Eco textile and green consumerism

Use of Eco-textile and Green
Consumerism
Dr. Mona Verma
Assistant Professor
H.K.M.V, Jind

Introduction
The textile industry is considered as the most ecologically harmful industry in
the world. The Eco-problems in textile industry occur during some production
processes and are carried forward right to the finished product. In the
production process like bleaching and then dyeing, the subsequent fabric makes
a toxin that swells into our ecosystem.
Need to believe in environmental sustainability taking incremental steps in
supply chain processes to make it happen.
Need to be aware about the social, economical and ecological benefits of
environmentally sustainable product development processes.
Therefore the need for eco-textiles is felt.

Technical Textiles is a high technology sunrise sector which is steadily gaining ground
in India. Technical textiles are functional fabrics that have applications across various
industries including automobiles, civil engineering and construction, agriculture,
healthcare, industrial safety, personal protection etc. Based on usage, there are 12
technical textile segments; Agrotech, Meditech, Buildtech, Mobiltech, Clothtech,
Oekotech, Geotech, Packtech, Hometech, Protech, Indutech and Sportech.
Introduction
Definition Of Technical Textile
Technical Textiles is defined as , ‘Textile material and products manufactured
primarily for their technical and performance properties rather than their
aesthetic or decorative properties/ characteristics.’

•Any textile product, which is produced in eco-friendly manner and processed
under eco-friendly limits.
•ECO-TEXTILE is also known as Ecotech, Oekotech and Eco friendly textiles.
•Oekotech or Ecotech segment refers to use of Technical Textiles in
Environmental Engineering.
OEKOTECH (ECO-TEXTILE)

Natural fibre, such as cotton fibre is free of impurities but only when no harmful
pesticides or insecticides are used in its cultivation. If so, then it is environmental
friendly. However, even if they are produced sans any of these harmful substances, they
can become 'polluted' when processed for making yarns and fabrics because of all the
textile chemicals used on them.
Same is the case with animal fibre like wool which can get contaminated due to
pesticides used in sheep dips or a variety of drugs used for treating the animal diseases.
However, when the plant fibre, cotton for example once again, is cultivated without any
harmful pesticides and with the help of composted manures and cover crops then only
can it be said 'organic cotton' which is 100% eco-friendly fibre.
All Natural Fibres Are Not Eco- Friendly Fibres

Natural fibres are obtained from plants (such as cotton, hemp, jute etc.), from
animals (such as wool, fur etc.), or insects (such as silk). Man- made fibres can
be divided into two categories synthetic fibres and regenerated fibres. Synthetic
fibres are completely made from chemicals like polyester fibre or nylon fibre.
Regenerated fibres are made by transforming natural polymers through
chemical-based process. These fibres again have two categories – one having
protein origin and the other with cellulose origin. Regenerated fibres of protein
origin come from plant protein such as corn, soy, peanut etc. or from animal
protein such as casein from milk.
Regenerated fibres of cellulose origin come from cellulose of wood pulp or
leaves.
Examples of such fibres are bamboo, rayon, lyocell, tencel, viscose etc. Thus
these manmade regenerated fibres (some of which are sometimes called
synthetic fibres like rayon), are also eco- friendly fibres.
Man- made fibres can also be Eco- friendly fibres

Social responsibility: Chemicals and pesticides invade drinking water and
groundwater, polluting its fish and even reaching human consumption. Organic
and eco fibers grow without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Biodegradable: Eco and organic fabric biodegrade naturally over time.
Synthetic fibers eventually become waste and let off harmful toxins when they
degrade.
Health: Many people are allergic or dislike wearing synthetic textiles. Eco
fabrics have all the properties of the new synthetic breathable fibers with added
softness and drape. They feel better against the skin.
Why should we choose organic or eco friendly fibres?

Absorption: Not only do its chemicals reach into the groundwater,
conventional clothing is worn next to the most porous organ skin. Organic
and eco fibers are natural and do not contain irritating chemicals. Many of
them are also considered hypoallergenic and naturally antibacterial.
Popularity: Organic foods have been around for awhile and it is a natural
evolution that organic and eco friendly rics will also gain popularity. Eco and
Organic fabrics once considered an alternative are now entering into the
mainstream.

