Latest news with #bluesign
Fibre2Fashion
15-07-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
bluesign celebrates 25 years driving global textile sustainability
2025 marks a pivotal milestone for bluesign, the global authority in sustainable chemical and environmental management for the textile and fashion industry, as it celebrates 25 years of advancing cleaner, safer, and more responsible manufacturing practices across the global supply chain. Since 2000, the Swiss-founded company has led the global charge towards a more sustainable future, developing a science-based, input stream management system to eliminate harmful substances at the source of textile production. Now spanning 900+ system partners across the globe, bluesign continues to deliver measurable reduction in environmental impact at an unprecedented scale. The company sets the global benchmark for responsible production with stringent criteria for chemical use, environmental performance, and resource efficiency, and serves as a one-stop resource for navigating ESG and upcoming legislation (CSDDD, CSR, ESPR, DPP etc), helping partners stay ahead of global compliance standards while embedding verified sustainability into every stage of production. In 2025, bluesign celebrates 25 years of driving sustainable change in the textile industry. With 900+ global partners, it leads in safer chemistry, reduced environmental impact, and verified sustainability. Its science-based system ensures transparency, compliance, and continuous improvement, setting the benchmark for responsible production worldwide. Then & Now: A Mission That Endures From its inception, bluesign's mission has remained clear: remove harmful chemicals from textile production from the beginning, and hence ensure safer working conditions, reduced harm on the environment, and deliver safer products for consumers. Over 25 years, this mission has only strengthened, evolving to meet global challenges like PFAS elimination, decarbonization, and circularity, while driving continuous improvement across the industry. Measurable Impact at Scale The bluesign System enables its partners to make verified, measurable progress toward sustainability goals: Safer chemistry and materials: Over 28,000 chemical products and 70,000 textile materials carry the bluesign APPROVED status, signaling compliance with the strictest industry criteria and elimination of hazardous substances including CMRs and PFAS. Environmental Performance: Since 2019, bluesign System Partner manufacturers have collectively achieved the following improvements in environmental footprint: Global Reach: The bluesign network now includes over 900 System Partners across the world, including chemical suppliers, textile mills, manufacturers, and brands. Worker & Consumer Safety: The bluesign System ensures safe conditions for workers and non-toxic products for consumers, built on a foundation of transparency and accountability. Why It Matters: A Holistic, Verified Approach bluesign's unique value lies in its holistic system, which tracks and verifies impact at every stage—from chemical inputs to final product. The independent, science-based verification process goes beyond traditional certification to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous sustainability improvements, building trust with stakeholders and empowering the industry to move forward responsibly. Looking Ahead: The Next 25 Years As the industry faces new challenges, including circularity and legislative shifts, bluesign continues advancing solutions that protect workers, consumers, and the environment, and remains committed to innovation and global impact. As the industry faces new challenges, including due diligence, extended producer responsibility, and digital product passports, legislative shifts under the EU Green Deal, and rising expectations around circularity, bluesign remains committed to innovation and impact. 'bluesign was born out of a bold idea, that sustainability could be embedded into the DNA of product creation,' said Daniel Rüfenacht, CEO of bluesign technologies . 'Twenty-five years later, we're proud to be a beacon of trust, innovation, and responsibility, and to partner with industry leaders worldwide in building a more sustainable future together.' To commemorate its 25th anniversary, bluesign will host a series of events, expert panels, and global activations celebrating the progress of its partners and educating the industry on the future of sustainable textiles. Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Fashion Value Chain
15-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
bluesign® Celebrates 25 Years of Textile Innovation
Bluesign Celebrates 25 Years as a Global Leader in Sustainable Textile Innovation In 2025, bluesign® marks a major milestone—25 years at the forefront of sustainable innovation in the textile and fashion industry. Since its founding in 2000 in Switzerland, bluesign has become the global authority on chemical and environmental management, transforming how the industry approaches cleaner, safer, and more responsible production across global supply chains. From the beginning, bluesign introduced a pioneering, science-driven input stream management system that removes hazardous substances right at the source of textile production. Today, with a global network of over 900 system partners, bluesign drives real, measurable reductions in environmental impact—setting the industry's highest standards for responsible manufacturing. Its rigorous criteria for chemical safety, environmental performance, and resource efficiency serve as a one-stop solution for navigating ESG strategies and aligning with fast-evolving global regulations (including CSDDD, CSR, ESPR, and DPP). Then & Now: A Lasting Mission bluesign's mission has always been clear: eliminate harmful chemicals at the origin of textile manufacturing to ensure safer working conditions, minimize environmental damage, and deliver safer consumer products. Over 25 years, that mission has remained steadfast, while evolving to tackle today's urgent challenges like PFAS elimination, decarbonization, and circularity. 'bluesign was born out of a bold idea, that sustainability could be embedded into the DNA of product creation,' said Daniel Rüfenacht, CEO of bluesign technologies. Proven Impact at Scale The bluesign® System empowers its partners to achieve verified sustainability improvements: Safer chemistry and materials : More than 28,000 chemical products and over 70,000 textile materials now carry the bluesign APPROVED label, guaranteeing compliance with the strictest safety and environmental standards—including the exclusion of carcinogens, mutagens, reprotoxins (CMRs), and PFAS. Environmental performance : Since 2019, bluesign System Partner manufacturers have shown consistent reductions in their environmental footprints. Global network : With 900+ partners—ranging from chemical suppliers and textile mills to brands and manufacturers—bluesign's reach spans the globe. Worker and consumer safety: The system ensures safe workplace conditions and non-toxic final products, grounded in transparency and independent verification. Why It Matters: Verified Sustainability at Every Stage bluesign's strength lies in its holistic, independently verified system. From raw materials to the finished product, it tracks and measures impact, ensuring continuous improvement. This goes far beyond conventional certifications, offering a robust solution that builds trust with consumers, regulators, and stakeholders. Looking Ahead: The Next 25 Years As the textile and fashion industries navigate major changes—including circular economy demands, regulatory shifts under the EU Green Deal, and the push for digital product passports—bluesign remains committed to global impact and cutting-edge innovation. 'Twenty-five years later, we're proud to be a beacon of trust, innovation, and responsibility, and to partner with industry leaders worldwide in building a more sustainable future together,' added Rüfenacht. To honor this milestone, bluesign will host a global series of celebrations, expert panels, and activations to spotlight partner success stories and help prepare the industry for the next era of sustainable transformation.
