From cotton farmer to consumer: Transparency in the apparel industry

http://www.2degreesnetwork.com/groups/supply-chain/resources/cotton-farmer-consumer-transparency-apparel-industry/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Community&utm_campaign=2942801_13.08.06+Editors+Highlights&dm_i=1ILQ,1R2OH,8D96RN,68OZ1,1

Transparency is a big topic of conversation in the apparel industry these days.

Jen Busfield introduces a collaborative initiative in the US that aims to change the supply chain problems of today.

Cotton of the Carolinas aims to connect the consumer with the farmer by making the process completely transparent.

With the recent loss of lives in Bangladesh and the harsh truth about poor working conditions and low wages, consumers are considering the real cost of cheap apparel. They’re thinking about investing their dollars in products that are made with social responsibility and with a transparent supply chain. A lot of consumers are even purposing to spend their dollars locally, because investing locally provides its own unique accountability.

It makes a big difference when you can feel confident about a purchase you’re making; that your money is supporting good business, fair treatment of the labor force and helping to provide living wages. It makes an even bigger difference when you can actually talk to the people behind the scenes, the ones who actually make the product available for purchase. It’s akin to meeting your local farmer during a Saturday morning Farmer’s Market and being invited to stop by the farm anytime for some really fresh, really good food that’s grown nearby where you live.

The Cotton of the Carolinas project sponsored by TS Designs is bringing that “meet the farmer” experience to the apparel industry. How would it make you feel if you could track your cotton t-shirt back to the US farmer who grew it? What kind of confidence would you have in an apparel purchase if you knew that you were supporting over 500 US jobs that provide fair treatment and living wages? And what if your purchase just happened to be one of the softest, most durable t-shirts you ever owned?

Collaboration of farmers and manufacturers

When the Cotton of the Carolinas concept was introduced, industry professionals scoffed at the idea that farmers and manufacturers would actually make a concerted effort to work together to create a final product. Industry standard is that cotton is grown somewhere; and that manufactures get their goods from that same “somewhere.” It’s never as real as buying from the cotton farmer in the next county within the same state. And that is what Cotton of the Carolinas wanted to be: real.

Providing transparency is an added effort, but we believe that it’s worth it.

Dirt to shirt in the good ole USA

We say “Made in America” with pride, but it goes even beyond that. It starts by being grown in America – American soil and American farmers growing both conventional and certified organic cotton. But Cotton of the Carolinas gets a little more detailed than that. We use North Carolina dirt on North Carolina farms to grow our cotton. We like calling Carolina home and we want to do all that we can to support our local area; because, deep in our roots, we believe that good business gives us an opportunity to grow strong, positive communities. So, we keep our cotton and make sure that our neighbors, who also happen to be textile experts, are the ones who benefit from what’s been grown. When we say we support local, we meant it.

Low transportation footprint

Because we keep all the activity right here in our home country and within our local region (we have connections with both North Carolina and South Carolina companies, hence our name: Cotton of the Carolinas), we can keep our transportation footprint lower than the industry standard.

All of the stages that make up a typical apparel supply chain could (and often do) require thousands and thousands of miles for traveling. Importing cotton from India or Egypt so that a t-shirt can be made in the USA already puts a lot of miles on the final product. Now consider this: North Carolina is the United States’ fourth largest producer of cotton and 50% of that cotton is shipped overseas to be manufactured into finished products that then get shipped back to the US to be sold to consumers. We’re talking about a lot of miles.

The Cotton of the Carolinas project keeps everything within approximately 700 miles. We’re doing everything we can to make sustainable choices that positively affect our local communities.

Complete product transparency

We don’t kid around when it comes to laying bare how the cotton is grown, in what kind of environment the fabric is cut and sewn into shirts, and what kind of processes are used for printing and dying. Maps, images, and tracking paperwork for each harvest are available on the main website allowing any wearer to track his or her shirt’s life from “Dirt to Shirt” using the printed code on the neck label of each tee.

There’s also contact information for each company that handles our shirts. And we welcome you to get in touch. We even host a Harvest Tour each Fall, where we invite interested parties for an afternoon of introduction and exploration into the process of cotton becoming apparel that takes you straight to where everything started: the farm.

