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Textile Exchange eNewsletter - September 27, 2011 |
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Mission:
Textile Exchange insipires and equips people to accelerate sustainable practices in the textile value chain. We focus on minimizing the harmful impacts and maximizing the positive effects of the global textile industry. |
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| Vision Statement |
We envision a global textile industry that protects and restores the environment and enhances lives. |
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| 2012 TE Conference: Hong Kong |
Just announced last week at our Barcelona Conference, Textile Exchange will host the 2012 Sustainable Textiles Conference in Hong Kong to mark the 10th Anniversary of the founding of Organic Exchange, now Textile Exchange. Dates for the fall 2012 conference will be announced soon. This event will mark the 10th Anniversary of the founding of Organic Exchange, now TE. We will celebrate the tremendous progress the industry has made over the past decade, and continue delivering cutting edge, meaningful content and collaboration opportunities.
Asia plays an increasingly important role in the production and manufacturing of environmentally preferred textiles and products. Hosting the conference in Hong Kong will give Textile Exchange a unique opportunity to deliver innovative content to manufacturers, farmers and the brands and retailers that source from them. Please keep your eyes peeled for the 2012 date announcement. If you have any questions or would like to provide early content input for TE please email Heather Hocker. |
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Barcelona Highlights |
 | | Welcome from Ticiana Dominguez |
Last week in Barcelona, Spain, Textile Exchange hosted an incredibley successful Sustainable Textiles Conference with 294 attendees from 36 different countries, comprising of 12 attendees from Africa, 56 attendees from Asia, 145 attendees from Europe (including Turkey), 3 attendees from the Middle East, 73 attendees from North America, and 5 attendees from South America.
 | | Opening with David Asquith from adidas |
As a last minute addition to the agenda, John Frazier from Nike asked TE to host a Greenpeace foruum where they could provide more robust information about their current Detox campaign. Opening the second day of the conference on Tuesday, September 20, Martin Besieux and Melissa Shinn of Greenpeace used the TE Conference as a platform to better explain their reasoning, methodology, and desired outcomes from this campaign. Following Puma, Nike and adidas, H&M announced at the close of this session they were also ready to meet the challenge of zero discharge from any pathway.
 | | Closing with David Cook from The Natural Step |
Thoughts from Martina Hooper, EU Business Development Officer:
Picking just one element to highlight from this year's conference would be an impossible task. It's been a head-spinning 3 days of learning, sharing, creating, planning and - most importantly - bringing people together in a world that moves so fast we seldom get the chance to get to know one another.
 | | Attendees at TE Gala Dinner |
From the keynote speeches on innovation, green chemistry, brand strategy, and organic agriculture, to the in-depth workshops on bio-synthetics, nano-technology, water, waste, communication, and integrity among others, not to mention the additional seminars 'Sustainable Textiles in a Day' and the 'Cotton Dialogues', as well as a myriad of social and informal get-togethers, this year's Textile Exchange conference was the most exciting in our history.
 | | Lunch Conversation between Rajeev Baruch & Patrick Hohmann from Remei/bioRe |
Collaboration, even at the sharp point of innovation, has never been more important to the success of textile sustainability. It was crystal clear that the industry is seeing unprecedented acceleration of preferred materials development, index adoption, and information availability as a result of cross-sector and cross-functional collaboration. As we know, it's not without headaches and long hours of discussion, but the benefits far outweigh the issues. As LaRhea Pepper, TE Managing Director, so eloquently pointed out, we are truly, undoubtedly,
MAD: Making A Difference!
Carlotta Cataldi, new TE Project Assistant,
shares her personal, creative conference notes with us...
Notes from "A Sustainable Vision for the Industry", by David Asquith, adidas, on Monday, September 19:
Notes from "Why Green Chemistry? Innovation, Sustainability and Risk", by John Frazier, Nike, on Monday, September 19:
Notes from "This Product is Made from Organic Cotton" workshop with EcoTextile News, Anvil Knitwear, Skunkfunk, H&M and Katvig, on Tuesday, September 20:
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| Cotton Dialogues in Barcelona |
 During the day before the conference in Barcelona over 60 people congregated at the Princesa Sofia Gran Hotel to discuss three key issues for organic cotton stakeholders:availability of non-GM seed, responsible trade, and growing the sector sustainably. This was the second face to face meeting of the Global Organic Cotton Platform. The event was funded by ICCO and enabled us to bring together leading experts in the field of organic cotton seed research as well as ensuring the attendance of farm leaders at both the Cotton Dialogues meeting as well as the Textile Exchange Conference.
