In Tiruppur, the event was held at the Poppys Vista Hotel in association with the AIC NIFT TEA, TEA, TEKPA AEPC, ROSPA, FIEO, and DAT, with Dr. A Sakthivel, honorary chairman/founder president for the Tiruppur Exporters Association, and president – FIEO, presiding. Speakers included TR Srikanth, president TEKPA; Raju VR Palaniswamy, president, ROSPA; K Nagesh, president, Tiruppur Dyes and Chemical Merchant Association; and V Sudhakar, joint secretary, Tiruppur Dyers Association, bluesign said in a press release.

In Bengaluru, the seminar took place at the Chancery Hotel with bluesign system partner Resil Chemicals and was attended by top Indian brands like Arvind Ltd, ABFRL, Reliance, Raymond, Shahi Exports, Myntra Fashions, and Page Industries among others. Representatives from buying and dyeing houses were also present for the event.

At both events, S Periswamy, CEO, AIC NIFT TEA, spoke on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and how G20 nations are emphasising an ESG framework. The seminars were presented by Prashant Pote, country CRM India, and Katharina Mayer, regional CRM for the Indian Subcontinent, discussing the Bluesign Story, its 23-year global journey, and the services offered by bluesign.

Mayer explained, “Bluesign is a full-service solutions system for the textile value chain with a focus on sustainable chemistry. Thorough on-site assessments, input stream management, and active chemical change management, the bluesign team uses a holistic approach together with their system partners, including brands, manufacturers, and chemical suppliers, to implement and develop unique solutions to improve environmental performance, working conditions, and by reducing resource consumption to create the highest level of safety for people, planet, and consumers whilst causing the minimum impact.

“Sustainability has reached another level, beyond using the ‘right chemicals’ which causes the least of harm to the people and the environment, but moreover producing in a responsible way that firstly, is aware of the production site impact data and secondly, is capable of pulling the right leverages to reduce the impact. Like Lord Kelvin, a British scientist who lived from 1824-1907, said, ‘If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it’.

“With more than 800 Global Bluesign System partners and counting, India has always been a great potential market for providing such kind of services and we are eagerly looking for brands, mills, and dyeing houses to join the system partnership.”

“With all the global shifts going on in India with its long history in textile production, it now can go beyond being a price sensitive market—by evolving into a well reputable and responsible player in sustainable and clean textile production. We are taking way from the seminar, that bluesign has launched its Impact service, which is a leaner version of their parent service—the bluesign system partnership. The Impact service is set at an affordable price which will help guide companies arrive at competitive calculations i.e. being set up for an optimum of impact reporting to brands. This report will come as bluesign verified and can be shared as a sustainability index of the organisation,” Mayer added.

Most of the manufacturers present showed a real interest in the bluesign impact measurement as it is exactly what society in general and brands in particular are requesting.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)