Insight on What’s Next

How Sustainability is Impacting Policy and the Future of Apparel and Textiles

While the topic of sustainability and textiles have been top of mind recently – from politics to academia to business – for some executives, environmental concerns date back decades. Denny Shaffer, a past Sierra Club president, was busy cleaning up polluted sites close to 20 years ago. His efforts have deemed him the “Father” of North Carolina Dry Cleaning Solvent Cleanup Act which passed in 1997. Shaffer, who during his successful career owned and/or provided management for over 125 dry cleaning plants from Pittsburgh to Miami, proved that even daunting sustainability issues can, with cooperation and interaction be resolved. “It is possible to mix industry and politics to solve a problem,” says Shaffer. “Often environmentalists see business as an adversary and government can see everything as adversary, but it is possible to achieve positive results.”

Shaffer was one of five notable panelists at the forum “Sustainability: Impacting Policy and the future of Apparel and Textiles” hosted by the International Oeko-Tex Association held on the North Carolina State University campus in Raleigh, NC last month. Other participants included Keith Crisco, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce; Blanton Godfrey, Dean, NC State College of Textiles; John Eapen, VP-environmental, health & safety, American & Efrid; Tommy Thompson, senior manager international environmental affairs for HanesBrands; and Sam Moore, managing director, Hohenstein Institute America.

The successful event drew a large crowd from both local and out-of-state businesses and the fourth in Textile Insight’s Insight on What’s Next Roundtable Discussion Series.

The event also served to pay tribute to Dr. Manfred Wentz, Oeko-Tex’s Senior Policy Advisor, upon his retirement.

More than 80 brands, retailers, media, and other guests attended. Oeko-Tex customers like Nilit, Glen Raven, Gildan, and Greenology participated as well as other apparel and textile giants such as HanesBrands, Milliken, and Jockey. Many textile industry dignitaries attended to honor Dr. Wentz including representatives from AATCC, Cotton Inc., and NSCU’s College of Textiles where Dr. Wentz has accepted the position as Adjunct Professor of Sustainability.

The State of Sustainability

North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco spoke of the state’s government developing a “Council of Innovation” with a focus on sustainability. “The governor is about changing the economy and being known for a green and sustainable economy,” said Crisco.

He went on to say that approximately one third of the projects before Congress now are green jobs. “Great opportunity exists for growth in this area,” said Crisco. “Several projects have come forth in the last several months and we are working hard on the state level to promote innovation and sustainability,” concluded Crisco.
American & Efird is working on the worldwide level to increase sustainability. “Today there are 6.8 billion people on the earth and unless we reduce pollution and increase sustainability, what’s going to happen when there’s a projected population of 9.5 billion in the year 2052?” asked John Eapen, VP-environmental, health & safety, for the company.

A&E, a global thread manufacturer with international operations in 43 countries around the world, kicked off an eco-driven program last year called the 10 Threads of Sustainability which includes a new logo of a green sewing thread cone. Along with sustainable packaging and energy efficiency goals, the company now offers organic cotton thread and a recycled polyester thread.

Additionally, A&E has instituted a waste reduction and recycling effort. “Currently we are recycling 91 percent of what we generate,” said Eapen. “We feel we can be both sustainable and profitable.”

Eco Initiatives and Goals

“Sustainability will be a major emphasis of our research,” said Blanton Godfrey, dean of the College of Textiles at NC State.

He explained that the goal of the school is to become a reliable resource for sustainability. “We look to be a leader in research and an international authority for textile sustainability,” Godfrey asserted. The college annually awards about half of the country’s bachelor’s degrees and advanced degrees in textiles.

Already in the works is the new Energy Resource Center on campus. The building, a $60 million effort, is being formed in conjunction with the Science Foundation. “This is our future,” said Godfrey.

“The Governor put $10 million to promote green business in North Carolina in 2009,” Godfrey noted. “It’s beginning to happen. We have a lot to do, but we are going to do it.”
Someone who has already accomplished a lot on the sustainability front is Tommy Thompson of HanesBrands. “Sustainability through chemistry” could easily be Thompson’s mantra. Throughout his career Thompson developed environmental programs.

For example, when starting with Schlitz/Stroh Brewing Companies in 1980, he initiated a chemical management program for processes whereby chemicals were evaluated for product impacts, consumer safety, and environmental protection prior to being approved for use. During his work, a project was initiated modifying production chemistry that ultimately resulted in a 60 percent reduction in chemical costs, a 92 percent reduction in wastewater treatment costs, and a 65 percent reduction in water costs.

“When you get into environmental sustainability everything comes into play,” said Thompson. “You’re talking manufacturing, marketing, sales, real estate, legal, even janitorial chemicals.”

Comments: