an inflation of the costs for boats, trucks, cars,” said Naomi Klein, the author of “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.”

“That is necessarily leading to a rethinking of this emissions-intensive model, whether the increased interest in growing foods locally, producing locally or shopping locally, and I think that’s great.”

Many economists argue that globalization will not shift into reverse even if oil prices continue their rising trend. But many see evidence that companies looking to keep prices low will have to move some production closer to consumers. Globe-spanning supply chains — Brazilian iron ore turned into Chinese steel used to make washing machines shipped to Long Beach, Calif., and then trucked to appliance stores in Chicago — make less sense today than they did a few years ago.

To avoid having to ship all its products from abroad, the Swedish furniture manufacturer Ikea opened its first factory in the United States in May. Some electronics companies that left Mexico in recent years for the lower wages in China are now returning to Mexico, because they can lower costs by trucking their output overland to American consumers.

Neighborhood Effect

Decisions like those suggest that what some economists call a neighborhood effect — putting factories closer to components suppliers and to consumers, to reduce transportation costs — could grow in importance if oil remains expensive. A barrel sold for $125 on Friday, compared with lows of $10 a decade ago.

The cost of shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to the United States has risen to $8,000, compared with $3,000 early in the decade, according to a recent study of transportation costs. Big container ships, the pack mules of the 21st-century economy, have shaved their top speed by nearly 20 percent to save on fuel costs, substantially slowing shipping times.

The spike in shipping costs comes at a moment when concern about the environmental impact of globalization is also growing. Many companies have in recent years shifted production from countries with greater energy efficiency and more rigorous standards on carbon emissions, especially in Europe, to those that are more lax, like China and India.

Textile Finishes-Fluorocarbon-Free

Posted here on Eco-Textile News

MUNICH – [01.08.08] In close collaboration with Sympatex Technologies, Rudolf Chemie has developed what it claims is the first durable fluorocarbon-free water repellent (DWR) treatment for performance textiles and clothing.

The new environmentally-friendly ‘Bionic Finish Eco’ has been used in the new ‘Air 37°C’ high-performance soft shell jacket from the Swedish outdoor brand Lundhags.

Sympatex claims that the new fluorocarbon-free finish has achieved a breakthrough in terms of hydrophobic treatment for sustainable functional clothing. It is said to be simultaneously water- and dirt-repellent and free from organic halogens and fully recyclable.

Lundhags has applied the new ‘Bionic Finish Eco’ in conjunction with Sympatex membranes. These fabric membranes are pore-less which makes them waterproof and windproof yet the design means they are breathable and comfortable to wear. “Because they have no pores, they cannot become blocked by residual washing agents, dirt or salt crystals,” says Sympatex.

The addition of the new fluorocarbon-free DWR coating is said to offer previously-unknown durability. As a result, clothing with the new finish doesn’t have to be ironed after washing in order to refresh its effectiveness. Breathability is also said to be retained, since the finish does not contain paraffin.

Previously, fluorocarbon-free finishes suffered from lack of durability, but the new technology from Rudolf Chemie is said to solve these earlier problems.

The term ‘Bionic’ for the new finish is taken from a combination of biology and technology. The molecular structure of the new DWR finish resembles the branch structure of trees to achieve a greater density and improve surface area to volume ratios. These hyper-branched polymers or so-called ‘dendrimers’ are said to help enormously with the build up of an effective water-repellent fabric and tend to create their own form of organization and build up crystalline structures at the nano level, due to their net-like structure.

“This invisible flexible structure is water-repellent, highly wear-resistant and holds up under washing,” said the company.

Sympatex says that its new ‘ECO’ line is made from a polyester-polyether combination, and is thus 100% recyclable.

Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd 

Cotton vs. Polyester......

Originally posted here on UD Journal: FIBER

by Gail Baugh 

Cotton is the “green” fiber! Polyester is bad for the environment! Simple, right? Our choices are not so simple anymore. With broadened awareness of fiber and textile innovations and of human impact on our environment, we must consider our choices with new enlightenment. Is it possible that polyester fiber is more eco-friendly than cotton fiber?

I did a consulting project last fall comparing the environmental impact of cotton and polyester fiber production with surprising results. I concluded recycled polyester fiber, produced from existing polyester products, is more sustainable than cotton fiber.

Since the mid-1980s, cotton and polyester fiber production have grown dramatically, so that today, these two fibers account for more than 80% of all fiber production worldwide. The quantity of production of these two fibers is nearly equal. Future production of these fibers will confront new problems. Petroleum production will continue to decline, and arable  land for fiber production may also be reduced, as the demand for biofuel and food production take priority over fiber.

