Chemical management system in textiles

Abstract

Abstract To ensure circularity of valuable material resources, information exchange between supply chain actors (from raw material and chemical production, through production processes and the use phase, to waste treatment and where possible resource recovery) is important. For textiles, different types of information need to be captured to fulfill goals of a circular economy. In total, a study by the Swedish Chemical Agency estimated that approximately 10% of the total amount of over 2400 different chemicals that can be used in textiles have particularly hazardous properties. Thus to identify chemical use and content in the final garment has been recognized as crucial to meet customer and legal demands. Textile supply chains are in general long, global, and complex with many actors involved; communication is regarding chemical substances in supply chains is often difficult since retailers seldom have direct communication with more than their first-tier supplier. One obstacle is low competence regarding chemicals and their properties in parts of the value chain hindering proper information sharing and impeding good chemical management. For long-term improvement of chemicals handling and phase-out actions of hazardous chemicals, it is therefore necessary to raise the awareness level for both suppliers and retailers. This chapter discusses state-of-the-art on awareness, ideas for improved awareness, knowledge level and consensus, and the development of a chemical management course in a tool format with the specific aim of substituting chemicals of concern. The main research question in the study was: Is it possible to create competence and consensus regarding chemical issues in the textile industry through an easy-to-use level-customized learning tool? The objective of the course was to support knowledge and consensus about chemical management and chemical concerns in the textile value chain. Therefore general chemical management knowledge, as well as specific information about restricted substance lists, was included in the course content, in different modules.