ZDHC and bluesign® collaboration

ZDHC and bluesign® collaboration
 - bluesign® is the first established Level 3 Accepted Certifier for ZDHC MRSL Conformance in ZDHC Gateway

04/11/2018

"We are delighted to have bluesign® join us as a ZDHC Accepted Certifier for ZDHC MRSL Conformance, which marks the first step of a collaboration to accelerate momentum in the industry towards forefront chemical management solutions and scalable innovations," says Frank Michel, Executive Director of the ZDHC Foundation.

ZDHC is the forefront industry collaboration for effectively phasing out hazardous substances from global supply chains of the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industry. The guidance documents and tools of ZDHC, such as the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (ZDHC MRSL), the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines and the ZDHC Gateway platform have become the industry reference for holistic sustainable chemical management. The ZDHC Gateway – Chemical Module is the fastest growing database for safer, more sustainable and innovative chemistry used in apparel, textile, leather and footwear production. It currently includes nearly 10,000 chemical products at different levels of ZDHC MRSL conformance. ZDHC decided from the outset not to develop its own certification system to indicate conformance to the ZDHC MRSL but rather work with existing certifications as indicators of conformance. bluesign® is the newest ZDHC Accepted Certification Standard to indicate ZDHC MRSL conformance at the highest level 3.

The evolution of the bluesign® system has grown to include robust tools to ensure the best practices are available to all segments in the industry. The tools not only protect consumer safety and environmental impacts of air emissions, waste water effluent and soil contamination but also bring occupational safety to the people working in the chemical and textile manufacturing facilities with the comprehensive bluesign® onsite assessments and product stewardship services. With this holistic approach, bluesign® is able to provide services to cover all the ZDHC requirements such as the ChemCheck, InCheck reports and Level 1 and 2 schemes.

As the pioneer that introduced the concept of input stream chemical management to the textile industry, bluesign technologies is pleased to join the efforts of the ZDHC initiative to eliminate hazardous chemicals right from the beginning of the textile process.

"For many years we have seen the industry try to resolve complex issues, sometimes in isolation. We are proud the approach that bluesign® brought to the market 18 years ago will support the ZDHC initiative of convergence of chemical management in our industry. This initiative also provides a clear value and understanding of the possibilities when the industry works together towards the common good," says Jill Dumain, CEO of bluesign technologies.

Since 2000, bluesign® has used a scientific chemical assessment to evaluate the hazards of 20,000 chemical formulations creating the first and most comprehensive positive list. From this assessment, over 11,000 commercially available chemical products have been approved to produce textiles and leather and collectively make up the bluesign® bluefinder. The chemical products from the bluesign® bluefinder will be recognised at level 3 in the ZDHC Gateway - Chemical Module. The bluesign® bluefinder has also banned over 600 products based on both the precautionary principle and legal bans as well as adhering to the industry’s Manufacturing Restricted Substance Lists (MRSL) and Restricted Substance Lists (RSL).

The global chemical industry has also voiced their support of combining these efforts as evidenced by the following contributions.

"DyStar® welcomes and fully supports bluesign® becoming the level 3 verifier for the ZDHC Gateway."

"This collaboration between bluesign® and ZDHC will be a major milestone driving long-term environmental sustainability within the textile value chain and harmonisation of the highest industry standards. Huntsman, a bluesign® system partner from its inception is proud to be a supporter of this new initiative," says Patrice Carreau, Director of the Huntsman Sustainability Council.

"CHT has been a bluesign® system partner for many years due to the comprehensive bluesign® approach on chemical management. Also, in supporting ZDHC from their early years, we acknowledge the achievements the ZDHC Foundation has now reached. Consequently, CHT is fully supporting this step made by bluesign® and ZDHC to work together for the benefit of the textile and leather industry supply chain."

"With bluesign’s support of the ZDHC Foundation and, in particular, the ZDHC Gateway Chemical Module, Archroma is pleased the process of compliant complex chemical formulations has become simpler and more reliable; not only that the products have been assessed for compliance to the Manufacturing Restricted Substance List standards, but, more importantly, the chemical manufacturing companies themselves have been assessed for their competence in chemical manufacture and are able to consistently meet and deliver to these standards and moreover have the capability to reduce hazardous chemical content through product stewardship and quality management practices," says James Carnahan, Global Sustainability Manager, Archroma.

About ZDHC Foundation

The ZDHC Foundation oversees implementation of the Roadmap to Zero Programme and is a global industry collaboration of currently 92 contributors (24 brands, 53 value chain affiliates, and 15 associates) within the sports, fashion, luxury and outdoor industry. The vision is widespread implementation of sustainable chemistry, driving innovations and best practices in the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industries to protect consumers, workers and the environment. Through collaborative engagement, standard setting and large-scale implementation ZDHC advances the industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals. ZDHC takes a holistic approach to sustainable chemical management and enables tangible progress in the wider industry by a number of reference guidance and practical tools, capacity building and innovation projects.

About bluesign technologies ag

The bluesign® system is the solution for a sustainable textile production. It eliminates harmful substances right from the beginning of the manufacturing process and sets and controls standards for an environmentally friendly and safe production. This not only ensures that the final textile product meets very stringent consumer safety requirements worldwide but also provides confidence to the consumer to acquire a sustainable product. bluesign technologies ag was founded in 2000. Since then, the bluesign® system has been adopted by worldwide leading textile and accessory manufacturers. Various significant key players of the chemical and machine industry rely on the bluesign® system. And well-known brands of the outdoor, sportswear and fashion industry rely on the extensive knowledge of bluesign technologies. Today the globally recognized bluesign® system includes in partnership more than 130 chemical suppliers, 300 textile manufacturers and 90 brands working together to bring safer chemistry and chemical practices to the world-wide textile and apparel industries.

Media contacts

Alisa Muensterberg - ZDHC Foundation
muensterberg@zdhc.org

Christian Dreszig
 - bluesign technologies ag
christian_dreszig@bluesign.com +41 (0) 71 272 29 98

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