Chapter 5
(Environmental Issues in Textile Industries)

5A: Eco-label and Environmental Standards

Eco Label and Standards

is a labelling system for consumer products (excluding foods and medicine) that are made in a fashion that avoids detrimental effects on the environment

they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale,


they enable consumers to compare shops based on green

Environmental Textile Standards:

Sustainable Textile Standard

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)

European Union (EU) Flower

Environmental Choice New Zealand

MBDC Cradle to Cradle Certification

Oeko Tex

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.

Only textile products that contain a minimum of 70% organic fibres can become certified according to GOTS.

Carbon and Water footprint

  • Carbon footprint is a measure of the severity of the impact our activities have on the environment, and particularly on climate change.


Primary and Secondary Footprint

  • Human activity impacts the environment in two ways

directly through processes that burn fossil fuels

indirectly through the products that we use

The primary footprint is a measure of the direct emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels we burn including domestic energy consumption and transportation

The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect carbon dioxide emissions over the entire lifecycle of the products we use - emissions associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown.

Strategies for reducing carbon footprint

the textile industry's switch to more energy efficient processes

companies across the supply chain have also pitched in with innovative products with smaller carbon footprints

BASF (Badische Anilin- und SodaFabrik)

Innovative denim mill: Lucky Textiles in China

  • Designed with the environment in mind the facility uses natural light to serve most of its illumination needs.

WATER FOOTPRINT -of a product is an empirical indicator of how much water is consumed, when and where, measured over the whole supply chain of the product

Direct water footprint - which is the water used directly by the individual(s)

Indirect water footprint – the summation of the water footprints of all the products consumed;

Water footprint assessment

a four-phase process that quantifies and maps green, blue and grey water footprints,

assesses the sustainability, efficiency and equitability of water use and

identifies which strategic actions should be prioritised

in order to make a footprint sustainable.

by installing water saving toilets,

applying a water-saving showerhead,

closing the tap during teeth brushing

not wearing cotton but artificial fibre clothes saves a lot of water.

to substitute a consumer product that has a large water footprint by a different type of product that has a smaller water footprint.

Green Chemistry/Textiles

includes the uses of green materials, non-solvent chemicals, hot- melt glue, organic cotton or Eco-100 material; also include the green processes, such as green machineries, waste reduction, recycle and reuse

Dye chemistry

  • Alternative synthesis, sustainable source, natural platform
    chemicals

Dyes in effluent

  • Reduction (efficiencies of sorption) and cleaner treatment
    technologies

Application processes

  • Reduction in energy, water usage, time
    Coloration of "greener“ fibres

Fair-trade and The Fair-trade label

Fair-trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world;

Fair-trade label is the mark given by the Fairt-rade Foundation to products they can verify adhere to strict fair- trade standards

  • Fair-trade cotton
  • Fair-trade fashion

Ensure a guaranteed Fair-trade minimum price which is agreed with producers

Enable pre-financing for producers who require it

ETHICAL FASHION

  • Ethical fashion - an approach to the design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing which maximises benefits to people and communities while minimising impact on the environment

Defending fair wages, working conditions and workers‟ rights

Supporting sustainable livelihoods

Addressing toxic pesticide and chemical use

Using and / or developing eco- friendly fabrics and components

Minimising water use

ECO-FASHION

  • are made using organic raw materials, such as cotton grown without pesticides and silk made by worms fed on organic trees

Amana – organic silk, cotton and hemp; fair trade

Annie Greenabelle – organic and recycled fabrics

Edun – fair trade practise, sustainable employment scheme

Kuyichi – denim brand; all-organic and fair trrade jeans