REI becomes bluesign member
US-based outdoor clothing company Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) has become a bluesign member, allowing the company to use the bluesign independent standard as part of its product design and sourcing process.
Founded in 2000 in Switzerland, bluesign is an approach to product sustainability that considers textile environment, health and safety issues, addressing the use of toxic-free ingredients, efficient production and resources, and informed product and process design.
REI considers the bluesign standard as the strongest global solution available to proactively address textile environmental, health and safety strategy. It also claims that using the standard is an important step in managing the substances used to create products it sells under its branded labels.
The design teams for REI branded apparel and cycling brands will begin to use the bluesign standard to help make more informed textile supply chain choices. For example, designers will utilise the standard in making yarn, fabric and dye decisions and in the selection of mills and production factories.
