Corporate News
Organic Cotton Market Zooms At 20% In 2010; Likely To Continue In 2011
 The consumption of organic cotton all over the world has shown a robust growth of 20% during 2010. Neither the recession nor unstable economies have put a damper on the fast-growing organic textiles industry, according to a report, which shows the sector grew by 20% to an estimated $5.61bn in 2010. The research released recently by Textile Exchange (formerly Organic Exchange) also names H&M, C&A, Nike, Inditex (Zara), Adidas, Greensource, Anvil Knitwear, Target, Disney Consumer Products, and Otto Group as the top ten organic cotton-using brands and retailers.
"Consumers continue to be committed to supporting the use of organic cotton and other sustainable fibres, while brands and retailers continue to make their product lines more sustainable by continuing to increase their use of such fibres and safer, more innovative manufacturing processes," says LaRhea Pepper, Textile Exchange Managing Director.
Several brands and retailers have more than doubled their usage of organic cotton alone and plan to do so in 2012 as well, says the '2010 Global Market Report on Sustainable Textiles.' Others with large programmes are staying the course. As a result, Textile Exchange projects the global organic cotton market will increase another 20% in 2011 to result in an estimated $6.2bn market in 2011 and $7.4bn market in 2012. Last year was the first time that data was requested on industry use of sustainable fibres including recycled and cellulosic fibre.
Recycled polyester and Tencel were the two leading fibres in terms of quantity reported by responding companies, with all respondents indicating substantial increases in use of those and other sustainable fibres in the upcoming years. Key areas identified for collaborative work in the future include developing a harmonised definition of a sustainable or preferred textiles, and equipping more players in the textile, apparel, and home furnishings industry to integrate sustainability into their business and product strategies through training, tools, and information.
Toxic Chemicals Found Worldwide In Global Garment Brands
To its dismay, research commissioned by Greenpeace International has found traces of toxic chemicals in major clothing brands. Environmental pressure group is continuing its campaign against hazardous substances in the apparel supply chain with the release of new research that suggests traces of toxic chemicals have been found in clothing from brands including Adidas, H&M and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Tests on garments and fabric-based shoes from 14 global brands - which also include Calvin Klein, Converse, Lacoste, Nike, Puma, Ralph Lauren and Uniqlo - revealed the presence of nonylphenol ethoxylates. These break down to form nonylphenol, which has hormone-disrupting properties and is harmful to human health. The tainted items were bought and manufactured in locations all over the world, the watchdog said, "demonstrating that the use and release of hazardous chemicals is a widespread and pervasive problem with serious, long-term and far-reaching consequences for people and wildlife." "Our research shows that global clothing brands are responsible for the discharge of hazardous chemicals into waterways in China and across the world, as part of their manufacturing processes," says Yifang Li, toxic water campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia.
"People have a right to know about the chemicals that are present in the very fabric of their clothing and the harmful effects these chemicals have when released into the environment." The test results were revealed at the launch of Greenpeace's second 'Dirty Laundry' report. The findings showed that of the 78 articles tested, 52 were found to contain nonylphenol ethoxylates - and are seen as a snapshot of the kind of toxic chemicals that are being released by the textile industry into waterways all over the world. They are also indicative "of a much wider problem," Greenpeace said.
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) are man-made chemicals often used as a surfactant in the textile industry. Where released untreated, they break down in rivers to form the persistent, toxic and hormone disrupting nonylnhenol (NP) that builds up in the food chain, and is hazardous even at very low levels. Even where wastewater containing NPEs is treated, this only speeds up the conversion into the toxic NP. The first 'Dirty Laundry' report, which was released six weeks ago, detailed the results of a year-long study linking many of the same clothing brands to suppliers in China who were found to be releasing a cocktail of chemicals into the Pearl and Yangtze River deltas. As a result of the subsequent global 'Detox' campaign organised by Greenpeace, which included demonstrations outside the companies' stores, both Nike and Puma have publicly committed to the elimination of all discharges of hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and products.
But the environmental group is still reprimanding Adidas over its slowness to make similar promises. "Adidas and other leading clothing brands can no longer avoid the responsibility of ensuring that the environment, their customers and people across the world are no longer threatened by the release of hazardous chemicals," Li said. Greenpeace is urging brands to remove these chemicals from their products by eliminating them from their production processes. Otherwise, every time clothes containing these chemicals are washed, hazardous substances would continue to be released into waterways across the world.
Oeko-Tex Label Extends Sorona To Infants'wear
 DuPont's Sorona polymer, which is made from renewable plant sources such as corn, has been awarded the stringent Oeko-Tex Class 1 certification which allows it to be used in textiles and clothing used by infants and toddlers. The certification granted by the Hohenstein Textile Testing Institute "provides third party validation of the safety of Sorona for use in all fibre applications," says Global Business Director Walter Fields. "This will benefit our downstream customers, and we will work with them to get further Oeko-Tex certification throughout the supply chain."
Sorona is made, in part, with annually renewable plant-based resources instead of traditional petrochemical ingredients. Its production is also said to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions compared with fibres like nylon. Oeko-Tex certification verifies the material is free from dangerous levels of harmful substances and meets REACH and CPSIA requirements in the EU and US. In apparel Sorona can be blended with a range of other natural and synthetic fibres to provide softness, comfort stretch, durability and easy care to a wide variety of garments including swimwear, intimate apparel, denim and ready-to wear.
H&M Is Now World's Top User Of Organic Cotton
 Fashion retailer H&M has now been ranked as the world's number one user of organic cotton last year - taking it closer to its goal of only using cotton from more sustainable sources by 2020. In 2010 H&M used around 15,000 tonnes of organic cotton - a marked increase from previous years - putting it in pole position among brands and retailers using the fibre, according to the latest report on the Global Sustainable Textiles Market Report, which is produced each year by Textile Exchange. The report provides the organic cotton and sustainable textile market with estimates for the preceding year, while identifying trends and market leaders and providing market projections for the year to come.
"The intention is to gradually use more organic cotton as part of our target to only use more sustainable cotton by 202," says Henrik Lampa, CSR manager product at H&M. "We want to further contribute towards increased demand for organic cotton and motivate farmers for sustainable cotton cultivation." H&M has been using certified organic cotton since 2004 and since 2007 there are garments made with 100 percent organic cotton in all departments, as well as some made from 50% organic cotton and 50% conventional cotton. It has also been involved with the Better Cotton Initiative, which works to improve conventional cotton growing while reducing water and chemical use.
According to the '2010 Global Market Report on Sustainable Textiles,' which was detailed on just-style yesterday (6 September), other top users of organic cotton are C&A, Nike, Inditex (Zara), Adidas, Greensource, Anvil Knitwear, Target, Disney Consumer Products, and Otto Group. It also shows the sector grew by 20% to an estimated $5.61bn in 2010 - and projects the global organic cotton market will increase another 20% in 2011 to result in an estimated $6.2bn market in 2011 and $7.4bn market in 2012.
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