Fashion Value Chain
30-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
eVent Fabrics Debuts Recyclable Plant-Based Laminates
eVent® Fabrics has launched a new line of circular, plant-based laminates under its stormST™ and windstormST™ platforms—marking a major step in sustainable performance fabrics. The collection features 11 laminate configurations made with monomaterial construction to support mechanical recycling and closed-loop systems without sacrificing breathability or durability. Designed for outdoor and urban performance, the stormST™ fabrics offer waterproof protection, while windstormST™ delivers breathable windproof defense. Both are PFAS-free and certified by bluesign®, Oeko-Tex®, and GRS, aligning with upcoming EU regulations pushing for circular, eco-conscious designs. 'Circularity starts with design,' says Chad Kelly, President of eVent Fabrics. This launch empowers brands to build recyclable products that meet performance expectations and sustainability goals.
New York Times
10-03-2025
- Health
- New York Times
What Should I Wear to Work Out?
Chances are, your favorite exercise attire is synthetic, made from petroleum-based fibers like nylon, spandex and polyester. Materials that don't exactly scream 'climate friendly.' Natural fibers have issues, too: Growing cotton can use huge amounts of water and pesticides, the sheep that give us wool emit methane, and processing bamboo can produce a lot of pollution. Altogether, the apparel and footwear industries account for more than 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. So if you want to keep your body fit while also keeping the planet healthy, what should you do? Consider recycled fibers There's a lot of plastic polluting our lands and waters. Some companies have capitalized on that, melting down plastic waste and extruding it into yarn. Karen Leonas, a professor of textile sciences at North Carolina State University, said those materials could be a good choice for workout clothes. 'Any time you can find something that contains recycled fibers, that's definitely a plus,' she said. 'Whether you're looking at climate, water, solid waste or even social sustainability issues.' Lewis Perkins, president of the nonprofit Apparel Impact Institute, also said he liked recycled fibers. But he cautioned that they're a 'transitional solution,' as he believes the ultimate goal should be reducing the prevalence of single-use plastic in the first place. Look for certifications If you're hoping for a blanket answer about which materials are good or bad, Dr. Leonas said, it's not that simple. ' I can be the devil's advocate on any fiber,' she said. 'There are trade-offs with all of it.' As an example, she compared polyester and cotton. While polyester is made from petroleum, its production uses little water and no pesticides or fertilizers. It also holds up better than cotton when it's recycled. You might be thinking: But what about wool? Bamboo? Dr. Leonas noted that raising sheep produces methane and nitrous oxide. And, there are concerns about animal welfare. The processing of bamboo can release toxic chemicals into the environment. And some recycled fabrics can still shed microplastics. So, rather than searching for a unicorn fabric, Mr. Perkins suggested seeking out the 'most ethical' version of the fabric that meets your performance needs. To do so, he looks for third-party certifications like OEKO-TEX, bluesign or Global Recycled Standard. 'That's a way to know that this fabric — whether it's polyester, which has its problems, or cotton, which has its problems — has been verified as the best available version of that material,' Mr. Perkins said. If you're worried about so-called forever chemicals, some of these certifications check for that, too. But you should also note that California and New York recently banned the sale of apparel containing intentionally-added PFAS. Find brands you trust Another strategy is sticking to brands that have strong sustainability commitments. To reduce the likelihood of greenwashing, Mr. Perkins said you can check if a company's been certified as a B Corp. That means it must meet certain social and environmental standards. You can also visit a company's sustainability page to see if it's involved in any collaborations, such as the Textile Exchange or the United Nations' Fashion Charter. Such efforts 'usually don't last very long if they're not credible,' Mr. Perkins said. 'Because the companies don't want to invest money in something that's going to be a liability to them when somebody finds out it's not doing real work.' Another good sign, Mr. Perkins said, is if a company offers a repair or recycling program for its clothing. Of course, buying your workout gear secondhand is a solid plan, too. Just try not to think about the sweat factor. Make it last If all that sounds like too much work, don't fret. There's one simple step that may make the biggest difference of all: Choose items you'll wear for years. Karen Pearson, a professor of chemistry at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and leader of the school's sustainability efforts, works out in yoga pants nearly every day. She's loyal to one brand that she knows will perform well and look good for years and years. A garment's 'functionality and performance over a long period of time,' she said, 'turns out to be the thing that really helps change its impact on the environment.' Dr. Pearson cited a British report that suggests that extending the life of a garment for just nine months can reduce its carbon emissions. To find items that will last, choose classic colors and styles that won't soon go out of fashion. Check the seams, too: Dr. Pearson said products that are seamless, or that have reinforced seams or larger seam allowances, are more durable. And, once you purchase a product, take care of it. Dr. Pearson hang-dries her yoga pants, which helps them last longer and also avoids greenhouse gas emissions from the dryer. ' I want a few really good quality pieces that are made in a responsible way, that will stay in my closet for a long time and not get replaced,' she said.
