Updated Eco Index incorporates Nike’s eco tool
The Eco Index tool, which was initially launched by the European Outdoor Group (EOG) in July 2010, is being upgraded to incorporate Nike’s Environmental Apparel Design Tool, a web-based portal that uses a scoring system to rate a product’s environmental impact. The latest version of the Eco Index tool will be launched in September.
“By using the Nike tool, companies can assess two options in a data-driven way, in terms of environmental impact,” said Beth Jensen, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) corporate responsibility manager.
Nike spent $6 million over seven years to develop the tool, which allows designers to make better materials decisions during the earliest stages of product development. It is a replication of Nike’s Considered Index, adapted for public use and made open source, with Nike encouraging users to find ways to improve it or make it applicable to industries other than apparel and footwear. It assigns product designs a score based on various design characteristics, including the material’s recycled content and amount of waste generated.
The other structural change to the Eco Index involves breaking down the content into three area indicators, or modules: Product, Brand and Facilities.
The Eco Index Apparel Tool Pilot Program will run until January 2012, and is limited to OIA and Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) members. The first pilot testing of the original content, which took place in late 2010, attracted about 100 participants.
“This is a great opportunity for all SAC and OIA companies to provide feedback and help shape the tool going forward,” Ms Jensen said. “The pilot program is open only to members, for management purposes.”
The tool will eventually be free and open source. Following the testing period, the OIA and SAC will revise the index based on feedback from the pilot. Social and labour indicators now under development will be integrated into the index, while two separate working groups will also work toward footwear- and equipment-specific indexes.
“Both the footwear and equipment subgroups will look to the apparel tool for structure and modify as needed,” Ms Jensen said. “Apparel will serve as the template for future product category tools.”
