QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Bluesign is a full-service solutions system for the textile value chain with a focus on sustainable chemistry. Through on-site assessments, input stream management, and chemical inventory verification, the Bluesign team uses a holistic approach together with their system partners, including brands, manufacturers, and chemical suppliers, to develop unique solutions to improve environmental performance, working conditions, and resource consumption to create the highest level of safety for people, planet and consumers.

Bluesign is not only a certification organization that certifies finished goods. Certification happens as a natural progression of implementing the bluesign® SYSTEM at textile manufacturers or chemical suppliers. Through input stream management the bluesign® SYSTEM guarantees the safe use of textiles and related products by removing hazardous chemicals before they enter the supply chain.

Bluesign is not only a certification organization that certifies finished goods. Certification happens as a natural progression of implementing the bluesign® SYSTEM at textile manufacturers or chemical suppliers. Through input stream management the bluesign® SYSTEM guarantees the safe use of textiles and related products by removing hazardous chemicals before they enter the supply chain.

We offer three tiered service packages:

SYSTEM PARTNERSHIP: Highest level including all our services and giving brands the possibility to produce bluesign® PRODUCTS.

IMPACT SERVICES: Through the Impact Services package, brands are provided with data plus a foundational assessment of their overall performance and detailed analysis of their suppliers.

DATA SERVICES: Data Services allow brands and manufacturers to access data from its unique supply chain and gives a snapshot of their impact.

At all service levels, a yearly impact report is provided. Access to this data enables accurate analysis for decision-making and reporting, both internally and externally. Bluesign checks the progress that a company has made, provides continual development of solutions and continuously optimizes its CRITERIA:

  • Provides risk management/mitigation
  • Step-by-step guidelines
  • A holistic and human system
  • bluesign® cares for people and resources

Benefits of becomming a system partner

The bluesign® SYSTEM unites the entire textile value chain to reduce impacts on people and planet.

  • Guarantees the safe use of textile and related products by removing hazardous chemicals before they enter the supply chain
  • Provides a comprehensive and continuously verified safe chemical list for all textile applications to avoid regrettable substitutions when changing hazardous chemicals in production
  • Performs a comprehensive risk analysis based on on-site visits for textile and chemical companies aimed at continuous improvement.
  • Provides a rating for textile companies to demonstrate their achievement on sustainable development
  • Provides custom roadmaps for chemical and textile companies for more sustainable production methods designed to save natural resources and provide effective management
  • Provides a transparent digital gateway to select consumer- friendly and more sustainable textiles for brands
  • Is currently recognized as the only exhaustive solution for textile chemical management
  • On-site assessments are required to become a system partner and re-assessments are done every 2-3 years; exclusion criteria exist

bluesign® CRITERIA:

  • The rules each SYSTEM PARTNER must adhere to
  • The bluesign® CRITERIA include all governmental regulations and stakeholder guidelines  and specific bluesign® requirements
  • There are exclusion criteria; absolute minimums any potential bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER must at least meet
  • If a potential partner does not meet these, they are encouraged to fix those problems and re-apply in a few years

Bluesign conducts on-site assessments to understand the environmental and chemical management status of the facility against bluesign® requirements, called the bluesign® CRITERIA. A specific action plan is shared with the facility, to close the gaps observed during the assessment in order to achieve responsible production with the use of safe chemistry and with responsible consumption of resources (water, energy, chemistry), thereby reducing environmental impact.

OUR DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY:

Sustainable chemistry is a holistic concept that strives to remediate or minimize negative impacts and enhance positive impacts on the environment, economy, and society (including the protection of human rights), throughout the life cycle of a chemical product. Sustainable chemicals should be designed for the circular economy, should accelerate the use of sustainable feedstocks, increase resource efficiency in downstream applications and contribute to the longevity of consumer products, while avoiding inherent properties that are harmful to human health and the environment.

  • Bluesign makes sure safe chemicals are used from the very first stage of textile production, and throughout the entire textile supply chain, through the Input Stream Management system
  • Bluesign is built on a chemical inventory and management database over 20 years of research
  • Bluesign experts help partners navigate their chemical usage and offer trusted transparency for brands and consumers

Through INPUT STREAM MANAGEMENT toxic substances are eliminated right from the beginning – other standards certify end products based on sample tests, without observing the chemicals used in manufacturing

  • Minimizes the supply chain risk for the brands
  • Minimizes the impact on the environment, workers and consumers
  • A PROACTIVE vs. REACTIVE approach
  • Quality assurance vs. Quality control
  • Contributes to reduced finished goods testing costs as bluesign® APPROVED materials are only made using bluesign APPROVED safe chemical products and thus reducing the need to conduct extensive chemical tests on finished goods
  • Explaining BSSL, BSBL, MRSL positive chemical lists – choose better chemicals

bluesign® CUBE

The bluesign® CUBE is your tool to manage risks, assure compliance, and reduce costs. The bluesign® CUBE enables effective communication and reassurance that things are done the right way the first time. The use of best available technologies and the implementation of best practices keeps you abreast of current and future requirements.

bluesign® FINDER:

The bluesign® FINDER is a web-based, advanced search engine for manufacturers containing bluesign® APPROVED chemical products that meet the bluesign® CRITERIA. Also contains all important information needed to implement these products in compliance with the bluesign® SYSTEM. The most comprehensive positive list of chemical products is always up to date and provides relevant information to minimize risks for people and the environment, and improves consumer safety. The bluesign® FINDER is the solution for managing your responsible chemical sourcing.

bluesign® GUIDE:

bluesign® GUIDE – designed for active Input Stream Management. The bluesign® GUIDE is a comprehensive database for garment manufacturers and assemblers as well as brands and retailers containing bluesign® APPROVED fabrics, accessories and trims. Textile products produced using bluesign® APPROVED fabrics and accessories meet highest criteria regarding resource efficiency and impact on people and the environment. Beyond that, extensive information about the environment, occupational health and safety, as well as consumer protection, is available in the bluesign® GUIDE.

bluesign® TOOL:

For chemical suppliers. The actual process starts here. The bluesign® TOOL is an effective instrument for chemical suppliers which allows an efficient submission of their chemical products. The data is evaluated and rated according to ecological and toxicological criteria. Products that meet the high requirements of the bluesign® CRITERIA can simply be published in the bluesign® FINDER.

bluesign®XPERT:

Resource productivity calculator. Optimize your manufacturing processes and increase your resource productivity. Combining intelligent processes and smart chemistry for increased resource productivity, the bluesign® XPERT is a productivity calculator for manufacturers allowing process calculations with bluesign® APPROVED chemical products as well as benchmarking with verified best  practice processes.

bluesign® PRODUCT

If all of the components of a textile product bear the label bluesign® APPROVED and they originate from a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER, the product receives the label bluesign® PRODUCT. This ensures complete traceability for customers, partners and consumers.

Meet US

If a textile component or a chemical substance fully meets the bluesign® CRITERIA, it receives the bluesign® APPROVED label. It may only be used in connection with corresponding information of the producing textile manufacturer. This is an important sign for your transparency as a textile manufacturer and/or chemical provider.