STANDARD

PRODUCTS

STAGES INCLUDED

REQUIREMENTS

The Better Cotton Initiative focuses on cotton cultivation, and has members from civil society, producers, retailers and brands and suppliers and manufacturers.

BCI addresses cotton cultivation including the use of chemicals and water, soil treatment, conservation of natural habitats, fibre quality and fair working practices.

BCI producer members must implement an Integrated Pest Management Programme. They can use a strictly regulated amount of specific pesticides. Optimal water management processes must be in use, and the structure and fertility of soil must be maintained. Social ethics are also an important factor for the BCI.

Bluesign uses ‘Input Stream Management’ process to assess textile products, from fibres, yarns to fabrics and final products; components for textiles products, chemicals and dyestuffs, and textile processing techniques.

Primarily rates

• resource productivity
• consumer safety
• air emissions
• water emissions
• occupational health and safety

throughout the textile supply chain, focusing on testing initial raw materials.

Bluesign indicates improvement of all Environment, Health and Safety aspects throughout the textile supply chain, assessing components based on their toxicological and ecological properties and risks.

‘Intelligent’ chemistry is acceptable for best product functionality, quality or design. These must be managed using Best Available Technology (BAT)

Control Union Certifications

Products which have been cultivated according to organic or sustainable production methods, not product specific and can cover a whole project.

Products which have been cultivated according to organic or sustainable production methods, not product specific and can cover a whole project.

Production methods are supervised, tested, inspected and assessed against environmental and social criteria, to ensure products which are certified as organic also meet ‘fairly traded’ principles.

Materials, sub-assemblies and finished products.

C2C considers products made with environmentally safe materials, designed for reutilisation of materials eg. Recycling or composting, renewable energy use and efficient use of energy and water, and ensuring highest water quality. Every stage of the design and supply chain are considered in a closed loop.

Basic, Silver, Gold or Platinum product rating to reflect continuous improvement.

All ‘ingredients’ in all materials of a finished product must be identified, then scored on their impact on human and environmental health using the ‘Approved Ingredient’ certification process.

Social and ethical performance goals must be in action and publicly available.

Certifies producer organisations and traders, helping them to capitalize on market opportunities.

Fairtrade Standards for Producers certify all stages of production, from when buying and selling is certified against the Fairtrade Standards for Trade.

To gain Fairtrade certification, there is an initial meeting, document review, interviews, site visit, ethical production analysis and closing meeting.

GOTS includes but is not limited to fibres, yarns, textiles and garments.

Harvesting of raw materials, production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural products including fibres, yarns, textiles and garments.

‘Organic’ / ‘Organic in Conversion’ : 95%+ of fibres must be certified organic (or in conversion).

‘Made with x % organic (in conversion) materials’ : 70% - 95%+ of fibres must be certified organic; the remainder cannot be produced with GMO fibres.

GRS covers products containing pre- and/or post consumer recycled raw materials.

Environmental processing impact is assessed, with the main focus the recycled fibre content of fabrics.

GRS labelled products must contain a minimum of 5% pre- and/or post consumer recycled raw materials. Labels state: “Made with recycled [raw material] – x% pre-consumer and x% post-consumer.”

The International Wool Textile Organisation covers organically grown wool and ‘Eco-wool’.

IWTO takes into account the raising of sheep and the farms this happens on. Harvesting of wool is included as well as processing.

Organically-grown wool: Wool grown by sheep on certified organic farms following organic practices. Organic standards of the country of sale of final products must be met.

Eco-wool: this must not contain residual pesticides above the EU Eco-label specified limit. Processors must meet local trade waste requirements. Requirements vary for Eco-wool, Eco-wool products and Eco-wool-containing products.

Made-By applies to environmental and working conditions throughout the entire supply chain of products, covering affiliated fashion brands.

Environmental impact of raw materials, Social conditions in factories, Production distribution

Each partner brand has a scorecard published online and in Made-By’s annual report. Supply bases are thoroughly analysed to custom develop targets with brands, culminating in an action plan to improve the supply chain through training and workshops.

Soil Association certification is awarded to producers, processors and suppliers according to GOTS standards.

Harvesting of raw materials, production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural products including fibres, yarns, textiles and garments.

Certified goods must meet the requirements outlined by the GOTS standard. They can then be labelled with the Soil Association Organic symbol, which is the most widely recognised organic symbol in the UK.

Oeko-Tex 100

Textile raw materials, intermediate products and end products at all stages of production including textile accessories, dyes and textile auxiliaries.

Every stage of production of raw materials, intermediate products and end products is measured against required criteria, which must be met without exception.

Products are allocated to one of four product classes based on how intensively they will come in to contact with the skin. Testing parameters include banning lawfully prohibited, regulated and harmful substances, and ensuring colourfastness and a skin-friendly pH-value to safeguard consumer health.

Oeko-Tex 1000

Tests, audits and certifies environmentally-friendly production sites throughout the textile processing chain including spinners, weavers and knitters, yarn dyers and textile finishers and garment manufacturers.

Textile processing elements audited include:
• no use of environmentally-damaging auxiliaries and dyes
• waste water and exhaust air treatment
• optimisation of energy consumption
• avoidance of noise and dust pollution
• introduction of environmental management system
• quality management system

Evidence must be provided that at least 30% of total production is already certified under Oeko-Tex Standard 100, and their manufacturing processes must in general meet stipulated criteria for environmental friendliness. Social criteria stipulated in Oeko-Tex 1000 must be fulfilled.

Oeko-Tex 100 plus

Predominantly yarn producers and fabric producers.

Every production and processing stage at all sites is assessed. Certification can go be for any stage up to and including garment manufacture.

All production sites involved in the production chain for an Oeko-Tex 100plus garment must fulfil the requirements of Oeko-Tex 100 and Oeko-Tex 1000.

Textile Exchange
OE 100

Now covers eco-textiles in general opposed to solely organic fabrics. OE 100 covers 100% certified organic cotton fibre in yarns, fabrics and finished goods.

Tracks and documents the purchase, handling and use of 100% certified organic cotton fibres, but does not cover production processes.

Must already hold another accreditation such as GOTS. TE requires monthly or quarterly reports from suppliers. Must use 100% certified organic fibres, exclusive of thread and non-textile trims or accessories.

Can label goods ‘Made with organically grown cotton’ if they are 95%+ cotton, and the remainder is not cotton.

OE Blended

OE Blended covers certified organically farmed cotton fibre in blended yarns, fabrics and finished goods for suppliers starting to introduce organic cotton.

Tracks and documents the purchase, handling and use of certified organically farmed cotton fibre in blended yarns, fabrics and finished goods, but does not cover production processes.

Certified goods must contain a minimum of 5% organic or organic in conversion cotton. Non-certified, conventionally grown cotton may not be included.

Compiled by Charlotte Turner from The Sustainable Angle

Source: Adapted from Eco-Textile Labelling Guiude 2010 second edition, EcoTextile News