Use of Eco Textiles fibres – Related Industries
Fashion and Apparel Industry
Home Furnishing and Textile Industry
Hygiene and Health Care Industry
Packaging Industry – “Eco Packaging” an Important Feature
Growing Recycling Industry- Generating Rural Employments
Medical Textiles Industry – Growing Opportunities

Classification of Eco-friendly Textiles Fibres
Eco textiles
Organic Recycled fibresMan made
fibres
Natural
Organic cotton
Organic wool
Organic silk
Hemp
Corn fibre Recycled cotton
Natural
coloured
cotton
Soy fibre
Lyocell
Milk fibre
Recycled
polyester
Jute
Ramie
bamboo
Black diamond

A. Organic
1. Organic cotton
Organic cotton is much more environmentally-friendly than the traditional
variety as it uses no pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides during the growing
cycle. Even more promising is a new cotton that is grown in the tradition of
the Aztecs - coloured cotton.
A coloured cotton with long enough fibres to be spun into thread. She
managed to get it to grow naturally in shades of green and brown. It has the
added benefit of not fading (in colour) and in fact, it gets more vibrant with
the first few washings.

A. Organic
2. Organic wool
Alpaca sheep don’t require insecticides to be injected into their fleece, are
fairly self-sufficient, don’t need to be treated with antibiotics, and don’t eat very
much.
It seems they’ve taken the idea of being eco-friendly upon themselves.
Alpaca wool is also long-lasting, which may help make-up for the fact that
the alpaca product you buy will likely be imported.

Organic
3. Organic silk
Organic silk (aka raw silk) is created without the use of any chemicals or treatments
using insecticides, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The silkworms are allowed to live
out their full lives and die naturally. Natural silk colors are produced but
some organic silk is dyed with natural dyes.

A. Organic
4. Jute
It is a fibre with high biological efficiency as it is carbon dioxide neutral and easily
disposable. it can be easily used as a raw material for a variety of products. Jute fibre
is 100% bio-degradable and recyclable and thus environmentally friendly. A hectare
of jute plants consumes about 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide and releases 11 tonnes of
oxygen. Cultivating jute in crop rotations enriches the fertility of the soil for the next
crop. Jute also does not generate toxic gases when burnt.

A. Organic
5. Ramie
Ramie is a highly sustainable eco-friendly fibres. It is very strong and
durable; 8 times stronger than cotton and even stronger when wet.
Ramie is a flowering plant, and once the flowers begin to bloom, that is when
the fibress are extracted from the plant for spinning, it can be harvested up to 6
times in a successful year.
Ramie is naturally resistant to bacteria, mould and mildew as well as light
damage, rot or insect attack. It does not require pesticides or herbicides to grow
healthily.

A. Organic
6. Hemp
The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other
plants considered for their fibres. Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely which
makes it difficult for weeds to take hold, eliminating the need for herbicides and
artificial fertilisers.
It requires no irrigation as it thrives on the amount of water in the average rainfall,
and it is highly pest-resistant. Hemp has naturally long fibres which makes it suitable
for spinning with a minimum of processing. Those fibres are also long-lasting. Hemp
fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures.

Linen fibres are taken from the Flax plant. Linen is eco-friendly because it is a
natural fibres, meaning it takes little or no chemical fertilizer to grow. Also
once it is harvested all parts of the plant can be used, making multiple by-
products and nothing gets wasted.
Linen is cool and very absorbent, great for summer wear. It is also extremely
durable and strong, the strongest of all natural fibress. ·
A. Organic
7. Linen

A. Organic
8. Bamboo
It is a common fact that bamboo can thrive naturally without using any pesticide. It is
seldom eaten by pests or infected by pathogen. Scientists found that bamboo owns a
unique anti-bacteria and bacteriostasis bio-agent named "bamboo Kun". Even after fifty
times of washing, bamboo fibre fabric still possesses excellent function of anti-bacteria,
bacteriostasis. Its test result shows over 70% death rate after bacteria being incubated
on bamboo fibre fabric.
Bamboo fibre's natural anti-bacteria function differs greatly from that of chemical
antimicrobial. Additionally, bamboo fibre has the following properties:
Naturally anti-bacterial.
Green & biodegradable.
Breathable and cool.

