Nordic Swan Ecolabel now requires microplastics calculation
30/05/2022
The eco-labelling body will also encourage the reporting of these findings to the UK-based Microfibre Consortium, it said, with a view to imposing a limit on microplastics release “over time”.
Further, all cotton used in clothing bearing the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is required to be either 100% organic or recycled moving forward, although separate requirements will apply to workwear. Synthetic fibres, on the other hand, must now be recycled or produced from renewable raw materials.
The organisation must also be kept informed of how manufacturers manage overproduction, with the revised guidelines explicitly ruling out the possibility of burning or dumping unsold garments.
In terms of social sustainability, each factory will be required to ensure International Labour Organization compliance, including a ban on both child and forced labour, zero discrimination and the promotion of reasonable wages and working hours. Inspection teams are despatched to all production facilities, the eco-labeller added.
“We are now strengthening the requirements for product design and production in order to increase quality and facilitate a circular economy for the textile industry,” commented marketing and communications manager at Nordic Swan Ecolabel Norway, Anne-Grethe Henriksen.
Educational webinars on the revised requirements and certification process will be held in June. Brands and retailers are invited to attend on June 15, whereas two separate sessions targeted at manufacturers specifically will be held on June 17 and 21.
Image credit: Werner Anderson
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