Oeko-Tex® announces that its Eco Passport certification has been recognised as a LEVEL 3 ZDHC MRSL Conformance Indicator for the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme. The ZDHC organization’s Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL) is implemented in connection with the ZDHC Gateway– Chemical Module. ZDHC MRSL Conformance LEVEL 3 the highest level in the current programme indicates that Eco Passport certified chemical substances meet the ZDHC’s guidelines for safer textile chemistries that are also verified as being responsibly manufactured. The ZDHC’s MRSL covers chemical substances that are limited or banned from intentional use in the production of apparel and footwear materials and trim in order to protect workers, consumers, and the environment.
“Oeko-Tex® has worked with the apparel and footwear industry for the past twenty-five years to eliminate harmful substances from the global supply chain. Eco Passport is an important part of that work and proactively targets undesirable chemicals before they enter the supply chain,” says John Frazier, Sr. Technical Director for Oeko-Tex® in North America. “Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex® is designed to address the specific challenges chemical manufacturers face in their efforts to comply with sustainability initiatives while still protecting the confidentiality of their formulations. Recognition as a LEVEL 3 indicator permits Eco Passport certified suppliers to adhere to the strictest ZDHC requirements while safeguarding their intellectual property.”
The Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex® programme analyzes a broad set of chemicals including colorants, scouring agents, adhesives, inks, pigments, and auxiliaries in a confidential, three-step process that confirms that the formulations and individual ingredients (CAS level chemicals) meet specific criteria for sustainability, safety, and regulatory compliance. Chemical formulations are checked against the comprehensive Oeko-Tex® list of substances of concern and then verified by laboratory evaluation to ensure that they do not contain unsafe contaminants. Sustainable production is verified with on-site-visits of the manufacturer’s occupational safety methods, water and air protection mechanisms, and quality control practices in line with STeP by Oeko-Tex® guidelines for sustainable production facilities. Formulations that are Eco Passport certified are eligible to be listed on the ZDHC Gateway – Chemical Module and the Oeko-Tex® Buying Guide so that they are easily identified by apparel and footwear manufacturers shopping for sustainable chemistries.
“Sustainable apparel and footwear must begin with greener chemistries,” states Frazier. “We are excited that Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex® certification is now acknowledged by ZDHC as an indicator of the responsible, comprehensive chemical product stewardship that is required to truly reduce the industry’s impact on workers, consumers, and the environment.”