A. Organic
9. Pineapple
Pineapple fibres: One of the eco- friendly fibres gaining fast popularity is the
pineapple fibres, the pina fibres. It is extracted from the pineapple leaves by hand
scraping, decortications or retting. Decortications use a motorized machine with blades
to scrape off the pulp in order to separate the fibres. The fibres are hand spun into ivory-
white colored and naturally glossy fabric. Pineapple fabric is lightweight, soft, shinning,
transparent and a little stiff fabric used for making clothes having elegant looks.

A. Organic
10. Banana Fibre
Banana fibres: The banana fibres are extracted by hand stripping and
decortications. so it is 100% eco friendly fibre. it is strong, shiny, light weight
and bio degradable. It can be even absorb moisture very efficiently. Banana
fibress were used for making ropes and mats till recent past. With its many
qualities getting popular, the fashion industry is also fast adopting this fibres
for making various fashion clothing and home furnishings.

B. Eco friendly Manmade fibres
1. Corn fibre
Corn fibre - It is created by extracting the starch and then sugars from corn, and
processing them to make a fibre, which can be spun into a yarn or woven into fabric.
Corn fibre is a manmade fibre which has all the advantages of synthetic materials and
various properties of natural products such as cotton and wool. The manufacturing of
polymer in corn fibre involves process of fermentation, distillation and polymerisation
of simple plant sugar (maize dextrose) on an industrial scale. First, the sugars are
fermented. After fermentation, products are transformed into a high performance
polymer called polylactide, which can be spun or processed into corn fibre.

2. Soyabean Fibre
Soy Protein Fiber (SPF) is the only protein fiber made from soybean cake. Their
physical properties are same as that of synthetic fiber. It gives tremendous change in
properties like smoothness/luster/comfort/absorbency/strength/shrinkage when mix
with other fibers. For example; when soybean fibers mix with cashmere, it gives
smooth quality with an enhancement of easy care properties. As a wool/soy protein
fiber, it reduces shrinkage and increases ease of care. As a silk blend, it improves the
properties of silk with the prevention of the fabric from sticking to the skin when wet.

Soy silk is made from the by-products of the tofu-making process. The
liquefied proteins are extruded into fibres which are then spun, and used like
any other fibre (woven, knitted, etc). One can purchase skeins of soy silk yarn.
The high protein content makes it receptive to natural dyes, so you can create
your own colours.
Conc.

3. Lyocell
Lyocell: Lyocell is a revolutionary eco-friendly and economical fibre. The fibre
is spun from a renewable resource, pulp from eucalyptus wood. The solvents used
in the pulping process are recycled. The dyeing process requires much less dyes
than cotton. This unique closed loop production process makes lyocell the fibre of
the future. Ecological Textiles offers fabrics knitted from tencel®, a high quality
lyocell yarn produced by Lenzing.

5. Milk Silk
Silk made from milk. Milk silk: It is a very soft fibre with a velvety texture and
is derived from milk hence easily obtainable without causing any hazards to
ecology.

6. Black Diomand Fibres
This almost magical fiber is in fact derived from bamboo; another name for it is
Bamboo Carbon Fiber, and it has a lot of the same wonderful characteristics as bamboo.
Black diamond fiber absorbs moisture (like sweat) and is antimicrobial so it helps
eliminate odor, making it great for socks, active wear, and anything that you’d like to
wear close to your skin. This materials is even used in fancy cosmetics and beauty
treatments because it has so many unique properties! Like silk, this fiber will keep you
warm in winter and cool in summer, and it’s also incredibly soft. The fiber resists
pilling, is very durable, and it resists static electricity. Due to having the properties of
far-infrared rays (which are used in quite a few different therapeutic treatments), black
diamond fiber is also known to promote blood circulation, among other cool things.

C. Recycled Fibre
1. Recycled Polyester
Polyester fibre is one of the most non-biodegradable polymer which create
environmental problems. The legislation opens the door towards working
over recycling of PET. The Wellman Inc is the world’s largest polyester
recycler. A new generation of fibre that is most suitable for diversified
products range such as backpacks and blankets, T-shirts, sportswear, soft
luggage and socks.