There are ongoing innovations in fiber and textiles. For the past 15+ years, plastic bottles have been recycled into low-grade polyester fiber. The big news is that it is now possible to recycle polyester fiber, yarn, fabric, and garments into new, high-quality polyester fiber. Cotton fiber can also be recycled into new yarn and fabric, but the quality of the fiber is reduced, so the res ulting product is not as high quality as the original fiber. For both fibers, it is a new concept that it is now possible to recycle and create new fiber and products from existing fiber.

Let’s clarify some of the terms the press and the fashion industry are using to tell customers how they can help prevent pollution. There are no standard industry definitions to describe the ecology of the fashion business. The result is confusion regarding the complex nature of fiber, fabric, and garment production and the impact each has on the environment and resources.

• First, banish the terms “eco,” “eco-friendly,” and “green.” I’ve used them above to make a point. To another generation, these were defining words, but they do not currently describe what we are      facing in climate change, resource depletion, or full landfills.
• Second, use terms that describe “methods” or “practices” that can be implemented to sustain resources and protect our nvironment. These terms will give the industry choices to act      responsibly. I use the term “sustainable practices” to define choices we can make instead of using terms like “green.”

As I compared cotton with polyester fiber, I developed a set of questions to determine which fiber used more sustainable practices:

• Is the fiber easily renewable?
• For natural fiber, is the use of water and land appropriate for the quantity and cost of the fiber produced?
• For manufactured fiber, is the raw material for production easily available and renewable?
• Is the fiber produced using nonpolluting methods?
• For natural fiber, is it grown/raised using nontoxic substances in the air, land, and water?
• For manufactured fiber, is it produced using nontoxic methods or materials that may end up in the air, land, and water?
• Can the products be recycled into new fiber production? Is the recycled fiber the same quality as the original fiber?

In my consulting project last fall, I compared the production of cotton fiber (both conventionally and organically grown) to virgin polyester and recycled polyester fiber production. Using three questions above to compare the environmental impact of each fiber, I concluded recycled polyester fiber involved more sustainable practices than any cotton fiber. Here’s why:

Is the fiber easily renewable?

Cotton Summary — Water and energy use are high, and the useable fiber is one-third of the total harvest volume.

Water use: Both conventionally and organically grown cotton fiber require large quantities of water for a consistent crop yield. Estimates range from 1,400–3,400 gallons per pound of fiber. (1 lb of fiber = about two t-shirts.)

Fiber yield per acre: About two-thirds of an acre’s harvest volume is discarded, leaving one-third of the harvest volume available for textile production.

Energy use: About 8.6–9.4 Kwh per pound of fiber for both types of cotton. However, energy used to move water for irrigation (organic and conventional cotton) and to produce synthetic fertilizers (mostly petroleum-based products — conventional cotton only) is not considered in this figure. By adding in this additional energy use, conventional cotton fiber energy consumption is estimated to be nearly the same as virgin polyester energy consumption.

Recycled Polyester Fiber Summary — Low water use. Energy use is high, though one-third less than virgin fiber. Very little waste in fiber production.

Water use: Water used in recycled fiber production is almost nil. Even in virgin fiber production, water is used as a coolant, in very small amounts.

Fiber yield: Compared to raw materials used, which must be measured by weight. There was some weight loss, but nothing close to the two-thirds lost in the cotton harvest.

Energy use: About 13.8 Kwh per pound of fiber. Energy used to produce the original virgin fiber was about 18.3 Kwh per pound of fiber.

Is the fiber produced using nonpolluting methods?

Cotton Summary — Synthetic chemicals used continue to pose significant water, soil, and air pollution threats.

Use of chemicals: Conventionally grown cotton uses synthetic fertilizers and pesticides (mostly petroleum-based). Pesticides have been greatly reduced due to genetically modified seed. However, these same GM seeds seem to require specific synthetic fertilizers and irrigation to have better yields than other seed. The use of these synthetic fertilizers has polluted the soil, ground water, nearby streams/lakes, and potential human water supplies. Emissions from spraying also contaminate surfaces and endanger nearby human habitation. Mono-crop cultivation reduces the future soil enrichment. Cotton does not return nutrients to the soil as other fiber crops do naturally. Organically grown fiber does not use GM seeds, synthetic fertilizers, or pesticides.

Recycled Polyester Fiber Summary — Chemicals used for recycled polyester fiber production are recycled back to produce more fiber.

Use of chemicals: Most or all of the chemicals used to recreate polyester fiber from the recycled material are then recycled back into more recycled fiber production — it’s a closed-loop production system. It’s unlikely that toxic chemicals enter the water supply. There are some emissions but less exposure to the population than in cotton aerial spraying. In virgin polyester production, there are more emissions than in recycled fiber production. However, if this closed-loop system becomes marketable, there may not be as much need to produce virgin polyester.

