Bluesign and SCTI Partnership

Bluesign and SCTI Partnership Bluesign has partnered with Sustainable Chemistry for the Textile Industry (SCTI™) to develop a sustainable chemistry index that will provide a standard communication guide for chemical suppliers, manufacturers, brands and NGOs. The index, a first of its kind, aims to inspire change in the sector by facilitating stakeholders' assessment of textile chemical products against the highest sustainability standards while protecting the intellectual property (IP) of participating chemistry companies. IP protection is critical to ensure continued investment in sustainable solutions. SCTI™ is an alliance of leading chemistry companies working to empower the textile and leather industries to implement sustainable, cutting-edge chemical solutions that protect factory workers, local communities, consumers and the environment. Bluesign will implement and manage the sustainable chemistry index as an independent authority with a holistic approach to help companies across the textile supply chain improve their sustainability performance. Chemical products such as paints and textile auxiliaries are often characterized by being "free from certain substances". Rather than simply prioritizing components, the bluesign® SYSTEM goes beyond this. Chemicals and the production facilities where they are manufactured must meet specific criteria relating to environmental performance, occupational health and safety, and product stewardship performance to be bluesign® APPROVED. The sustainable chemistry index will be reserved for substances offering transparency on a range of additional indicators, including the chemical's circularity, greenhouse gas emissions during production, and the sourcing of raw materials. The sustainable chemistry index will also require the chemical to optimize its downstream use, for example by promoting resource savings in textile finishing. Additionally, excellent corporate governance matched with clearly defined environmental and social (ESG) targets will be a prerequisite. SCTI™ President Dr. Wolfgang Anton Schumann stated: "Through its independent position, Bluesign has earned the industry's trust in delivering sustainable chemical solutions and impact reduction in the supply chain over the past twenty years. This partnership demonstrates how the combined expertise and collaboration of our organizations can create solutions that could drive meaningful industry-wide change to reduce impact on people and our planet." Bluesign CEO Daniel Rüfencht added: "SCTI™ brings deep sustainability expertise in the chemistry industry. The new sustainable chemistry index will provide textile chemical users with clear rating information on a substance's environmental and social impact to advance their decision-making process, helping the industry move beyond current regulations and deliver on the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability." The joint partnership between Bluesign and SCTI™ and, in particular, the sustainable chemistry index mission is to drive transformational change through sustainable chemical solutions. Providing textile and apparel sector players with a verified sustainable chemical product inventory is the first step in this joint journey. SOURCE