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The importance of certifications.
The buying habits of consumers in the textile industry have been changing over these years, as a result of the well-known “fast-fashion”, and therefore consumption has skyrocketed to very high figures, forecasting a 63% growth by 2030. Almost antagonistically, consumers have also increased their concern about the ecological and social impact that this consumerism may bring.
Thus, ecological certifications have emerged, which work as a guarantee to the consumer that the final product in his hands was produced considering parameters such as environmental and social impact, respecting certain rules that make the product standardized and recognized.
In this sense, several eco-labels have emerged that aim to ensure compliance with certain rules regarding production, human ecology, consumption, and disposal. These labels are managed by public or private official entities.
The certifications developed are based, in general, on principles such as: guaranteeing the absence of substances that, in the light of current knowledge, are considered harmful to human health; ensuring that the product developed, taking into account its entire life cycle, has reduced environmental impact; ensuring that the product was produced according to rules of hygiene and safety at work; ensuring that the product respects established levels of functional quality.
There are several certifications already developed, which prove the market activity in this direction. The most recognized ecological certifications are the following: OEKO-TEX®, GRS, GOTS, and BCI. But what does each of these certifications entail specifically?
Under the responsibility of OEKO-TEX® there are numerous certifications, among which is the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.
If a product has this certification, you are assured that every component of the product has been tested for potentially harmful substances and is therefore safe for human health. There is a detailed catalog with the substances to be tested for, and often the limit values go beyond national and international requirements. The catalog is updated at least once a year, always considering the advance in science.
All textile products, at any stage, can be labeled with this certification. These products are categorized according to their use, a category that differs according to the requirements they must meet. There are four different categories, classes 1 to 4, and the requirements to be met are higher the lower the class. At IDR, fibers are sold exclusively with class 1 labeling, the most demanding, so that our customers can be assured that their products are manufactured with highly classified raw material and, therefore, suitable for any application.
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The GRS (Global Recycled Standard) is an international, voluntary, and standardized whole-product standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled content, supply chain, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions.
Globally recognized processing certification for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria. End products certified with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) can include everything from fibers, yarns, home textiles, mattresses, and even food contact textiles.
The BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) is a worldwide sustainability standard for cotton. Since this is one of the most used textile fibers in the market, it is imperative to guarantee good practices associated with its cultivation and use. To this end, it is applied to all players in industrial production, from farmers to retailers. This certification is based on 7 principles: crop protection, water management, soil health, biodiversity, fiber quality, decent work, and management system.
In addition to the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and GRS labels, which fall under the ecological certification, ISO 9001 certification is also respected at IDR. This standard belongs to the International Organization Standardization (ISO) and specifies requirements for a quality management system in the organizational context, thus ensuring the standardization of management procedures and transmitting greater confidence to all stakeholders.
Finally, all these certifications guarantee to our client the fulfillment of international requirements that not only distinguish us as practitioners of measures of great impact on sustainability but also ensure that our customers and everyone involved in the textile supply chain, of which our products are part, has a positive influence on this industry.
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