In this article we cast light on the progress of the Detox campaign in the textile industry. Detox is an initiative started by the environmental activist organization Greenpeace to eliminate hazardous chemicals from the supply chain of global fashion brands. In part 2 we will look a deeper at the progress of Detox at the fashion brands who have received credit for good progress in Detox: H&M, Benetton and Zara (Inditex).
We cast light on the progress of the Detox campaign in the fashion & textile industry. Detox is an initiative started by Greenpeace to challenge the business practice of global fashion brands who source from suppliers allegedly polluting the environment with hazardous chemicals. Their aim is to eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals from the effluents of textile processing factories by the year 2020.
Greenpeace revealed a new investigation on hazardous chemicals found in childrenswear to increase the pressure on leading fashion brands, a campaign that started in 2011 as “Detox campaign”.
Greenpeace launched the Detox Catwalk, an interactive online platform assessing the progress made by major clothing companies towards a toxic-free future. ZDHC founders adidas, Nike and LiNing only rated as greenwashers.
The last part of the article series compares the different methods in jeans bleaching, which have been elaborated in detail in part 2, and summarize their advantages and disadvantages. The used chemicals in each of the processes are assessed against ecological criteria, especially considering the targets the ZDHC program, in order to find processes with low environmental impact. The target is to select processes which have a good price/performance level and a, good reproducibility, while using environmentally friendly chemicals, or avoid the use of chemicals.
In this part different jeans bleaching processes are discussed, their benefits and features as well as their problems. The study is looking at chemical and mechanical treatments for open-pocket machines for fabrics and single garments. The methods discussed include bleaching processes using hypochlorite, permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxides, laccase, ozone, glucose, sandblasting, electrochemical and laser engraving
Greenpeace increases the pressure on leading retail brands. The environmental pressure group revealed data on hazardous fluorocarbons, PFOA, PFOS and others, tested on outdoor textiles from leading brands. We had a closer look at the report and discuss the issue in light of the progress in the ZDHC programme.
Jeans have become very popular across all age groups, and genders. Popular fashion shades include many styles and colors, from dark blue to bright blue and from black to grey. To obtain pale shades, jeans are usually bleached. This first article gives an overview of the working sequence and key requirements of the bleaching process
The Greenpeace detox campaign gets to a higher gear. In this article we outline some technical challenges of particular concern related to possibly critical contaminants in reactive dyes, disperse dyes and in indigo.
Meanwhile a series of famous big brands have joined the zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (ZDHC) programme, a response to the detox campaign initiated by Greenpeace in 2011. However, the speed of progress has been criticised by Greenpeace. We put some lights on the reasons why.