China'S Textile And Garment Enterprises Should Go Ahead With Environmental Protection.

Recently, Marks & Spencer announced a commitment to safely use chemicals in Martha.

In the industry view, this commitment is not simply a gesture of "environmentalists".

It involves 5 China

Disclosure of pollution data in printing and dyeing links is a rare and reluctant part of foreign buyers.

Before July 2016, the clear direction commitment of all PFC (perfluorinated compounds) use also made people feel that Martha department store was a real move this time.

This can not help but make people wonder. What prompted the British department store giant to make this commitment? Is it motivated by the pursuit of green environmental protection or is there something else?

Environmental forerunner plunged into trust crisis

Martha's department store is the largest multinational business retail group in the UK. Since its establishment, it has more than 100 years of history. In the past 128 years, Martha department store has developed from a small shop into a multi-channel retail brand, and has opened 1100 branches in 40 countries and regions, with over 81000 employees.

In recent years, Martha's department store has established the whole world through the comprehensive media research.

The benchmarking image of enterprises in the industry and retail industry.

But in October 8th of this year, a research report on second green selection textile industry jointly released by friends of nature, public environmental research center, Dahl asked, circle friend technology and Nanjing green stone five environmental protection organizations, pushed Martha's department store to the cusp of the storm, and its public image suffered a 180 degree reversal.

This brand, known as the first department store brand that has achieved "zero waste" and "carbon neutralization", is alleged to have been contaminated by suspected dyeing and finishing suppliers, which has seriously affected the local community and environment.

On the official website of Martha's department store, it is easy to find its statement on the use of chemical agents: in 1998, Martha became the first large retailer in the UK to propose the prohibition of chemical agents.

The regulation clearly limits the use of APEO (alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether compounds) and heavy metals, and gradually expands to textile printing and dyeing equipment, finishing equipment, washing plants, tanneries and printing and dyeing factories.

In 2011, Martha department store updated its standards and introduced the environmental and chemical policy (ECP). The basic principle is that the use of chemical agents in the printing and dyeing links must comply with the ECP policy. Every printing and dyeing factory must undergo strict examination before the production of Martha general store and receive regular inspections.

Some sarcasm is that, at the beginning of this year, Martha's department store also launched a series of underwear products with environmental protection as its name. This time, it was revealed that the production process in China caused environmental pollution.

From "passive response" to "open commitment"

One of the report's publishers, Ma Jun, director of the public environment research center, said in an interview with reporters that since March this year, the public environmental research center has contacted Martha department store for many times, and has raised specific questions about its excessive supply chain pollution. However, the attitude of Martha's Department store is a negative response or no response.

According to Ma Jun introduction, until the second phase of the green choice textile industry research report released, Martha department store's attitude gradually turned to a positive response.

Whether it is for the sake of redeeming corporate image or under the pressure of public pressure, Martha's department can make a public commitment to the industry, which is indeed a crucial step forward.

"We very much hope to see Martha's move.

According to their commitment, 5 domestic suppliers will be able to disclose the emission data on the IPE online platform within the year.

We hope that this part of the work can be carried out. "

Ma Jun said.

In addition to domestic environmental protection organizations, another promoter of chemicals in Martha's department store is the Greenpeace.

"In the past three months, we have worked closely with Greenpeace," Martha, manager of sustainable materials and materials department at department store of Mark Sumner, said. "Through joint efforts, both sides have promoted our own partners and partners to update their knowledge and thoroughly study the operability of environmental protection measures."

Greenpeace gave a great deal of affirmation to Martha's department store. "Martin's department store is the seventh brand that Martha promised to eliminate harmful chemicals released from the entire supply chain and products after H&M, Adidas, C&A, Lining, Nike and Puma," the coordinator of the organization's "detoxification" campaign coordinator said.

The Martha department store's action has set up a new benchmark, reflecting the guiding force in solving the problem of water pollution.

Other brands should also be aware of textiles.

The importance of "detoxification" in the production process.

We are pleased to see that Martha's Department has made a more pparent commitment to eliminate harmful chemicals, and hope that its implementation with Chinese suppliers can be carried out closely. "

Energy saving and emission reduction industry chain power

Taking a look at the whole incident, the protagonist, apart from Martha's department store, has also provided China's textile and garment enterprises for processing and production.

Ma Jun believes that at present, more than 10 enterprises in Martha stores in China have violating the regulations in the production process.

It is gratifying to note that since the announcement of Martha's Department's commitment to use chemicals in October 24th, several suppliers have contacted the public environmental research center, hoping to make improvements on the problems identified in the report and to make explanations to the public.

Ma Jun told reporters: "in these enterprises, some of the attitudes are more positive, but also recognize such a way of promoting the public.

However, some enterprises show the fear of fear. I think this is related to the weak sense of environmental protection and lack of motivation mechanism.

Ma Jun explained that when the buyers asked price only, without the environmental performance, the suppliers were lack of good momentum, instead, they had only the power of "downward" competition.

In order to reduce the environmental standards for orders, it is very harmful to the healthy development of the industry.

{page_break}

"Based on this motivation, we found buyers directly.

As for buyers, it is entirely possible to use their own procurement standards to guide production enterprises.

When these international buyers begin to incorporate environmental provisions in the procurement standard, the enterprises that fail to meet the standards will encounter difficulties in obtaining the order, while the well established enterprises will get a more stable source of orders, which will help our enterprises to enhance their confidence in environmental investment. "

Ma Jun said.

Ma Jun believes that China's textile and garment enterprises to develop sustainable production mode, is bound to come up with a way to solve the printing and dyeing link water consumption is too high, the problem of excessive pollution emissions.

With the push of buyers, the technological capability of Chinese enterprises to reduce water consumption will be further improved.

In the process of communication with reporters, Ma Jun stressed the importance of "green procurement". He thought that we should improve the pollution of printing and dyeing links and improve the textile industry.

The sense of social responsibility and environmental protection should not be confined to the industry itself.

Only by bringing buyers and consumers together can we finally get out of the strange circle of "paying attention to price and neglecting environmental protection".