Providing transparency is an added effort, but we believe that it’s worth it. The details that we provide backs up our product and gives the consumer the undeniable truth that their money was used to fund a worthwhile investment in good business. Good business that’s focused on providing solid jobs for our neighbors and providing you with the most sustainable t-shirt on the market.

Water sustainability is becoming fashionable

http://www.2degreesnetwork.com/groups/water-risk-strategy/resources/water-sustainability-becoming-fashionable/

By Dr. Andrew Bodey, Best Foot Forward

It may not seem obvious, but water and fashion go hand in hand. With water scarcity becoming a major problem worldwide, what is the apparel industry doing to reduce its water footprint?

With regards to ethics, the apparel industry has traditionally focussed on issues such as fur and sweatshops. But ethics are much broader, and encompass a range of environmental issues. For the apparel industry, water is of key concern. Plentiful supplies of clean water are essential for human health and wellbeing… but they are running out. Half of China’s surface water is now too polluted to be drinkable, and a quarter is unusable even for industrial purposes.

NGOs are increasingly vocal about water. Over the past year, Greenpeace has launched three reports in its Dirty Laundry series. The reports have hung big brands out to dry for the water impacts associated with their supply chains.

We have been working with an iconic apparel brand that is keen to understand its water impacts and make improvements. Some of the results would be applicable across the sector. Per tonne, leather and cotton consume a lot of water, wool consumes less, and the synthetics consume very little. There is considerable geographic variation in water consumption and the source of this water varies too. Where rainfall is light, farmers must rely heavily on water reserves, which can cause a range of social and environmental problems.

Cotton (or ‘white gold’ as it is sometimes known) comprises 40% of the global textiles industry. It is so thirsty and so commonly grown, that in water-scarce areas, water reserves are being seriously damaged. Water diverted from the Aral Sea, largely for cotton production, is literally drying the area up. The sea once supported a fishing industry that employed some 60,000 people, but the industry has now been eliminated.

Water impacts have major economic consequences. China loses up to $36 billion each year because of water shortages. It loses an incredible 10% of its GDP through problems relating to pollution. The Chinese government may start to demand higher standards from textile factories, and the apparel industry needs to be ready to act.

In addition to water, cotton requires a lot of fertiliser and pesticide, which leads to eutrophication (excessive growth of plant life, leading to loss of animal life) and toxicity in rivers and lakes. Cotton supplies may soon be threatened by water scarcity and legislation, and the apparel industry will find its main raw material expensive and difficult to access in large quantities.

What can apparel companies do about their water footprints? They can start by exploring their supply chains to see where their largest impacts are. Are thirsty crops being sourced from areas of high water scarcity? Are textiles being dyed where pollution standards are low? This water sustainability assessment can be used to inform an impact reduction strategy.

Cotton’s impacts can be reduced through good farming standards. The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is pioneering such standards, and has the backing of Marks & Spencer, Levi Strauss, H&M and Adidas. BCI trials are showing promising results for reductions in water and pesticide use – and lower costs as a result. Apparel companies can also switch to alternative materials. Flax and hemp (the sustainability super-crop) can partially replace cotton. Unlike cotton, hemp requires very little irrigation, pesticide or fertiliser. Greenpeace is calling for toxic discharges to be phased out from textiles factories, and Puma and Nike have pledged to do so by 2020.

Just like fur and sweatshops, water is both an ethical and a business issue, and tackling it is key to improving reputations and de-risking supply chains. In short, good water management is essential for the long-term prosperity of the apparel industry.

10 of the Best Green Tips for your Baby!

