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!!!
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
USDA regulates the term “organic” as it applies to agricultural
products through its
National Organic Program (NOP) regulation, 7 CFR Part 205.
● 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
Originally Posted Here on Eco Textile News
PONTEFRACT – [07.18.08] Textile
eco-metrics, the world’s first tool for simple assessment of the environmental
impacts of textile production and use has been now been launched by Colour
Connections in conjunction with Ecotextile News. It is now available to
access directly from this web-site.
This revolutionary new web-based
calculator takes into account the entire production route from fibre selection
through to fabric production to dyeing and finishing. It also compares the
production impacts of different washing and drying methods over the lifetime of
a garment by consumers.
Using cleverly derived Environmental
Damage Units (EDU’s) the impact of different fibres, fabric weights and dyeing
and finishing methods can be compared in terms of water impact, energy use, use
of non-renewable resources and pollution.
A simple colour coded report is
produced that enables users to see at a glance where a particular product has
most impact and highlights the areas that require attention or, conversely,
where products and methods are good. The easy-to-read colour coded grid
conceals the complex mathematics involved but an overall indicative EDU score
enables easy comparisons between different textiles to be made.
Textile eco-metrics also provides
simple, easy to understand explanations of what is good or bad about a
particular fibre, fabric or process so it can be used to increase the levels of
understanding about what is fact and what is ‘greenwash’ in the world of
textiles and clothing.
Of particular interest to those
committed to a sustainable textile industry are the Sub-Optimal Durability
Units (SODU’s) that are calculated to show just how bad low durability clothing
merchandise is for the environment. For example a product that has a production
impact of 10 EDU’s and lasts for 50 domestic washes is far better than a
similar garment that an impact of five production EDU’s but only lasts five washes
– the latter garment would need to replaced nine times in the same lifetime so
a penalty of 45 EDU’s would be awarded.
Textile Eco-metrics will be
developed on an on-going basis and is available for an annual subscription.
To see how to use Eco-Metrics CLICK HERE.
CLICK HERE for more information on how to subscribe to EcoTextile News.
Copyright © 2008 Mowbray Communications Ltd
Here is the definition of Sustainable Textiles that I have been using the last two years in my Eco-Innovations workshops
Above Design by Harmony Art
Thank you to all the regular readers of this blog, you
have made this blog one of the
most searched for and read blogs on Organic Cotton, and Sustainable Fashion.... facts, practices and processes on the global internet.
Our regular readers are from every continent and dozens of countries including: France, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia and the UK.
General Sustainability recommended
websites
Biomimicry; www.biomimicry.net
Business for
Social Responsibility; www.bsr.org
Climate
Counts; www.climatecounts.org
Environmental
Defense PAPER CALCULATOR; www.environmentaldefense.org/papercalculator/
Environmental
Sustainability Index; www.ciesin.columbia.edu/indicators/ESI/
Design for
the Environment; www.epa.gov/dfe
Fair Labor
Organization; www.fairlabor.org
Global 100; www.global100.org
International
Institute for Sustainable Development; www.iisd.org
International
Labor Organization; www.ilo.org
Marks &
Spencer Code of Conduct; www.marksandspencer.com/thecompany/ourcommitmenttosociety/index.shtml
MBDC; www.mbdc.com
The Natural
Step; www.naturalstep.org
O2; www.o2-usa.org
Rocky
Mountain Institute; www.rmi.org
SustainAbility
at www.sustainability.com
Dow Jones
Sustainability Index at www.sustainability-indexes.com
United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Sustainability Division at www.un.org/esa/sustdev/
World
Business Council for Sustainable Development at www.wbcsd.ch
Other "Organic and Sustainable" Industry Related Resources
Andrew
Winston; www.eco-advantage.com
Better Cotton
Initiative; www.bettercotton.org/site.php
Cotton Inc; www.google.com/ig?source=gapg&hl=en
Fair Trade
Certification; www.fairtrade.net
GAIAM; www.gaiam.com
Hartman-Group;
www.hartman-group.com
Making Sense
of Sustainability; http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/ m.hunt email;[email protected]
MTS; www.mts.sustainableproducts.com
Organic Trade
Association; www.ota.com
Soil
Association; www.soilassociation.org
Sustainable
Cotton Project; www.sustainablecotton.org
World Watch
Institute; www.worldwatch.org/
World
Resources Institute; www.wri.org
WWF; www.wwf.org
Coral Rose; Founder, Eco-Innovations; www.e-Ecoinnovations.com or [email protected] or
Coral Rose, Sustainable Action Leadership Blog; www.coralrose.typepad.com
I am a clothing designer
using organic cotton for my pieces. My manufacturer uses USDA certified organic
cotton and I want to know if their certification will pass along to me? Can I
market my clothing as USDA certified organic or do I need to apply for my own
certification from the USDA?