2. Recycled Cotton
C. Recycled Fibre
Recycled cotton can find new life in many different low grade products such as
insulation, mop heads, rags, and stuffing. The process of recycling can divert many
products from landfills. According to the Council for Textile Recycling, annual textile
waste is estimated to equal 25 billion pounds.
The amount of energy, water, and dye use is reduced from using a product that has
already been processed. The savings are achieved through offsetting production of new
materials. Since recycled cotton yarns most commonly are sourced from pre-consumer
textile scraps that are sorted by color, the yarns are already dyed.
The CO2 and fossil fuel emission savings can be partially offset from using existing
materials. However, the collection, processing and shipping of cotton scraps or clothing
can reduce or neutralize some of these savings.

Use of Eco-friendly Dyes and dye
Auxiliaries

Dyes
1. Azo-free colourants
Azo-free colourants are dyes and pigments that are free of the nitrogen-based
compounds aromatic amines, also referred to as "Azos". These compounds are
toxic and banned in the EU due to their mutagenic, carcinogenic and often
allergic properties. These dyes are not biodegradable.
2. Biodegradable dyes
Biodegradable refers to dyes that do not require the use of inorganic salts,
heavy metals and amines. They are substances that decompose readily and
become absorbed by the environment.

3. Chrome-free tanning
Chrome-free tanning is the tanning of hides to create leather either through
the use of oils or natural tannins instead of chromium salts. This tanning
process is more time intensive than chrome tanning, but is better for the
environment, as the chromium method uses chrome, a known carcinogen
that can be absorbed through the skin and cause contamination of soil and
waterways surrounding tanneries.

4. Fibre reactive dyes
Fibre reactive dyes are dyes used to colour cellulosic and protein fibres such
as cotton, rayon and soy.
The dyestuff bonds to the fibres through a chemical reaction and does not
require the use of mordants.
Therefore, direct dyes require less salts and heavy metals to be used to
achieve optimal colouration and fixation than other commodity dyestuffs.
When used correctly, this can reduce not only the salt and metal content of
the effluent, but also the quantity of water used to remove excess dye and the
amount of dye run off.

7. Natural dyes
Natural dyes are dyes that are created from bark, bugs, flowers, minerals,
rust and other natural materials. Natural dyes allow small producers to
retain their traditional dyeing methods and promote biodiversity. The
disadvantage of these dyes is that their mordants are often heavy metals.

5. Heavy metal free dyes
Heavy metal free refers to dyes that do not require the use of heavy metals to
achieve the fixation of colours. Toxic heavy metals, such as chrome, copper and
zinc, which are all known carcinogens, are commonly used as fixers in dyes.
And, although most heavy metals can be removed from the effluent through
waste water treatment, this often does not occur.
6. Low-impact dyes
Low-impact refers to synthetic dyes that do not use substantial levels of heavy
metals or toxic chemicals as fixers.

8. Non-toxic semi-aniline
Non-toxic semi-aniline dyes are non-toxic transparent dyes used to dye leather.
These dyes are derived from coal tar and fully penetrate the leather while
preserving the appearance of natural grains and markings.

Use of Eco-friendly finishing agents and
Textile Auxiliaries

Finishes used on textiles can be wet or dry; wet describing chemicals applied
to a fabric and dry being those applied mechanically.
Dry finishes are generally considered environmentally preferable and
consumer friendly as they use machinery and heat rather than chemicals.
However, there are some eco-friendly wet finishes, which are increasing in
selection and availability, such as enzymatic treatments.
Wet finishes, such as antimicrobial and stain-resistant, can be beneficial to
the sustainability of a garment, as they reduce the need for laundering,
conserving water and energy and reducing the amount of chemicals released to
the environment.
Finishes

A finishing process that is most suitable and with in the norms of eco label
standards is called Eco Finishing.
Sustainable processing of textiles also includes bio-processing of textiles. Bio-
processing can simply be defined as the application of living organisms and
their components to industrial products and processes, which are mainly based
on enzymes.
Bio-processing also offers the potential for new industrial processes that
require less energy, less water and less effluent problems with effective results.
Enzymatic desizing, enzymatic scouring, enzymatic bleaching, bio polishing
and enzyme based softeners are few examples of bio-processing of textiles.
Eco-Finishing