It was a great day with lively discussions and great ideas. Short video 'blips' from the day, collected by social reporter Pier Andrea Pirani on the day, can be viewed on http://farmhub.textileexchange.org/learning-zone/global-organic-cotton-community-platform/watch-our-video-blips. A recap of the dialogues will also shortly be available from both the Farmhub and the Organic Cotton Platform (www.organiccotton.org). Textile Exchange and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation will now work to keep the discussion going through the virtual organic cotton community in order to build solid action plans that create positive change. For more information or to join in the discussions and actions coming out of the dialogues meeting please contact, Liesl Truscott, Hanna Denes or Ashley Gill at Textile Exchange, or Andrea Bischof at Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation. |
| Conference Delegates Guide to Organic Cotton |
This guide to organic cotton looks at the impacts of cotton growing and the advantages of organic through a number of lenses and was produced specifically for the Barcelona Conference. It also introduces the farm leaders attending the conference. In response to requests this has now been made available online at the Farm Hub. Click here to download your copy: http://farmhub.textileexchange.org/farm-library/farm-reports. |
| Continuum is Next |
 After experiencing the energy and motivation that came from bringing world-class companies together in Barcelona, Textile Exchange is looking forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Continuum show on January 17/18, 2012 in New York City. This event will build on the growing momentum of the sustainable textile industry as the companies buying and selling sustainable products and services come together with committed brands and retailers to turn inspiration into reality. Please visit www.thecontinuumshow.com for more information.
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| Supply Chain Transparency Becomes Law in California |
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act will require retailers and manufacturers trading with California to disclose certain information regarding their own efforts to address slavery and human trafficking from their product supply chains. This law will go into effect on January 1, 2012.
Bureau Veritas lists the following Highlights of the Law on their website:
Under the law, any retail company selling product in the State of California must post a public disclosure on its website stating that the company, and its direct contractors:
- Do not employ slaves or trafficked persons, and
- Take steps to ensure that neither the company, nor its direct contractors, employs slaves or trafficked persons.
Beyond the policy statements, the law specifically requires that the company disclose on its website the extent to which, if at all, the company:
- Performs verification of product supply chains to evaluate and address risks of human trafficking and slavery including disclosure of the nature of the verification by an internal or independent third party;
- Conducts audits of suppliers to evaluate supplier compliance with company standards for trafficking and slavery in supply chains, including disclosure of the method if the audit is not performed on an unannounced basis by an independent third party;
- Requires direct suppliers to certify that materials incorporated into the product comply with the laws regarding slavery and human trafficking of the country or countries in which suppliers do business;
- Maintains internal accountability standards and procedures for employees or contractors failing to meet company standards regarding slavery and trafficking; and
- Provides company employees and management, who have direct responsibility for supply chain management, training on human trafficking and slavery, particularly with respect to mitigating risks within the supply chain.
More information can be found here:
http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/bv_com/Group/Home/About-Us/Our-Business/Our-Business-Consumer-Products/Resources/Frequently%20Asked%20Questions/Proposition%2065.
or on Just-Style:
http://www.just-style.com/analysis/spotlight-oncalifornia-law-on-supply-chain-transparency_id112028.aspx. |
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Remei Celebrates 20 years of Organic Cotton |
 | | Patrick Hohmann presenting at the Barcelona Conference |
This year sees the 20th anniversary of Remei. What started as a project to commercially cultivate organic cotton in India in 1991 has since grown into a successful enterprise producing fashionable textiles from fair trade organic cotton through a controlled and transparent process chain. Today Remei is working with 8,400 farmers in India and Tanzania. This growth and longevity demonstrates that Remei's business philosophy of "Treating mankind and nature with respect is the key to sustained economic success" holds true.
When asked if he would do it all over again, Remei founder Patrick Hohmann responds: "Yes, of course! Could I do it better? Maybe. But I couldn't be more grateful! Grateful to have such a wonderful task, grateful to all those who helped me and who are joining us in our effort to establish a social market economy."
As part of the anniversary celebrations a special edition of Cotton Times focusing on the milestones and achievements of Remei has been produced.
To download a copy click here.
An overview of the Remei business solution is available on the Farm Hub: http://farmhub.textileexchange.org/upload/Homepage/Remei_Brochure.pdf.
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The SOURCE Expo | |
 October 17 - 18, 2011
The SOURCE Expo showcases inspirational suppliers and manufacturers from all over the world, working to fair trade, ethical and organic standards, linking them directly with hundreds of designers, retailers and brands. Now in its third year, the Expo offers a great opportunity for you (or a UK representative) in your capacity as a supplier/manufacturer to meet up to 1,000 potential buyers including: Marks and Spencers, Vivienne Westwood, Arcadia Group, Ted Baker, Tesco, John Lewis, Monsoon, Debenhams, Burberry, Ben Sherman, ASOS, Dorothy Perkins, Aubin and Wills, New Look and many others.
SOURCE Expo 2011 will take place on the 17 and 18 of October at Sadler's Wells, Rosebury Avenue, London EC1. Find out more about the SOURCE Expo here: http://www.ethicalfashionforum.com/source-expo-2011, or email Livia at sourceexpo@ethicalfashionforum.com.
The SOURCE Expo is organized by the Ethical Fashion Forum, the industry body for fashion and sustainability. |
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2010 Global Market Report on Sustainable Textiles | |
 Neither the recession nor unstable economies put a damper on the fast growing organic and sustainable textiles industry. The 2010 Global Market Report on Sustainable Textiles reveals the brands that are leading the industry, latest trends and innovations, and a look at the anticipated outcomes for 2012.
Click here to download the Executive Summary for a preview of what the full report includes. The full report is a Textile Exchange member benefit, login here to download the report, or it can be purchased here.
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