#Sustainability

2023-05-25

ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® strengthen collaboration to enhance the industry’s environmental performance

ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® have joined forces to enhance sustainable chemical management and cleaner chemistry principles. Their aim is to empower the Textile/Apparel and Leather/Footwear industry to improve its environmental impact by optimising industry guidelines and solutions through collaborative efforts. This partnership seeks to drive sustainability while meeting the needs of Chemical Formulators/Manufacturers, Suppliers, Brands, and Retailers.

The goal is to create a cohesive approach to sustainable chemical and product management across global value chains. Although OEKO-TEX® has been collaborating with ZDHC for over five years, this formal agreement will augment the benefits of both organisations to brands and their suppliers.

The collaboration agreement provides the organisations with a framework for the following:

• OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT is an established certification approved for certifying conformance against the ZDHC MRSL V3.1. The certification is available from all OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT laboratories. In order to display the certificates, Chemical Formulators need to register the products to the ZDHC Gateway.

• The collaboration will continue to smooth-out alignment with the upcoming ZDHC Chemicals to Zero Programme and deepen the knowledge transfer between technical groups across both organisations.

• Both parties agree to pursue a path where OEKO-TEX® will promote ZDHC products and platforms (e.g. the ZDHC Gateway, InCheck, ClearStream) to minimise duplication and promote harmonisation in the industry.

• OEKO-TEX® STeP customers will get easy access to the ZDHC Gateway and the ZDHC Supplier to Zero Programme, which will increase their readiness for the OEKO-TEX® STeP certification. Wastewater testing for OEKO-TEX® STeP directly translates into a ZDHC ClearStream, simplifying customer requirements. The roll-out is planned for late summer 2023.

• STeP customers already benefit from the OEKO-TEX® x The BHive®’s partnership. It enables customers to digitalise their chemical inventories. Through The BHive® customers can conduct ZDHC Performance InCheck and conformance checks against the ZDHC Gateway, the largest database of chemical products certified against the ZDHC MRSL.

• ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® will establish data sharing processes that will stand to benefit customers (e.g. in the ECO PASSPORT process and through listing on the ZDHC Gateway). This collaboration will strengthen data quality, making performance and impact evaluation increasingly more credible. The respective roll-out timeline is to be determined in the upcoming months.

The location and respective services of OEKO-TEX® institutes can now be found on the ZDHC Find Your Expert Platform as well.

“I am pleased to announce the collaboration between ZDHC Foundation and OEKO-TEX®. This partnership brings together our expertise to drive sustainability in the textile industry. Together, we aim to accelerate sustainable chemical management, responsible production, and safer materials. This collaboration marks a significant step towards a sustainable future for the industry.”

-Frank Michel, Executive Director ZDHC Foundation

“We believe that the benefits of collaboration will drive transformational change and meet the true requirements of the industry. This collaboration will enhance both the ZDHC and the OEKO-TEX® system and programs. Since ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® are aiming to positively impact products, the environment and people, a well-structured collaboration will include joint recognition of each other’s programs. The objective of the partnership between ZDHC and OEKO-TEX® is to share learning and experience, driving sustainability by eliminating harmful chemicals throughout the supply chain and lowering the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s impact.”

-Georg Dieners, OEKO-TEX® General Secretary

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Updated supply chain taxonomy advances apparel alignment

The apparel alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC Foundation) today announced the launch of Version 2 of the Supply Chain Taxonomy, an updated harmonized framework designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across the textile, clothing, leather, and footwear (TCLF) sectors of the broader apparel industry.

EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear now in force

The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.