Reduce water and energy consumption during preparation, colouration and finishing.
Reduce aqueous waste and off-gases.
Improve process efficiency.
Reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals.
•Do not use formaldehyde based crease resist/anti-shrinking/wrinkle free finish
substances.
•If you are using any binder type of resins for stiff finish, check for free formaldehyde.
•The presence of PCP, PCB and TCP should be checked and avoided.
•Avoid using Acetic acid in your finishing recipes and better use formic acids wherever
possible.
•Vapours and fumes of Ammonia, Formaldehyde, Benzaldehyde, etc are injurious to
health.
Eco-friendly Suggestions for Textile Processing

•Chlorine-free bleaching
Chlorine-free bleaching is the use of hydrogen peroxide to whiten fabrics.
Hydrogen peroxide naturally degrades into oxygen and water, leaving no harmful
chemical residue on the cloth or in the effluent. It is sometimes referred to as
Green Bleach.
•Cold or low temperature dye processes
Cold or low temperature dye processes save energy by operating at atmospheric
temperatures and do not require steaming of the textile to set or fix dyes.
•Dry-heat fixation
Dry-heat fixation is a method of fixing reactive dyes printed through the ink-jet
method. The dyed/printed fabric is passed through hot iron plates in lieu of steam.
This method conserves water and energy by using an alternative to steam fixing as
well as the ink-jet printing method.
Conc.

1. Cationic Softener: Treated goods retain its wetting properties while its softness,
hydrophilicity, breathability and anti-static properties are greatly enhanced. Most
products are made from plant extracts; do not consist of animal extracts.
2. Antiozone Softener: Effective cationic anti-ozone softness to treat premature
yellowing of indigo denim garments. Imparts protective colloids over indigo dyes
and softness to fibres.
3. Weak Anionic Softener: Made from advance absorbent cosmetic raw materials.
Treated goods will yield hydrophilic, fluffy, non yellowing, high water absorbancy,
high wicking and extremely good lubricating effects. Ideal to be used for hosiery,
100% cotton knits, especially on white fabrics.
Some Unique Products of Interest

4. Non Ionic Polymer Softener: Prill type concentrated softener which yields
lubricating type, bulky soft hand feel with anti-static properties. Imparts anti-
static, strong hydrophilicity and superior anti-tear, anti-wear strength to treated
fabrics.
5. Silicone Softener: Micro to nano size amino reactive silicone softeners.
Applicable from low to high temperatures, yields slick and soft hand feel to
treated fabrics at economical costs.
6. Softonic Conc: Alkaline pH (up to pH 9.5), high temperatures (up to 95oC)
resistant, spot free silicone emulsions with high active contents. Yields
hydrophilic soft hand feel.

4. Dye bath reuse
Dye bath reuse is the practice of recycling the water used in dye baths for subsequent
baths. The water conserved through the bath's reuse is substantial, as anywhere from 10
- 50% of dye from one bath does not fix to the fabric.
5. Eco bleach
Eco bleach is the use of natural phosphates and silicates in cow dung combined with
sunlight to achieve whitening of natural fabrics. This is the most eco-friendly form of
bleaching.
6. Ink-jet printing
Ink-jet printing is a method of applying pigment and dyes to cloth using an ink-jet
printer. It is considered the most eco-friendly and efficient method of printing due to its
lower water usage, water wastage and energy consumption compared with other
commercial printing methods.

7. Vegetable tanning
Vegetable tanning refers to the use of natural tannins to create usable leather from hides.
Natural tannins are present in bark, wood, leaves and fruits of chestnut, oak and
hemlock trees. This process is time intensive, as it can take up to three weeks for the
tannins to fully penetrate a hide. From an ecological perspective, vegetable tanning is
preferable, however the leather produced is not stable in water as it shrivels and
becomes brittle.
8. Waste water recycling
Waste water recycling is the use of tertiary treated waste water in the dye baths and/or
for irrigation purposes. This water is suitable for human contact but is not potable. Its
use reduces the strain on potable water supplies particularly in arid climates and is an
effective way to re-use this valuable resource.

