ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DENIM INDUSTRY

Denim is one of the major sectors of the textile industry. The environmental impact of denim manufacture is significant. In a news release on 18 June 2012, the American Chemical Society mentioned that the production of a pair of jeans consumes more than 2500 gallons of water (including cotton growing, dyeing and processing of denim), about a pound of chemicals (in the form of dyes, auxiliaries and finishing agents) and a vast amount of energy (including the irrigation of cotton and subsequent processes such as spinning, weaving, processing and sewing). These quantities need to be multiplied by 2 billion to arrive at the world’s total jeans production for a year. Hence the question of sustainable production arises. The Industry still has a long way to go to improve reduction of dyes and chemicals, organic cotton, producing less complex wastewater and worn care. Consumers will soon look for denim that has been manufactured with the highest environmental standards, maintaining sustainability through its life cycle.

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognise that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection. The SDGs, set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly are intended to be achieved by the year 2030 (United Nations, 2015).

UN sustainable development goals Aiming to secure sustainable business growth, EreksBlue Matters pursues sustainability in all aspects of its ousiness, aligning its efforts and strategies to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) where possible.

ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substance List

The ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL) is a list of chemical substances. These substances are banned from intentional use in facilities processing textile materials, leather, rubber, foam, adhesives and trim parts in textiles, apparel, and footwear. Using chemical formulations that conform to the ZDHC MRSL allows suppliers to assure themselves, and their customers, that banned chemical substances are not intentionally used during production and manufacturing processes.