Textile companies are working toward eradicating harmful chemical substances from their clothing supply chain. They are creating an auditing protocol, tracking progresses, publishing case studies and showing transparency through the publication of testing results. Some have chosen the chemical management gold standard by which all other fashion brands and sectoral hazardous chemical initiatives will be measured. Now that their own suppliers are committing to eliminate hazardous chemicals, these brands have no excuse but to follow suit.

Hazardous chemical groups that need to be removed include perfluorinated compounds, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, organotins compounds and amines associated with azo dyes that can have negative effects on human reproductive systems and cause cancer.

Other areas where hazardous chemicals need to be eliminated include yarn production, fabric production, textile raw material production, yarn dyed and fabric dyed. Some 35 international fashion and textile brands and retailers—representing more than 15 per cent of global textile production in terms of sales—have already committed to a toxic-free future. Among the participating companies are Miroglio and Inditex, as well as Valentino, Adidas, H&M and Burberry.

Greenpeace’s Detox campaign aims to lead the industry toward eradicating all harmful chemical substances from the clothing supply chain by 2020.