Textile Insight

M itigating eco impacts from textile production is no easy task, however, execs agree that a domestic supply chain offers advantages in terms of sustainability that is more difficult to achieve with global sourcing. ese days, with consumers increasingly keen on corpo- rate transparency and brands focusing more attention on responsibly-made product, U.S. textile suppliers are realizing many benefits of near-shoring. Execs representing business from fibers to finished goods shared corporate sustainability practices, marketing efforts and the implications of building eco-conscious supply chains in the States and Western Hemisphere in a recent online panel hosted by the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO). Speakers from Unifi, BASF, e LYCRA Company and Origin USA, contributed to a lively back and forth moderated by Bob Antoshak from Gherzi USA, a textile and apparel consulting firm. e panel conversation kicked off with execs defining their view of sustainability. Raymond Daniels, North America seeds sustainability manager for BASF Agricultural Solutions, said companies must find a healthy balance between three aspects to sustainability: eco- nomics, cultural and social for cotton and the industry to be sustainable. Jean Hegedus, sustainability director at e LYCRA Company offered her personal as well as professional point of view stating, "My best definition of sustainability is to have enough resources to take care of today's generation without sacri- ficing the life of the next generation. Corporate sustainability calls for minimizing impact of raw ingredients, making fibers that last and a mission of recyclability." Pete Roberts, CEO of Origin USA, with factories in Maine and North Carolina, endorsed a holistic approach to sustainability that includes workforce, company culture and good product. Meredith Boyd, SVP sustainability, technology & Innovation at Unifi put it simply: "Doing good for people and planet along with doing well for our busi- ness to promote growth in our region and in the U.S." Boyd added that a commitment to circularity is paramount. A Focus on Partnerships, People & Proximity Execs ticked off a handful of ways a regional approach moves the needle on corporate sustainability. Examples included proximity to supply chain partners allowing for more on-the- ground interaction; opportunity to verticalize and provide a model that delivers eco aspects, service aspects and the potential to become a development hub; ability to attain a strong handle on production transparency; and last but not least a means to notably reduced transportation impacts overall. BASF is a mega multinational chemical company, yet according to Daniels, the strategy is "think globally, act locally." For example, in the U.S. BASF works with the E3 cotton program focused on U.S. farmers in the cotton belt that provides traceability aspects of cotton production. "Farmers are people, too, and farmers are constantly adapting to climate change, seed, chemistry and digital farming," noted Daniels. "What's big is that our customer can meet with our team that makes our product," said Hegedus, explaining the company recently formed an agreement with Qore to enable large-scale commercial production e LYCRA Company's bio-derived spandex fiber using renewable corn feedstock, a main ingredient in the new fiber, from a Qore plant based in Eddyville, IA. "At the same time our involve- ment supports the farm industry in the corn belt," Hegedus said. "It all starts with people," stated Boyd. "Employ more people and stimulate work. Make tech investments but these have to show a healthy ROI. is is not a short-sighted opportunity. It's a longer collaborative com- munity needed for the U.S. textile industry to thrive. Product innovation takes a long time, tech innovation takes a long time. We need to make sure we have confidence to make these investments and that comes from having a commitment from the brands and retailers." "Bringing knowledge back to our community is the only way we can move forward. We need to change the way we think about factories and jobs and people who work there," said Roberts, who founded ORIGIN in 2012 and with friends and family, built a timber frame The Eco Advantage Nearshoring Increases Sustainability KG CO2 Per Ton Apparel Shipped to the U.S. Re-evaluating the Benefits of Closing the Loop Closer to Home. MADE IN AMERICA / SUPPLY CHAIN 46 • Textile Insight ~ Spring 2023 textileinsight.com Honduras Dominican Republic Guatemala El Salvador Nicaragua Costa Rica CAFTA 00 00 10 20 30 40 50 Freight Carbon Emissions Source: Werner International, The Economic and Societal Imapct of the Yarn Forward Role on CAFTA-DR Signatories.

• Cover