Workers at risk of heat stress, ILO warns
Cotton Trust Protocol outlines annual progress
Getting to grips with textile waste feedstock
Archroma sets fresh targets after ‘gold’ CSR rating
Wrangler partners on discarded denim
Carbios partners with Nouvelle on waste polyester
YKK claims significant GHG reductions
Operating income plunges at Kering
New online sustainability course launched in India
New investment for next-gen textile recycling
Sponsored Content
SPONSORED CONTENT - ERCA TCS, an independent company that’s part of the larger ERCA Group based in Bergamo, Italy, is a global reference point in the supply of responsible certified chemical products entirely dedicated to the textile industry. ERCA TCS aims to advance ethical and responsible circular innovation in the new emerging area of green chemistry that is rapidly growing in demand driven by ever tighter regulations.
At the heart of ERCA TCS’s innovative portfolio lies REVECOL®, a new generation of innovative, responsible, competitive, certified, and high performing textile chemical auxiliaries and at the same time aiming to reduce the use of palm oil, castor oil and vegetable oleins . These are 100% made in Italy, using a pioneering and end-to-end certified production process that transforms critical and abundant waste materials such as exhausted vegetable oil into an impressive range of textile auxiliaries that can be used to process any kind of textile fibres, both virgin and recycled.
The current REVECOL® by ERCA TCS product range is already extensive and is readily applicable and a drop-in solution for solution in the textile pre-treatment, dyeing and finishing processes.
Certified excellence
REVECOL® has already been tested and certified to some of the industry’s most well-known and stringent standards. This includes important certifications: GRS, RCS, ZDHC Chemical Gateway, bluesign and GOTS. In addition ERCA TCS is the first company in the world to offer GRS certified chemical products, opening the door for mills to use the responsible chemical auxiliaries demanded by their retail customers. With the support and analysis of the bluesign Academy, ERCA TCS is creating a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) for some REVECOL® branded chemical products, certifying the reduction of CO2 emissions compared to the use of conventional chemistry. First results of this work, have shown a CO2 reductions in the range of 28% – 72%.
REVECOL® by ERCA TCS was first launched at the giant ITMA textile machinery show in Milan, where it was also announced the synergy between ERCA TCS’ s REVECOL®, YKK and Patagonia that lead to a successful implementation. This approach not only addresses the pressing need for sustainable production practices but also sets new standards for the industry, proving that environmental responsibility and economic success can go hand in hand.
Evidence of REVECOL® by ERCA TCS value came also from awards they received such as:
- November 2022 Responsible Care® Award by Federchimica, the Italian federation of the chemical industry.
- It has been included in the BAT (Best Available Techniques) by the European Community
- November 2023 European Responsible Care® Award by the European Chemical Industry – CEFIC.
“ERCA TCS is poised to become an international benchmark for sustainable innovation, contributing to the reduction of the textile industry's environmental impact,” noted Fabio Locatelli, CEO of ERCA TCS and Associate of ERCA Group. “Our focus on R&D and our commitment to the well-being of people and the planet are at the core of our mission.”
More available and to come, so please stay tuned with our website www.ercatcs.com and on https://www.linkedin.com/company/erca-tcs/
SPONSORED CONTENT - The textile industry constantly faces challenges like the growing demand for sustainable textiles, compliance with environmental regulations, water consumption issues, and waste management. These challenges can hinder the overall manufacturing process and ultimately lead to decreased quality of production and products.
At Archroma, we believe that our solutions and processes can offer brands and mills improved operational excellence throughout their textile value chain and create differentiation for economic, technological and environmental sustainability.
ONE WAY+ is designed to help mills and brands adopt the best practices for improved productivity and efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
The program is a three-phase process of establishing the baseline, process design and implementation, and ongoing improvement. Tailor-made for selected customers, it draws on the expertise of a curated team of Archroma processing experts and leverages specialist tools and technologies, including Archroma’s ONE WAY Impact Calculator combined with Sustainability Improvement Program.