When most people think of the environment, the one thing they think of is nature, but in reality, the environment is all around you. It’s where you live, where you play, where you work and, and where you learn. Your environment is everywhere, and it affects everyone. As more time passes, the environment is becoming more and more harmful to society. Things you buy, wear, eat, and drink may be coming of harm to you because of what we have been doing to our environment. Though our bodies have become somewhat used to the harms of our environment, the new lives we are bringing into this world are not. In the first stages of a baby’s life, health is a vital part of the development and growth of the new life.  With the environment in the condition it is in with all of the pollution and toxic chemicals, finding safe alternatives may seem difficult. Luckily there are a lot of things you can do to make sure you have adopted the safest alternatives for your baby! Here are 10 Green tips to help you provide a healthy way to bring a new life into your world:

1. Use Biodegradable diapers: Made with plant-based plastics (also known as bioplastics), these diapers non-petroleum based and are compostable. There are also Hybrid diapers which have removable inserts that can safely biodegrade when flushed
2. Feeding your little one: Bisphenol A or BPA is a harmful chemical found in almost everything plastic and because babies cannot metabolize these chemicals like adults, BPA has a more powerful effect on their health. Turn to the alternative plastics that are eco-friendly and are BPA free. They are reusable and they are biodegradable, meaning they are safe for your baby and do not harm the environment.
3. Chow down on solid foods: At about six months, babies starts to eat real food. Buying jars of food is sure convenient, but as an adult you don’t live out of jars, so why should your baby? For those occasional situations, purchase organic or fresh frozen baby foods. Otherwise, make your own. Grow a garden in any space you can to ensure that you are feeding them the best fruits and veggies possible.
4. Dress your baby in smart green clothing: All those designer baby clothes are cute and oh so hard to resist in their fruity colors. But be careful. Choosing organic hemp or cotton, bamboo or wool fabrics made without toxic chemicals are best against a baby’s sensitive skin and last longer with the constant washing. Second-hand clothing is also another way to reduce waste and is a sustainable option.
5. Lather up with natural skin care: It’s very easy to get sucked into the constant advertising of baby powders, creams, and lotions. But the best baby lotion is plain old olive oil–cheap, natural, and un-perfumed. As for other products, keep it as natural, organic, and fragrance-free as possible.
6. Wash up: Green laundry and washing: It’s quite possible that our war on germs is actually making things worse. The best thing you can do for sensitive baby skin is not to cover it with synthetic chemicals. Wash nappies with pure or organic soap and warm water.
7. Make play-time green-time with greener toys: Get back to basics and try old fashioned wooden toys and organic cotton or homemade teddies. Because babies put most things in their mouths, go as natural as possible.
8. Rest easy with green furniture and accessories: Babies don’t need much–a secure place to sleep, a car seat, a high chair, and a way to be trundled around. If you buy new furniture, purchase high quality, durable pieces made of sustainable, low-toxicity materials. Think about some alternatives to the regular old wooden baby bed.
9. Improve your indoor air quality and maintain a healthy household environment: It is very important to avoid exposure to the synthetic chemicals contained in everyday products such as paints, carpet, furniture, bedding, and pesticides. When decorating the nursery, use natural and low-VOC paints and don’t lay new carpet before the baby is born.
10. Wipe out chemical cleaners and disposable liners: Diaper wipes and liners commonly include propylene glycol (a binder also found in antifreeze), parabens (a family of compounds commonly used as preservatives) and perfume, which can be made from up to 600 different chemicals. Try using good natural organic cotton wool and water and avoid disposable changing mats and perfumed diaper bags.

For more information on these tips and how to keep your baby safe, please visit InnovAsians at http://www.innovasians.com or contact us at info@innovasians.com.

http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-babies.html

A Green Kind of Lifestyle

As we know, global warming is an uprising worldwide issue that can cause immeasurable destruction to mankind and the Earth. Environmentalists are encouraging corporations and companies to go green and this does not exclude the hotel industry. Being that the hotel industry is so massive, the amount of resources they use and throw away can greatly affect our environment. An average hotel consumes the same amount of resources in a week that a family does in one year. Because hotels require cleanliness to keep up with guests requests and demands, the amount of products they use on a daily basis, have become a major problem when it comes to disposal. Hotels are helping to contribute the amount of waste we find in landfills today. So how do we fix this problem? Have hotels convert to a green lifestyle of course!

Why a Green Hotel?

There are many reasons why a hotel should want to go green. Not only does becoming an eco-friendly hotel benefit the environment, but it benefits the hotel as well. People have started to realize what we have being to our environment with waste. When a hotel goes green, this draws in all kinds of attention. Not only will you keep your current customers coming back, you will also draw in new ones. Being an eco-friendly hotel will also change the perception of your hotel. You will not just be seen as a hotel, but a hotel that is trying to make a change and is giving back.

