bluesign and SCTI donated the pioneering Sustainable Chemistry Index (SCI) methodology to ZDHC. In particular, this collaboration will aim to revolutionize chemical management in the textile, leather and fashion industries, while also addressing environmental impact in a more holistic manner.
Despite industry efforts with numerous overlapping standards and voluntary schemes, the textile, leather and fashion industries struggle with varying regulations, inconsistent data and a lack of common action. Inconsistent regulations, limited transparency and little coordinated action hinder progress, while consumers do not receive information about the overall environmental impact of these industries.
SCTI, a group of innovative and pioneering chemical manufacturers, aims to bring positive change to the textile industry and make sustainable chemistry the norm. bluesign, a renowned sustainability solutions provider, has experience in ensuring safe and responsible chemical management, environmental and worker safety as well as resource efficiency in the production of textiles. The ZDHC Foundation, driven by major fashion brands, is on a mission to detox the fashion industry by providing tools and guidelines for sustainable chemical management.
In 2022, SCTI and bluesign developed the first comprehensive Sustainable Chemistry Index (SCI) for the textile industry. The work leverages best-available technology while transcending existing chemical assessments, and introduces a one-stop-shopping tool for more broadly assessing environmental impact. The SCI introduces a standard common language for convergence and alignment throughout global textile.
The SCI brings new parameters to assess how chemical products improve resource use, in the processes in which they are used, along the garment’s lifecycle. Key building blocks include supply chain transparency, responsible sourcing, feedstock reducing fossil dependency, product carbon footprint, resource consumption, efficiency in use during textile production, end use impact and end-of-life of consumer applications.
This transparent framework streamlines the process for the industry to evaluate the sustainability impact of chemicals present in a garment and promote circularity.
SCTI and bluesign are donating the SCI to ZDHC as the cornerstone of its Chemicals to Zero (CTZ-A) program. CTZ-A represents the highest level of sustainable chemistry within ZDHC. In 2024, the SCI content will undergo ZDHC’s stakeholder engagement and consultation processes, aiming to enhance the Roadmap to Zero program by addressing sustainability and circularity. ZDHC will make the SCI content freely available to the public, enabling widespread adoption and impact.
“We have been partnering with all stakeholders involved for some time and recognized that our market has been operating with multiple isolated approaches,” said RUDOLF managing director, SCTI chair and ZDHC director, Wolfgang Schumann. “Within SCI content, we are converging several approaches, while raising sustainable chemistry to the benefit of our community.”
“Our initiative elevates collective action to new heights,” said Isabella Tonaco, SCTI executive director, “and enables the textile and fashion industries to make sustainable choices by taking full advantage of what solidarity can do to power change.”
“At ZDHC, our mission is to build a dynamic platform that highlights the transformative journey of sustainable chemistry in the fashion industry,” said ZDHC CEO, Frank Michel. “By integrating the SCI as the cornerstone of Chemicals to Zero Aspirational Level and releasing it into our publicly available ZDHC Framework, we’re showcasing true thought leadership essential for driving positive change and engage our wider community of stakeholders on our way forward.”
The ZDHC program is positioned to complement the expertise of bluesign and SCTI, as well as to scale its impact within a multi-stakeholder structure. This collaboration empowers manufacturers and brands to make informed, responsible choices in terms of chemicals and processes, committing to sustainable chemistry and benefiting society.