“By signing up to our ONE WAY+, brands and mills will receive expert support to achieve their sustainability targets and comply with relevant regulations and standards at the same time as significantly enhancing the quality, performance and added value of their products,” Anish Paliwal, Market Segment Director, CEL & Blends, WO Casual, Formal & Home Textiles, Archroma Textile Effects, said.
Mills that adopt Super Systems+ through the ONE WAY+ process can expect enhanced productivity and reduced resource utilization and utilities costs; in addition, also cleaner chemistry and the co-development of new aesthetics and functionalities. Participation in the ONE WAY+ process also indicates to brand partners that mills are committed to remaining sustainable by adopting global best practices and using products that are compliant with current and future regulatory requirements.
Brands that work with Archroma under ONE WAY+ will be supported with a roadmap to their sustainability targets. They will gain a better understanding of the sustainability status of their current suppliers and how this impacts their supply chain.
From base-line audit to results review, ONE WAY+ is usually carried out over 16 weeks, with a team of two or three Archroma experts working closely with the customer’s technical teams.
Archroma’s ONE WAY+ is a core pillar of the company’s “Planet Conscious+” vision. With the industry’s most extensive product portfolio and a comprehensive global footprint, Archroma has the expertise and drive to accelerate the textile and fashion industry’s transition to the most sustainable processes and lead it towards a more sustainable future.
SPONSORED CONTENT - The global discourse surrounding chemical restrictions within supply chains has become a focal point of political discussion. Insights from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA, 2023) reveal that 70% of the export volumes of hazardous substances pertain to industrial chemicals. These chemicals are utilized by companies across diverse sectors, often without full awareness. Fostering effective communication between downstream users and suppliers helps to facilitate the seamless flow of information. As concerns escalate regarding harmful chemicals prevalent in the textile and leather industry, coupled with growing criticism of lax regulatory measures, the industry is gearing up for a positive transformation.
The international OEKO-TEX® association supports textile and leather brands and manufacturers by facing these challenges with their modular certification system. The ECO PASSPORT certification for chemicals, colourants and auxiliaries analyses whether each ingredient in the chemical product meets the legal requirements and that it is not harmful to human health. The label proves which chemicals meet responsible textile and leather manufacture. The 24% increase in OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT certifications in the past fiscal year reflects the interest in solutions to its chemical management.
Companies working with OEKO-TEX® can benefit from a global network of certified suppliers to facilitate the sourcing of chemicals, materials, and business partners. Additionally, OEKO-TEX® is focusing on partnerships with multi-stakeholder initiatives to include as many different perspectives as possible and allow all parties to benefit from the cooperation. In this framework, OEKO-TEX® has strengthened its collaboration with ZDHC in 2023 to enhance the industry’s environmental performance. „Although we have been collaborating with ZDHC for over five years, this formal agreement will augment the benefits of both organisations to brands and their suppliers, “says OEKO-TEX® „Our goal is to share learning and experience, driving sustainability by eliminating harmful chemicals throughout the supply chain and lowering the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s impact.
ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® are establishing data-sharing processes that will stand to benefit customers, e.g., in the ECO PASSPORT process and through listing on the ZDHC Gateway. This will strengthen data quality, making performance and impact evaluation more credible.
OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT is an integral part of the association‘s modular certification system, as it is integrated into both the OEKO-TEX® STeP production facility certification and the traceable product label OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN. While companies have been benefiting from the internal modular approach for years, from 2024 OEKO-TEX® STeP-certified companies will additionally receive discounts for the ZDHC Supplier to Zero Program, which simplifies the certification process. For example, wastewater tests for OEKO-TEX® STeP are implemented directly into a ZDHC ClearStream, thus simplifying customer requirements. Additionally, STeP customers already benefit from the OEKO-TEX® x The BHive® partnership. It enables customers to digitalise their chemical inventories. Through The BHive® customers can conduct ZDHC Performance InCheck and conformance checks against the ZDHC Gateway, the largest database of chemical products certified against the ZDHC MRSL.
Features
In the second of his series of articles on how climate change is set to impact the cotton industry, cotton, and agriculture our correspondent Simon Ferrigno looks at data, legislation and mitigation.
We are now as little as five years away from “blowing” the carbon ...