How to go Green

 There are plenty of steps a hotel can take to help the environment, and they can be broken down into three main types: conserving energy, conserving water and reducing waste. Here are the most important:

Reducing waste

§ Sourcing furniture made from reclaimed wood and donating old furniture to charity

§ Placing recycling bins in guest bedrooms

§ Recycling everything that can be recycled (e.g. converting food waste into fertiliser)

§ Replacing mini bottles of shampoo and shower gel with larger dispensers to reduce packaging

Saving water

§ Collecting rain water in buckets which can be used to water plants around the hotel

§ Only serving drinking water at the request of guests

§ Low-flow toilets and shower heads

Saving energy

§ Installing solar panels to heat water used in bathrooms and swimming pools

§ Replacing old electrical appliances like dishwashers, microwaves and washing machines with newer energy-efficient ones

§ Using hybrid vehicles to transport guests to and from the airport

§ Offering bike hire to save using motorised transport

§ Replacing traditional light bulbs with halogen or LED ones

§ Sourcing local produce to reduce food miles

§ Installing timers and motion sensors on lighting in hallways

§ Washing linen on colder, more economical cycles

At InnovAsians, we are constantly striving to find the best green alternatives to help save our environment. We want to help make way for a cleaner future. For more information about going green visit us at http://www.innovasians.com or write to us at info@innovasians.com.

http://www.greenqueen.com.hk/the-green-future-of-hong-kongs-hotels/

We are Toast! The Scorching Result of Climate Change

The summer is usually a time to enjoy the outdoors and all it has to offer, but as summer goes on it has become more and more miserable to go outside. Global warming has taken a toll on the unexpected heat conditions we have been experiencing over the past few weeks. Climate change is real and has been a scary reality of how the actions of mankind has greatly affected our environment. As the population gets bigger, it has become extremely difficult to attempt to manage the climate change. The impacts of our rapidly growing population has taken a toll on the dangerous climate changes we see today.

In the past few weeks, there has been a global panic with the heat waves that have swept the world.  The sweltering temperatures that had taken Japan by surprise had killed three people and had over 2,500 people hospitalized.  Children involved in outdoor activities were also being hospitalized due to the effects of the heat. The U.S. is also being hit hard with these heat waves. In the more populated areas in the Northeast, temperatures have reached a blistering high, also causing many casualties. The excessive heat has also caused many disasters such as fires that has greatly affected the state of Arizona with 19 deaths in the Arizona Fire Department. This heat wave is considered one of the worst ever seen and is turning many countries into convection ovens. According to AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok, “the extreme part of the heat is not forecast to ease until over the coming weekend into next week, when thunderstorms may return to many areas.”

The careless actions of most of our society has greatly affected the heat waves that have taken over this world today. There is a need for resolution on a way we can change how we are impacting our environment. Without change, climate change will only continue to get worse and we will see more of these horrible tragedies all across the globe. As a strong eco-friendly company, InnovAsians is trying to help reduce the carbon footprint that we leave on this world for a safer environment for the future that awaits us. For more information on the heat waves and what we can do to help put a stop to the carbon footprint our world is generating please visit us at http://www.innovasians.com/ or contact us at info@innovasians.com

http://english.ruvr.ru/news/2013_07_11/Heatwave-kills-3-hospitalises-2-600-across-Japan-8411/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2013/07/15/heat-wave-east-midwest/2518203/

http://arewetoast.com/population-is-a-cause-of-climate-change.html

The Scary Reality of BPA!!

There is no doubt about it, we live in a plastic world. From the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep, we use plastics at least once a day. Plastic is in abundance all around the world but have you ever stopped and thought about what is in the plastic you are using and what it could be doing to your health?