Green Consumerism
Consumerism is the belief that personal wellbeing and happiness depends to a
very large extent on the level of personal consumption, particularly on the
purchase of material goods.
The idea is not simply that wellbeing depends upon a standard of living above
some threshold, but that at the centre of happiness is consumption and material
possessions.

G: Generalizes with care. Consumer behavior will not necessarily be consistent across
different product types, and particular market segments may respond to certain issues
on the green agenda but not others.
R: Remembers, the validity of a piece of market research is not related to the degree to
which it supports your preferred option.
E: Explores the context from which market research data comes. Be clear on the nature
of the sample used, the questions asked, the way in which responses were recorded and
the time and place from which the responses come.
E. Ensures that where market research is crossing international
border lines, that the terminology and interpretation remains
consistent.
N: Neutrality is important. Ensure that when you pose questions to consumers, that
they can make any response without being made to feel guilty or uncomfortable, and
ensure that your own preconceptions about the green agenda.

People are conscious about the less environment friendly product due to their
own welfare that is why this issue is very modern topic in today's world.
“Green consumerism creates a balance between the expectations of consumer
behaviour and businesses' profit motives”.
Markets don't wait for slow movers. Businesses that innovate and respond
quickly to consumer demands survive best. Everyone has a part to play, at
various levels of administration, manufacture and use.
A consumer has to realize that he/she not just buys 'a' product, but everything that
went into its production, and everything that will happen in the future as a result
of that product. All products have an environmental impact, however small. The idea
is to reduce it to the minimum.

Today's consumers are becoming more and more conscious about the environment and
are also becoming socially responsible. Therefore, more companies are responsible to
consumer's aspirations for environmentally less damaging or neutral products. Many
companies want to have an early mover advantage as they have to eventually move
towards becoming green.
Some of the advantages of Green Consumerism are:
It ensures sustained long-term growth along with profitability. It saves money in the
long run, though initially the cost is more.
 It helps the companies market their products and services keeping the environment
aspects in mind.
 It helps in accessing the new markets and enjoying the competitive advantage.
Most of the employees also feel proud and responsible to be working for an
environmentally responsible company.
BENEFITS OF GREEN CONSUMERISM

CHALLENGES IN GREEN CONSUMERISM:
NEED FOR STANDARDIZATION:
It is found that only 5% of the marketing messages from “Green” campaigns are
entirely true and there is a lack of standardization to authenticate these claims.
There is no standardization to authenticate these claims.
There is no standardization currently in place to certify a product as organic.
Unless some regulatory bodies are involved in providing the certifications there
will not be any verifiable means.
A standard quality control board needs to be in place for such labelling and
licensing.

NEW CONCEPT:
Indian literate and urban consumer is getting more aware about the merits of
green products. But it is still a new concept for the masses.
The consumer needs to be educated and made aware of the environmental
threats. The new green movements need to reach the masses and that will take a
lot of time and effort.
By India's ayurvedic heritage, Indian consumers do appreciate the importance
of using natural and herbal beauty products. Indian consumer is exposed to
healthy living life styles such as yoga and natural food consumption. In those
aspects the consumer is already aware and will be inclined to accept the green
products.

AVOIDING GREEN MYOPIA:
The first rule of green marketing is focusing on customer benefits i.e. the
primary reason why consumers buy certain products in the first place.
Do this right, and motivate consumers to switch brands or even pay a
premium for the greener alternative.
It is not going to help if a product is developed which is absolutely green in
various aspects but does not pass the customer satisfaction criteria.
This will lead to green myopia. Also if the green products are priced very
high then again it will lose its market acceptability.

PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE:
The investors and corporate need to view the environment as a major long-
term investment opportunity; the marketers need to look at the long-term
benefits from this new green movement.
It will require a lot of patience and no immediate results. Since it is a new
concept and idea, it will have its own acceptance period.