No. Certification does
not "pass along" or accompany the clothing. You also need to apply
for certification and must contact a certifying agent.
Is it possible to certify a wood
product as organic?
No. There are no standards for the
certification of wood as organic under the NOP regulations at this time.
Is wool covered under the NOP? Flax?
Any fiber?
Yes. Wool, cotton, and flax are
considered inedible fibers and are covered by the NOP regulations.
Does “made with organic cotton”
clothing have to be made from NOP-certified organic cotton?
Yes.
May the NOP seal be used on organic
cotton textiles?
Yes, if the production and handling
complies with all NOP regulations.
If cotton that was raised organically
but then treated pursuant to import requirements into the US, can it still be
considered organic for the purposes of making “made with organic” clothing?
The cotton might be organic, but
only if the treatment is an allowed substance on the NOP National List.
Otherwise, the cotton has been treated with a prohibited substance, is no
longer considered organic, and may not be used for the production of products
“made with organic cotton.”
FTC regulations allow special fiber
content claims to be made at the 5% threshold level. Can I label my clothing
“made with organic cotton” if they only have 5% organic cotton?
No. The NOP regulations require at
least 70% certified organic content for products to be labeled as “made with
organic [ingredients].
If NOP product also meets a foreign
organic standard, is it a violation of the NOP regulations to say it meets the
foreign organic standard on the product?
No. Truthful label claims are
allowed under the National Organic Program regulations.
Can conventional sheep be managed
organically for 1 year and then be used for organic wool production?
No. The 1-year livestock conversion
only applies to dairy animals’ eligibility to produce organic milk. All other
livestock must be managed organically from the last third of gestation.
By Coral Rose
Fibers are classified into the following three
groups; Natural, Man-made and Synthetic
Plant fibers are produced by
plants, and are products of agriculture. They are further broken down into
three subcategories; Bast (stem) fibers, Leaf fibers and Seed fibers. Cotton is
a seed fiber; Flax and hemp are bast fibers.
Man-made
fibers
are sometimes known as Regenerated
fibers.
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.
An
example of Regenerated fibers would
be natural materials that have been provided for by nature that has been
converted by wet-chemical process which then allows the production of
continuous filaments which can then be spun into fiber e.g. viscose. There are
two primary types of regenerated fibers.
Regenerated fibers from cellulose; Lyocell-trademark
Tencel ® that is derived from eucalyptus, would be an example of a regenerated
cellulosic fibers.
Regenerated fibers from protein sources are called Azlons and sources of the proteins would
include: Soy, milk, maize (protein derived) and peanuts.
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.
PLA is classified as a
synthetic. The monomer in PLA is based on a renewable resource. This
manufacturing process converts the corn to sugar and then changes the molecular
composition into a high performance polymer called polylactide (PLA), which is
branded NatureWorks TM PLA. Ingeo TM fibers are extruded from NatureWorks PLA
polymers. (Burden, Rose, eco-textiles 2006)
Q.
Is Flax fiber available certified organic?
A. Yes. Flax is a Natural-Plant fiber.
The
spinning and weaving of linen is depicted on wall paintings of ancient Egypt.
As early as 3,000 B.C., the fiber was processed into fine white fabric and
wrapped around the mummies of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Finnish traders
are believed to have introduced flax to Northern Europe where it has been under
cultivation for centuries.
Flax is the plant that produces flax
fiber, after the fiber is spun it is known as linen yarn. Certified
organic flax seed for oil is grown in about half of the USA, however,
textile-grade flax fiber is imported to the US. Certified organic flax fiber is grown in Europe and China. Organic Flax can by certified by any accredited third party
certification organization that is a member of IFOAM. (http://www.ifoam.org/) (Burden/Rose 2007)
Q.
Is Hemp available certified organic?
A. Yes. Hemp is a Natural-Plant fiber
Hemp fiber dates back to 2800 B.C.
Prior to 1880 the US economy was based on hemp. Industrial hemp was a primary source of food, fuel and fiber. It is
now illegal to grow hemp in the US. Hemp grows well without the use of chemical
herbicides and pesticides. Manufactures of hemp fiber claim that the fiber is
biodegradable. All hemp fiber in the US
is imported. China and Eastern Europe are the primary producers of hemp.
Although seed for food consumption
is readily available certified organic, certified organic hemp fiber is not
widely available.
To date, IMO certifies only one organic hemp farm in Inner Mongolia. (www.imo.ch/)
Q. Is wool fiber available that is certified
organic?
A. Yes. Wool
is a Natural-Animal fiber.