Bisphenol A or BPA is a harmful chemical found in almost everything plastic. BPA is in more products than one could imagine. It is produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of poly-carbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is in obvious things such as paint but it is also in the less obvious things such as water bottles and even baby bottles.  It is also found in food storage containers as well as canned foods. By microwaving plastics, eating canned foods, and storing food in plastic containers you are exposing yourself to the harmful effects of BPA. BPA is a huge concern to the health of not only adults, but babies and small children. BPA has been known to cause serious health problems such as immune system effects, cancer, neurobehavioral problems and much more. These health problems come as concern to everyone at any age but have shown greater affect in babies. It is because babies are smaller than adults and the concentrated amount of toxins they take in is much greater than adults. Babies also cannot metabolize these chemicals like adults causing BPA to have a more powerful effect on their health. At InnovAsians, we do our best to provide a safe alternative from BPA for all of our products. For more information on BPA and the harmful effects it has on our health please visit us at http://www.innovasians.com/ or contact us at info@innovasians.com.

Can Your Apparel Really Be Contributing to Global Warming? Let’s Find Out!!

In today’s society, there is a growing concern for how products are made and the damage that it is contributing to our environment. The synthetic fabrics, plastics, and harmful chemicals that are found in the apparel and accessories we buy and wear on a daily basis, has been a factor that could be greatly affecting the global warming issues that we see all over the world today. As global warming continues to worsen, more and more people are becoming conscientious of what our society is doing to our environment and want a change. So what changes can we make our way towards a safer and cleaner environment? PUMA and their new line of apparel and accessories may be the answer!

How PUMA Has Made a Change:

In February of this year, PUMA pushed for a new line of recyclable and biodegradable products called InCycle. The InCycle line consists of apparel, footwear, and accessories made out of materials that can be broken down by microorganisms into biological nutrients. With this new line, PUMA took on the challenge of creating their products with a cradle to cradle mentality, meaning that the raw materials and organic fibers are without toxic materials and they will compost products to minimize their environmental impact. The recyclable products that are being created in this new line are made with metals, textiles, and plastics that can be reused to make other products.

How These Products Are Different:

PUMA is striving to make a change in our environment with their InCycle clothing line. Some of these new products consist of Basket Tees and Basket Lifestyle Sneakers which are made of organic cotton and linen. The sole of the sneakers are also made of biodegradable plastic APINATBIO, which is a material that can be shredded into its component materials before being composted. Other products in InCycle line are the PUMA backpack and the PUMA track jacket. They both use homogeneous materials to ensure they are 100% recyclable, even the zipper! The truly amazing part is the jacket can be converted back into polyester granulate, which can be used as a secondary raw material for a new product.

Making a Global Impact:

Along with the innovative new clothing line, PUMA has also created a program that will go hand in hand with the InCycle line called the Bring Me Back Program. The Bring Me Back Program is part of PUMA’s long term goal to develop a closed-cycle loop for the use of raw materials while giving old products a new life in other forms. PUMA has conjoined with I:CO, a global recycling company, and together they will facilitate this new program by recycling or composting products through the use of in-store recycling bins. Customers will then be able to will help to reduce waste and keep discarded products out of the landfill by giving back their unwanted products not only from PUMA but other brands as well. Here at InnovAsians we are continuously striving for the same goal to reduce the harmful chemicals and materials found in textiles and reduce the waste that is increasing in landfills today. For more information on PUMA’s InCycle line please visit us at http://www.innovasians.com/ and contact us at info@innovasians.com.

 http://www.gizmag.com/puma-incycle-recyclable-biodegradable/26273/

BP, Shell Biofuel Investments Hit Seven-Year Low

https://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/07/09/bp-shell-biofuel-investments-hit-seven-year-low/

Big oil companies in Europe including BP and Royal Dutch Shell have cut back on biofuel research, which will slow efforts to find a sustainable alternative to gasoline that does not involve food-based supply, Fuel Fix reports.

BP and Shell have stopped funding four different projects because they say the technology to generate fuel from woody plants and waste will not be economically viable until 2020 or later.

This funding cut brought biofuel investments from a high of $7.6 billion in the last quarter of 2007 to a low of $57 million for the first quarter of this year — the lowest it has been since 2006. Such reductions will make it unlikely that the US and the EU will meet their targets to wean people off of gasoline any time soon, Fuel Fix says.

The International Energy Agency says biofuels must supply 27 percent of the fuel for vehicles by 2050 so the US and EU can meet climate change targets. So far, most of the 1.9 million barrels of biofuel produced daily comes from corn or sugar, which in turn has pushed corn prices up and led to food-versus-fuel worries that this will take away food supplies from the poor.