Promoting environmental labelling in the textile
industry
Since the establishment of the Chinese environmental label in 1995, the
environmental standards for three categories of textile products have been
formulated, namely nature plant fiber textiles, anti-boring textiles and pure
silk products.
The technical standards for the natural plant fiber textiles were formulated
by considering the Oeko-Tex Standard 100. According to this standard, the
products must be made of natural plant fiber without being dyed. There are
also a number of very stringent restrictions on the amount of chemicals
allowed in the production process.
The products in this category must not be dyed or bleached with chlorine,
nor contain chlorophenasic acid and chlorophenosic acid. The standards
also limit the use of formaldehyde, content of derivable heavy
metals and pH value of overflows.

The Oeko-Tex 100 label was introduced in 1992. It is a certification system for textile
raw materials, intermediate products and T&C. The textiles certified by the Oeko-Tex
Standard 100 are tested for
harmful substances. This includes substances that are prohibited by law, regulated by
law, but also substances which are harmful to human health but still not regulated
(Oeko-Tex 2012). However, the label is not an environmental label. Within its limited
approach, mainly functioning as a health label, the Oeko-Tex 100 label has been very
successful.
Nearly 10000 companies in 90 countries are today participating in the Oeko-Tex 100
certification process, and about 90 000 certifications has been given to nearly 2 million
products (Stø and Laitala 2011).
Oeko-Tex 100

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a relatively new worldwide processing
standard for textiles made from organic fibres that was introduced in 2006.
According to GOTS themselves, the label “defines high level environmental criteria
along the entire supply chain of organic textiles and requires compliance with social
criteria as well” (GOTS 2012). Only textile products that contain a minimum of 70
percent organic fibres can become certified, and all chemical inputs must meet certain
environmental and toxicological criteria (GOTS 2012a). In 2011, 14 certification bodies
were entitled to work as GOTS-certified approvers (GOTS 2011).
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

•ISO 14001 is the well-known, international, certifiable standard for EMS.
•ISO 14001 is a generic standard, which means that it does not specify levels
of environmental performance, but it provides a framework for a strategic
approach to environmental policies.
•Therefore, ISO 14001 can be applied to any organization, large or small,
whatever its product or service, in any sector of activity, and whether it is a
business enterprise, a public administration, or a government department.
•ISO 14001 assist organisations in identifying the environmental aspects that
they can control and that they can be expected to influence.
ISO 14001

Ecomark It is a label given to environmental-friendly consumer
products. Any product will get eco-mark if its life-cycle
(manufacturing process, raw material, product use, disposal and
packaging) is environment-friendly at every stage.
In 1991, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) decided to
institute a scheme on labeling environment friendly products. Household
and other consumer products can be accredited and labeled as satisfying
environmental criteria, in addition to quality requirements laid down by
the Bureau of Indian Standards for the product. The label is known as
Ecomark.
The scheme was meant to provide incentive to the manufacturers, to
assists consumers to become environmentally responsible, and to
improve the quality of environment leading to sustainable management
of resources. In certain categories such as toilet soaps and detergents,
paints, paper and laundry soaps, the MoEF has already finalized and
notified the criteria for the product.
Ecomark

Conclusion
Textile and fashion products are manufactured, distributed, sold and used
worldwide, so the textile and fashion industry have a major impact on the
environment. Environmental issues are playing an increasingly important role.
Consumers are becoming increasingly very much conscious to environmental
friendly consumer goods. They are now much concern about the green
activities. They choose products which are non-toxic and cause no harm to both
the human society and the environment. This tendency for eco-friendly
products has been extended to textile and apparel products, particularly those
products which directly come in to contact with the skin for prolonged period
of time. These products include clothing, towels, bedding, hats, wigs, diapers
and other sanitary products, footwear, gloves, chair covers, toys, watch straps,
belts, purses etc.

“Eco” friendly clothing can be termed as a clothing made of natural
fibres such as organic cotton and hemp, clothing that has been organically
dyed with vegetables or any fabrics that use small amounts of water,
energy and chemicals that affect the environment.
Natural fibres have intrinsic properties such as mechanical strength, low
weight and healthier to the wearer that has made them particularly
attractive. The word “eco” is short for ecology. Ecology is the study of the
interactions between organisms and their environment. Therefore “eco”
friendly (“ecology friendly”) is a term to refer to goods and services
considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment. “Think
globally, act locally” is the slogan of tomorrow for the world textile
industry.

Eco textile and green consumerism

Eco textile and green consumerism

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Eco textile and green consumerism