ZDHC adds four new contributors for sustainability

The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Programme, a collaboration of leading brands, value chain affiliates and associate contributors, has added four new contributors -- the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), the Unione Nazionale Industria Conciara (UNIC), Seri.co of Centro Tessile Serico (CTS), and Covestro -- for sustainable chemical management.

SAC is the apparel, footwear and home textile industry’s foremost alliance for sustainable production. The Coalition’s main focus is building the Higg Index, a standardised supply chain measurement tool for all industry participants to understand the environmental and social and labour impacts of making and selling products and services.

UNIC is the representative of the Italian tanning industry, which employs 18,000 workers in approximately 1,300 companies and is a fundamental component of Italian manufacturing.

CTS is a testing laboratory and product certification system founded in 1980. The company offers support services for production activities in the textile-clothing system in the Como region in Italy.

Covestro is a world-leading supplier of high-tech polymer materials, including waterborne raw materials for textiles and synthetic leather. It provides technology and R&D support that enables the production of coated textiles and polyurethane synthetics without solvents.

By joining, these organisations commit to supporting ZDHC’s goal of widespread implementation of sustainable chemistry in the textile and footwear industries.

ZDHC executive director Frank Michel said: “We’re excited to see continued support for the elimination of hazardous chemicals and are delighted to welcome UNIC, Seri.co, Covestro and the SAC as contributors. In particular, we’re pleased to announce the formal collaboration with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, as we share a large number of overlapping brands, and this collaboration will strengthen our work. We endorse the HIGG Facilities Environmental Module (FEM) developed by the SAC."