Textile Insight

sustainability is top-of-mind. "I was expecting to be working with smaller, independent companies but now we're sitting with multi-national retailers willing to consider how they can re-invent themselves and what role sustainability will play," Nash explains. "And they have big goals – with statements like 'X percent of preferred materials by X date' — and are publicizing these objectives. If this comes from the top-level commitment, then designers and merchandisers are empowered. That's what drives impact." "By 2020 or 2022, if these firms achieve their targets, we will see positive change in the supply chain," Nash adds. Creating a strong story around sustainability and engaging messaging around these values will be key. Nash cites Nike's FlyKnit as a perfect example; the shoe brings innovation to the market but with many inherent sustainable elements, such as eliminating waste in the manufacturing process. "What we're seeing is brands looking to make a point of differentiation, and they are using sustainability as a lens to innovation," says Nash. "It's a new way to build product." Sustainability as a Definition for Quality A quality product is now developed with sus- tainability in mind from the get go, according to Walkuski. He describes quality as a "four legged stool" built on social, regulatory, chemical and performance aspects, that get communicated to all supply chain partners and ultimately the end consumer. He explains, "An integral part of brand iden- tity these days is the way it defines quality. Consumers have heightened awareness of social issues and want to purchase from brands they respect and trust." Walkuski makes a case for the industry taking a more pro-active approach in the future. In the area of chemical management, for example, historically the industry has been re-active, says Walkuski, who prior to founding Texbase worked at Patagonia in materials development. "The approach to chemical management has been let's make sure these chemicals don't exist, and establishing Restricted Substance Lists, for example. A pro-active approach will be the act of engineering approved chemicals into the raw materials without compromising function. And what we can do from the software side to facilitate this," Walkuski explains. He believes the new supply chain framework features integrated compliance. It's not an "after the fact" process, the sustainability is already "mixed in." "This framework goes along with other market drivers such as regulatory programs, trade restric- tions, testing requirements, and at the same time a new level of consumer awareness," states Walkuski. "We need to forge new pathways in the supply chain as we work on more sustainable products." The role of compliance has dominated sustain- ability in recent years, and continues to influence how companies create quality products. Says Walkuski, "If you told me 10 years ago that we would have a compliance side [of the business] I would have thought you were crazy. But at Texbase we already had a collaborative platform for secure data com- munication between supply chain partners and that allowed us to expand the landscape of data that we manage and build on that to solve differ- ent problems, including compliance." Sustainability as a Measure of Healthy Living "There's an expression along the lines of 'you need to skate where the puck is going,'" says John McKeon, CEO, Allergy Standards, "and that direction is the overlap of wellness and sustain- ability." As such, McKeon's business, which owns the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program, is making a push into textiles as it looks to broaden the business and go deeper into the supply chain. McKeon presented at Texworld USA this summer in the Sourcing section, to highlight this textile agenda. "Ours is not a sustainability certification," explains McKeon, whose background as an ER doctor made him acutely aware of the need for awareness and education around allergies and asthma. "But it falls into the 'good materials, good environment' ethos." Textiles come into play as a means to improve air quality; indoor air quality is four to five times worse than the air outside, according to McKeon. His agency focus is on paint, cleaning products, vacuum cleaners, bedding products, and air puri- fiers with the objective of making a healthier home environment and how this and can positively impact an individuals health. "Sustainability doesn't necessarily mean health – but health and wellness is where this is moving. Consumer research shows movement beyond what's good for the environment to what's good for me," says McKeon. Particularly the indoor environment. According to McKeon, 80 percent of our time is spent indoors, essentially in "sealed air," and of that time eight hours a day approximately is spent in the bed- room. "Which is why textiles for the bedroom are a natural fit for Allergy Standards." McKeon also quotes recent research that "one in four Americans has asthma or allergies." The point, explains McKeon, is to add more value to textiles. "If you move up the supply chain and collaborate with sustainability certifications, and then move down the supply chain and work at very beginning of textile development this will result in better quality products." He adds, textileinsight.com 32 • Textile Insight ~ September / October 2017 "There is no let up in energy commitment for sustainability. But now it's going beyond the core outdoor (audience) and into new directions." Bob Buck, Chemours "What we're seeing is brands looking to make a point of differentiation, and they are using sustainability as a lens to innovation. It's a new way to build product." Jeff Nash, Futuremade "Building a quality product from the very beginning includes taking a pro-active approach to sustainability all along the supply chain." Joe Walkuski, Texbase

• Cover