The most common source of wool for textiles is from
sheep of various breeds such as Merino, Corriedale and Rambouillet to name a
few. “Wool” refers to all natural-animal hair fibers, some common examples of specialty wools would be; Angora,
Mohair, Cashmere (from Kashmir goats) and Alpacas.
In
order for wool to be certified as "organic," it must be produced in accordance
with NOP federal standards for organic livestock production. Federal
requirements for organic livestock production include:
Organic livestock management is different from non-organic management in at
least two major ways: 1) sheep cannot be dipped in parasiticides (insecticides)
to control external parasites such as ticks and lice, and 2) organic livestock
producers are required to ensure that they do not exceed the natural carrying
capacity of the land on which their animals graze. Organic wool can by
certified by any accredited third party certification organization that is a member
of IFOAM.( http://www.ifoam.org/) Wool can
also be certified organic to EU standards standards e.g. NASAA in Australia. (http://www.nasaa.org) (www.ota.com)
Q.
Is certified organic silk available?
A. Yes, however the supply is limited.
Silk is a Natural-Animal fiber.
Wild silk, sometimes known as
“Tussah Silk” is produced from silkworms that feed on the leaves of dwarf oak
trees and are allowed to live out a complete lifecycle in their natural habitat.
The silkworms are humanely cultivated, meaning the wild silk cocoons are only
processed using natural methods and only after the moth emerges naturally from
the cocoon. Humanely produced silk is also sometimes known as “Peace
Silk.”
Although not widely available or
recognized as a certified organic fiber, Alkena Textiles, a joint venture among China,
Switzerland and Germany, claims to produce certified organic silk. Alkena
claims to produce organic and biodynamic silk in accordance with the European
Economic Community (EEC) organic standard, which prohibits the use of
methoprene but would not necessarily rule out killing the worms. This silk is
certified by IMO. (www.alkena.com.cn/)
Skal International (now Control Union) also certifies silk to their EKO
Standards for Sustainable Textile Production in accordance with EEC No.
2092/91. (www.controlunion.com)
The conventional alternative to
organic or wild silk is silk derived from silkworms that feed largely on
mulberry leaves, usually indoors in large trays. This type of silk is called “cultivated.”
In large, industrial run farms, artificial
cultivation including the boiling of the cocoon with the worm inside in order
to kill the worm before it becomes a moth and emerges from the cocoon. (Hustvedt, Rose,eco-textiles 2006)
Q.
What can you tell me about this relatively new fiber bamboo?
A. Bamboo is a Regenerated-Cellulose fiber.
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.
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. (Rose, Burden 2006/ 2007)
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.
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. (Burden, Rose, eco-textiles
2006)
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)
Q.
What is recycled cotton?
A. There are two types of recycled cotton. They may or may not
contain organic fibers. At this time there are no standards and or
certifications for recycled organic cotton. The two types of recycled cotton that
is available;
1.) Internal spinning
waste recycled in the same spinning plant, usually mixed with virgin cotton to
achieve a usable yarn.
2.) Recycling various
types and percentages of waste fibers; scrap yarn, scrap fabric, garment
fall-out and scrap garments. (Burden,
2007)
Q. What
about recycled polyester, where is recycled
polyester produced and what do I need to know about recycled poly?
A. Recycled polyester is
currently produced in Japan, USA, Taiwan, China, Portugal and Lebanon.
A. There are fundamentally 3
questions that should be asked about recycled polyester; what is the origin of
the waste? What is the method of converting waste to chips? and how do you know
the product is produced from recycled materials?
1.) Q. What is the origin of the
waste?
A. There are three origins of waste
· Mill waste.
Waste produced in the original polyester chip and/or yarn making process.
· Post industrial waste.
Polyester that has left original producer has entered into next phase’s fabric
making, garment making in which there is also waste such as fabric fall-out
from garment cutting and sewing.
· Post consumer waste.
Product that has entered into the consumer chain of supply, and is then disposed
of such as plastic bottles (made from PET) and polyester clothing.
Producers of recycled chips tend to
produce recycled chips with varying percentages of recycled and or PET content.
Some use only 100% post consumer waste.
2.) Q. What is the method of
converting waste to chips?
A. There are fundamentally 2 methods
· Direct method; melting waste and
reforming into chips which is the least expensive, lowest energy, impacts,
however there are fewer yarn denier/filament options, and potential streakiness
in dyeing due to impurities
· Chemical method based on de-polymerization
of waste polyester and then re-polymerization into effectively
"virgin" polyester. This processing is more expensive, consumes more energy;
however it does provide a larger choice of denier / filament, with fewer
impurities and potentially better dyeing outcomes.
3. Q. How do you know it’s
recycled?
A. At this time there are no international certifications as there are no
published standards. Some national authorities operate a recycling
certification scheme e.g. Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency. (Burden, Rose, 2007)