Suppliers from Italian Prato textile district join Detox campaign

Italian textile suppliers from Prato textile district have joined the Greenpeace Detox campaign, which commits them to phasing out 11 chemical classes of concern, by 2020. The 20 companies who have signed up with Greenpeace represent several levels of the supply chain, including chemical and raw material manufacturers, yarn and fabric producers, and dyeing and finishing firms.

According to Greenpeace, they are responsible for the production of more than 13,000 tons of yarn and raw materials and over 13m metres of fabric per year.

Giuseppe Onufrio, executive director of Greenpeace Italy, said that the suppliers’ commitment will ripple throughout the global textile supply chain and hopefully encourage more manufacturers to Detox. Now that their own suppliers are committing to eliminate hazardous chemicals, brands such as Gucci, Prada and Armani have no excuse but to follow suit, he added.

Prior to the joining, the companies had already phased out the use of brominated and chlorinated flame retardants; azo dyes that release amines; and organotin compounds.

As per the campaign’s requirements, the companies will also cease usingalkyl phenols and their ethoxylates (APEOs); phthalates; per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals (PFCs); chlorobenzenes; chlorinated solvents; chlorophenols; short-chain chlorinated paraffins; and heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, mercury and chromium (VI).

With regard to the phase-out of PFCs, the companies have committed to eliminate the substances from their products, by 1 July 2016. By this summer’s phase-out date, they will release full testing evidence demonstrating compliance, along with case studies of how PFCs have been replaced with safer alternatives.

Andrea Cavicchi, president of the Confindustria Toscana Nord, which is overseeing the regional adoption said that it is important for their association, and companies of Prato, to show the world that they are physically and financially committed to putting the Detox requirements into practice. The association will be developing tools and auditing protocols to support its members’ implementation of the commitment.

In 2014, six major Italian textile companies stepped forward to signed up the Detox campaign.

In recent weeks, UK brand Páramo Directional Clothing became the first outdoor apparel company to join the Detox campaign. Several international brands – including Adidas, Burberry, H&M and Nike – have also taken the pledge.