TECHNICAL UPDATE - Bluesign

Our series on certification continues...

Bluesign from bluesignTM Technologies ag is to put simply a set of standards which covers the entire chain of textile production. It covers all the stakeholders from the manufacturers of raw material, the component manufacturers to the ultimate consumers, it covers the entire production process chain in the textile industry. The company itself defines the standard as, “The declared objective of the independent bluesign® standard is to put a reliable and proactive tool at the disposal of the entire textile production chain - from raw material and component suppliers who manufacture e.g. yarns, dyes and additives, to textile manufacturers, to retailer and brand companies to consumers.”

As Peter Waeber, CEO puts it on their website, “Production processes that are designed around maximum resource productivity with a view to environmental protection, health and safety, represent an assurance for manufacturers and retailers that today's quality criteria are fulfilled in the best possible way and that applicable regulations and limits are complied with. The basic idea, right from the beginning, was to tackle the problem at its roots and to exclude substances, which are potentially hazardous to the human health or the environment, from processes at the outset via an intelligent Input Stream Management system. An independent standard was created that can be applied to the entire production chain and that delivers certainty at all levels, from raw material to final product, from chemical supplier to consumer. This in turn means measurable economic success for industry and trade while at the same time offering maximum consumer und environmental protection. The bluesign® standard is leading the way to a successful and healthy textile future. Worldwide”

The certification revolves around the five tenets - resource productivity, water emissions, air emissions and occupational health and safety. It combines aspects of consumer safety, water and air emissions as well as occupational hazards under one set of parameters. It brings with clarity, transparency about the entire chain. It lays down standards for best practices across the industry in each of the tenets. Manufacturers can get their site screened on these basis and then proceed with the implementation - certification process. There is also the bluefinder TM an online database of raw materials approved by bluesignTM. So companies can easily replace their existing chemical suppliers with those who are approved by bluesignTM   . Similarly for chemical suppliers, there is a bluesign® bluetool which acts as a science gateway to homologate chemical products. For brands and retailers, the bluesign® blueguide offers a comprehensive database for bluesign certified textiles. The retailer can procure the stock by using the guide as a reference. This also makes REACH compliance easier. The biggest advantage of this certification is that it brings about transparency in the supply chain. Every component is verifiable and the manufacturer of each, where has it been procured from, the chemicals used is all available easily and is accessible. This certification puts the onus on everyone in the supply chain to adhere to norms laid down and thus ensure that the overall objectives of protection of the World and Globe is ensured.