Session 46 – Ecology in wet processing

In Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, a lot of processing plants still struggle with huge problems regarding work safety and process ecology. Although the approach to support the processors as a group to introduce better practise is very promising and good results are available, Solidaridad faces often the challenge that the companies they work with are not used to calculate pay-back times as a basis for investment. There is also some scepticism whether certain best practice would work in local settings,  respectively which advisor one can trust. As Tirupur is also a place where a lot of suppliers with commercial interest can be found.

H&M addresses the topic of ecology in wet processing with minimum requirements the company defined by itself. The cleaner production program (a tool developed with Beco, NCPC Inida) has been introduced to 32 dyeing factories in three different countries.

Huntsman, wants us to consider that the natural dyes as even more polluting than the synthetic ones. Just the area to plant indigo for denim dyeing each year would need the area of the size of Switzerland. Natural dyestuff needs more time in processing and even more water than the synthetic pigments.

A question that remained unsolved was about who has to be blamed as responsible (government and/or the dyestuff company) for selling chemicals to Tirupur’s processing companies, knowing well that they even do not dispose of any waste water treatment.

My vision of the organic cotton market

I hope that it once will come true that organic cotton becomes the accustomed standard.

Whoever wants to have it the other way round has to ask for it in the shops: “Could I have a really dirty produced shirt, please?”

Ouverture et confrontation

Sans attentes particulières, Gilles Dana apprécie la confrontation avec d’autres participants de la chaîne de valeur et la possibilité de créer des contacts. Interlaken, un congrès pour s’ouvrir l’esprit

Sustainability and Fair Trade are the Future and saving the world!

Interlaken, 22 september 2009. Marina Spadafora, Designer from Italy, presented her new collection “Banuq”, which was entirely produced in Africa. Bringing work is the best you can do to make Africa become a successful economy, she says. Pesticides are destroying land and the health of many people, we should act in a responsible way and work with organic cotton. The organic textile market is growing fast. Sustainability is the future, it will save the world!

Holistic approach for supply chain of organic cotton

Interlaken, 22 september 2009, Sandeep Balekai from the consulting organisation “Conquest” is looking at the supply chain with a holistic approach. The triangle between production, environment and society must be looked at integrally. If for example you can avoid rejections, you can save energy and natural resources, and maybe then also the problem of the overtime of the workers is solved…

La certification bio pour débutants

Vincent Duret d’Ecocert France explique les phases de la certification biologique.

Tadjik organic cotton for sale (long staple)

Interlaken, 22 september 09, Abdusattor Haydarov from Sugdagroserv Tadjikistan came to the Organic Cotton Congress to make contacts for selling the longstaple cotton from 1000 farmers in Tadjikistan.