Research into next-generation biofuels may open up opportunities to tap non-food sources like jatropha, switch grass and corn stalks, and waste sources like paper. But BP and Shell, both considered among the most open to alternative fuels, scuttled their programs because they found their technologies could not be scaled up to commercial production levels in an economical manner.

However, BP says it will continue to work with DuPont on biobutanol and has jointly opened a $520 million wheat-to-ethanol plant in the UK.

In a parallel situation in the US, Exxon and Chevron have also cut back on biofuel spending. Chevron explored 100 feedstocks for viability before it shelved plans, while Exxon invested $100 million on algae but could not find a commercially viable solution, Fuel Fix reports.

Global biofuels output last year fell for the first time since 2000 due to weakness in the US, BP reported last month.

In May, the EPA proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard program that include new renewable fuel pathways aimed at enhancing the ability of the biofuels industry to supply advanced biofuels, including cellulosic biofuels, to the market.

Cellulosic biofuels will likely remain well below targets set by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, according to a February statement by the US Energy Information Administration.

Bottle Fraud Costing State Millions

https://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/07/09/bottle-fraud-costing-state-millions/

Fraudulent recycling of glass bottles from out of state is costing Massachusetts tax payers millions of dollars, reports CBS Boston.

Those returning certain used glass bottles in Massachusetts receive a 5-cent refund, but, according to the news service, there is virtually nothing stopping people from bringing in bottles from other states and depositing them in the Massachusetts system. Neither of the neighboring states of Rhode Island and New Hampshire offers refunds.

Reporters’ cameras captured many trucks crossing Massachusetts state lines filled “to the brim” with bottles from neighboring states, including one entrepreneur who picks up bottles from a Rhode Island bar twice a week and deposits them at a reclaim depot in the Bay State.

Consultant Kevin Dietly of Northbridge Environmental estimates that between 6 and 8 percent of returns are fraudulent. Dietly says that such returns cost the state between 4 million and 6 million dollars a year, the news service reports.

Massachusetts legislators have seemingly known about the problem for years. The news service found a report warning of the potential for fraud from 1998.

Bottle return sites are required to notify users that it is illegal to return bottle from other states. Fines for illegal redemptions can reach $25,000.

In October, the last-ever returnable glass Coca Cola bottle in the US rolled off the production line in a Minnesota bottling facility. The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Winona filled the last bottle after deciding that it would be too costly to replace the product’s aging bottling line, reported WKYC.com.

Unilever’s Green Express Train Cuts Costs, CO2

https://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/07/09/unilevers-green-express-train-cuts-costs-co2/

Unilever’s Green Express train — intended to drive more sustainable logistics in Europe by taking trucks off the road in Italy — has made its first ice cream delivery, the company says.

The transportation initiative will save 2,600 metric tons of CO2 annually, Unilever says.

Green Express is a result of a partnership with Trenitalia and the Italian Ministry for Environment.

As of July 5, a dedicated line will transport Algida ice creams from the Unilever factory in Caivano, near Naples, 700 km to the logistics hub in Parma. Unilever says the direct connection, linking three lines, means that 3,500 trucks will be taken off the road each year.

Unilever estimates the trains will also reduce costs by 6 percent per year, compared to traditional road transportation. Other benefits include reducing congestion and potential traffic accidents, and an energy saving of 40 million Mega-Joules per year, Unilever says.

David Beauchamp, vice president logistics for Europe, says Unilever hopes other companies in Italy will adopt similar rail transportation approaches.

Green Express is part of a wider eco-efficiency program within Unilever’s supply chain to support the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. By 2020, CO2 emissions from Unilever’s global logistics network will be at or below 2010 levels, the company says. This will overall represent a 40 percent improvement in CO2 efficiency. It has improved CO2 efficiency by 10 percent since 2010.

In April, Unilever announced it has reduced CO2 from its manufacturing and logistics operations by more than 1 million metric tons since 2008, saving the company more than €300 million ($394.8 million). For manufacturing, this represents a reduction of 31.5 percent per metric ton of production, a company spokesperson told Environmental Leader.