Although many fashion brands have put in efforts to create products responsibly, health and environmental hazards could still be a part of their supply chain.

The unknown chemicals could be a common factor in having a negative impact on both the workers producing garments and the end consumer. These chemicals could also harm the environment during laundering and eventual disposal.

Kutay Saritosun, director of fashion brands at responsible textile system Bluesign, stated that the hidden add hidden costs to people and planet. Over the past 20 years, Bluesign has collaborated with companies to terminate hazardous chemicals from their production. At the commencement of new system partnerships, Bluesign visits facilities to do an on-site assessment, during this assessment it notes the gaps and then it develops an action plan that improves and elevate practices to meet its strict requirements. After the initial site visit, Bluesign regularly returns to the facilities to scrutinise them towards upholding the guidelines. The currently hold 700 system partners globally.

They not only provide compliance and safety to workers and the end consumer but also ensure third-party verification to meet consumers’ growing needs for greater transparency. Jill Dumain, CEO of Bluesign, explained that traceability ensured that a company to be as transparent as they like to be to meet consumers expectations. Bluesign have been responsible for taking transparency and tracibility to the next level by creating Bluesign CUBE. CUBE is an online platform catering to responsible textiles. The suppliers can register their chemical composition and get rated, differentiating them from competitors. The manufacturers also are provided with a dashboard that can track their resource and chemical usage, with data corroborated by Bluesign site visits. 

The new CUBE acts as an online database and a connection platform that monitors environmental performance. Saritosun stated that with Bluesign, companies and consumers can feel good by knowing they have taken a holistic approach, encompassing more than just one link of the supply chain. Bluesign’s method of having strong protocols in place from every stage of production to ensure the reduction of impact and create cost savings. Collaborating with Bluesign system partner manufacturers allows companies to have a high level of trust in their suppliers as it allows them to trace Bluesign Approved materials all the way to the chemical suppliers.

Bluesign also ensures workers well-being that includes occupational health and safety of employees within the supply chain. Bluesign believes data-driven communication will be key in the near future.