Archroma Announced Colorants and Chemicals for Textile and Apparel

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals announced the publication of its first formulation list of “ZDHC MRSL - compliant” colorants and chemicals for textile and apparel. The ZDHC Group released its first Manufacturers Restricted Substance List (MRSL) on June 5, 2014, setting concentration limits for the chemical groups banned under the ZDHC Joint Roadmap.

Archroma is among the most responsible major chemical companies who have been investing for many years in R&D to develop product and process innovations that are safer for people and gentler for the environment.

In early 2011, Greenpeace started its “Detox” campaign to raise global awareness of the environmental issues of the textile supply chain, with its ‘Dirty Laundry’ report, highlighting the contribution of fashion and apparel in water pollution in Asia. The ‘Dirty Laundry Reloaded’ report was then released in March 2012 informing consumers of the water pollution caused when washing our clothes. Other reports have followed since then.

In November 2011, a group of six major apparel and footwear brands and retailers decided to take up the challenge and issued the “Joint Roadmap Toward Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals”, a commitment and roadmap aiming at reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry, based on a list of 11 priority chemical groups to be phased out by 2020.

In June 2014, The ZDHC Joint Roadmap group, which today gathers 18 members, has published the “Manufacturers Restricted Substance List (MRSL)”, a document that identifies the chemical substances banned from intentional use in facilities that process textile materials in apparel and footwear. The MRSL establishes the acceptable concentration limits of these banned substances in chemical formulations used within manufacturing facilities.

As part of its dedicated support for customers following this initiative, Archroma offers:

Formulation list of ZDHC MRSL-compliant products:
Archroma has compiled a list of globally marketed textile colorants and auxiliaries that are qualified to support the objective of the Joint Roadmap: Towards Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals. Archroma is strongly committed to the highest standards of product safety and through intensive analytical monitoring of chemical products actively supporting the objective of removing hazardous chemicals from the textile and clothing supply chain.

Raw material monitoring and batch testing:
Archroma has a long term relationship with most of its suppliers and share similar focus in terms of product quality and safety. In addition, Archroma has established a global network of analytical labs which monitor incoming and outgoing product flow. The company has a team of chemists fully dedicated to textile chemicals in Archroma’s Product Stewardship departments, and an international network of specialized product safety labs in Switzerland, India, Pakistan or China.