Is the fiber recyclable?

Cotton Summary — Recycled cotton fiber is lower quality than the original fiber.

The physics of breaking down a cotton fabric into fiber, called “opening,” breaks the cotton fiber into shorter fibers. When spinning the fiber into yarn, these short fibers create weak, low-quality yarns. There are on-going experiments to improve the yarn quality by introducing other fibers. So far, the perfect blend hasn’t been developed. But the fact remains that recycling cotton products back into fiber and new products is possible and is ongoing now. Of course, the idea of using existing cotton fabrics as a resource to create recycled yarn and fabric is a new concept. The issue remains that cotton fiber quality is reduced when recycled. Therefore, the recycled fiber may need other nontextile uses to stay out of the landfill.

I suggest that there be new research efforts to recycle cotton fiber into new fabrics. There has been extensive research for growing new fiber more efficiently. I suggest that this same energy also focus on how to use the existing cotton fiber supply. Also, perhaps there can be new ways to evaluate cotton fiber. For example, organically grown, the least available fiber, should be used for the highest quality items; transitional cotton (chemical-free production) for most production; and finally, recycled cotton fiber in low-quality items.

Recycled Polyester Fiber Summary — Recycled polyester fiber is the same quality as the original fiber.

This fiber, produced from existing polyester textile products, meets or exceeds the quality of virgin polyester. Continuously recycling the enormous quantity of existing polyester productions into new polyester fiber does not reduce the quality of the new fiber. Is it possible to nearly eliminate the production of virgin polyester?

I suggest that we review Patagonia’s example of collection and recycling of their products, particularly their partnerships with Teijin and Toray and other suppliers. In my conversations with my industry colleagues, it is clear that recycling polyester into new fiber is very costly. However, with the petroleum supply continuing to decline, it seems this innovation will be become more necessary and cost effective.

My study led me to conclude that recycled polyester fiber, produced from existing polyester fabrics, either post-industrial or post-consumer products, is more sustainable than conventional or organic cotton fiber. Cotton fiber research has concentrated on genetic modification to control pests and reduce water use for new fiber production. The polyester fiber mills, recognizing the shrinking petroleum supply and the environmental problems of virgin polyester fiber production, have eclipsed the cotton fiber innovation effort.

We find ourselves in a world where climate change and oil supplies will force the textile industry to make different choices. It must reevaluate its raw material sources and the environmental impact of its production methods. With over 80% of all fiber production in polyester and cotton fibers, fiber and fabric producers must diversify raw materials (incorporating existing fiber stock as a raw material source), lower water and energy consumption, improve soil restoration, and reduce pollutants in production while maintaining the fiber and fabric supply we had come to assume was unlimited.

*Please note the findings in this article may be contrary to findings posted by other organizations and studies~Coral Rose

VOC-Free Silicone Textile Softener

Posted here on Eco-Textile News

MICHIGAN – [07.24.08] Dow Corning has introduced a new silicone-based fabric softener for the textile industry which is virtually free of volatile organic compounds but retains all the properties of fluorocarbon-treated fabrics.

The new ‘OP-8800 premium hydrophilic softener’, is said to be a next-generation technology that helps formulators meet the needs of an increasingly demanding textile market by delivering finishes that provide a more environmentally sustainable and safer solution.

One of the major causes of air pollution in the textile industry occurs when heat-curing or drying of coatings and finishes causes the vaporisation of organic compounds. Because VOCs can harm the environment and human health, some governments are drawing up and passing stringent air quality regulations to limit VOC emissions. Dow Corning says that OP-8800 Softener helps to mitigate these problems because it is nearly 100% composed of a novel silicone copolymer, virtually eliminating VOCs from its composition, whereas other silicone products can contain up to 300g/l of VOCs.

“OP-8800 Softener is an extremely well-balanced, more environmentally sound, safer, multifunctional product that delivers a unique combination of benefits over a wide range of conditions,” said Fernando Vazquez, Dow Corning Americas Textiles Technical Leader. “We think it’s about as close to an ‘ideal’ silicone as any that’s ever been developed by Dow Corning for textile finishing applications.”

Importantly, the company says the new finish performs well and its own testing reveals the OP-8800 Softener offers excellent softness, water absorbency, and wicking, with minimum to no impact on original substrate whiteness and the stain-release properties of fluorocarbon-treated textiles. “OP-8800 Softener outperforms conventional silicone hydrophilic softeners on several key features,” claims Dow Corning.

The company also says that testing shows that microemulsions made with this product are high-shear and high-pH stable, and even compatible with anionic treatments.

Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd