FIBER SOURCING
AGENDA
Thursday 17th January 2008 4 – 5pm
1.
Definitions to confirm – see Attachment 1 – Suggestions have been highlighted. Agree /
Disagree?
2.
Are there any other terms in the Fiber Sourcing category that need to be defined?
3.
SCORING - Select example products and evaluate their scores.
Product
100% cotton fabric
100% wool fabric
100% pre-consumer recycled PET fabric
100% post-consumer recycled PET fabric
100% regenerated bamboo fabric
100% PLA fabric
100% viscose fabric
4.
Current
Score
10
10
5
10
10
10
5
a.
Are there any other products we should use as an example product?
b.
In its current form a 100% cotton, 100% wool, 100% regenerated bamboo, 100%
post-consumer recycled PET and 100% PLA would achieve the same number of
credits. Is this fair? There have been comments that 100% regenerated bamboo
should not be awarded the same number of credits as other rapidly-renewable
fibers. Some general positives and negatives of different fibre types in Attachment
Two.
c.
There has been the suggestion that there should be some pre-requisite
requirements. It has been suggested that a certain percentage of the product should
be from either rapidly-renewable, renewable or recycled resources.
Timeline
27 February 2008
Final section revisions to NSF
12 March 2008
Draft sent to JC members for comment
2 April 2008
NSF to compile all comments
9 April 2008
Send out JC meeting agenda with comments
30 April – 2 May 2008 JC Meeting – Ann Arbor
ATTACHMENT ONE
BIO-BASED POLYMER
1.
A general term for fibres that are man made through chemically modifying natural materials.
MANUFACTURED FIBERS
1.
Fibers manufactured from petroleum sources (see synthetic fiber) as well as those derived
from natural sources (see bio-based polymers and regenerated cellulose).
NATURAL FIBERS
1.
Natural fibres are made from naturally occurring fibre-forming polymers. Defined by ISO
Chemistry of the textiles industry 1995, ed. CM Carr, Blackie Academic & Professional,
Glasgow
2.
Natural fibres are fibres which occur in nature; they can be categorised according to their
origin into animal, vegetable and mineral fibres. Defined by ISO 6938-1984 Textiles –
Natural fibres – Generic names and definitions
NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE
1.
Relating to a natural resource, such as petroleum or a mineral ore, that cannot be replaced
once it has been extracted or procured.
ORGANIC FIBERS (CERTIFIED)
1.
Approved are natural fibres certified organic as well as fibres from conversion period
certified according to recognised international or national standards and certified by any
IFOAM accredited or internationally recognised (according to ISO 65) certifier. Certifying of
products as 'in conversion' is only possible, if the regulation, on which the certification of the
fibre production is based on, enables this possibility of such a certification for the fibre in
question and if it can be demonstrated that organic fibres are not available in sufficient
quantity, quality or type. Conversion nature of fibres must be stated as : a) "organic" or
"organic - in conversion" respective b) "made with x % organic materials" or " made with x %
organic - in conversion materials" with regard to these standards. Global Organic Textile
Standard v 1
2.
It is a system that excludes the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and
pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives
and irradiation. IFOAM
Suggestion:
Organic fibers are natural fibers grown without the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives,
additives and irradiation. Certified organic fibers are grown according to an organic standard for a
minimum period and certified through a certification body that is accredited through IFOAM or
USDA. Organic fibers that are grown within the minimum period where the farm is changing from
conventional farming to organic farming are regarded as Transitional Organic or In-conversion
Organic.
ORGANIC TRANSITIONAL / IN CONVERSION (CERTIFIED)
Organic fibers are natural fibers grown without the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives,
additives and irradiation. Certified transitional / in-conversion organic fibers are grown where the
farm is changing from conventional farming to organic farming and certified as such through a
certification body that is accredited through IFOAM or USDA.
RAPIDLY-RENEWABLE FIBERS
1.
Made from plants that are typically harvested within a ten year or shorter cycle LEED CI
2.
Rapidly renewable materials are distinguished from wood by the shorter harvest rotation—
typically 10 years or less. They are biodegradable, often (but not always) low in VOC
emissions, and generally produced from agricultural crops. Because sunlight is gen erally
the primary energy input (via photosynthesis), these products may be less energy-intensive
to produce—though transportation and processing energy use must be considered.
Examples include linoleum, form-release agents made from plant oils, natural paints,
geotextile fabrics from coir and jute, cork, and such textiles as organic cotton, wool, and
sisal. Note that not all rapidly renewable materials are included in GreenSpec—non-organic
cotton, for example, is highly pesticide-intensive. In some cases, even though a product
qualifies for GreenSpec by virtue of its natural raw materials, it may have negatives that
render it inappropriate for certain uses—such as high VOC levels that cause problems for
people with chemical sensitivities. Building Green,
http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm?fileName=090101a.xml
3.
A resource capable of being replaced in a short period of time (less than 3 years) by natural
ecological cycles.
RECYCLED CONTENT DEFINITIONS
1.
Materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream,
either during the manufacturing process (post-industrial) or after consumer use (postconsumer). BIFMA
2.
Proportion, by mass, of recycled material in a product or packaging. Only pre-consumer and
post-consumer materials shall be considered as recycled content. ISO Standard 14021:
3.
refers to products that contain preconsumer or post-consumer material as all or part of their
feedstock. ASTM Standard 2129 – Data Collection for the Sustainability Assessment of
Buildings: www.astm.org
4.
means all materials, goods, and supplies, no less than 50 percent of the total weight of
which consists of secondary and postconsumer material with not less than 10 percent of its
total weight consisting of postconsumer material. A recycled product shall include any
product that could have been disposed of as solid waste having completed its life cycle as a
consumer item, but otherwise is refurbished for reuse without substantial alteration of its
form. California Regulations (Public Contract Code Section 12200-12226):
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BuyRecycled/
Suggestion:
Proportion, by mass, of recycled material within a product that has been recovered or diverted from
the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer / post-industrial) or
after consumer use (post-consumer).
POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED MATERIAL
1.
materials that have been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream after consumer
use (from the FTC guidance)§
2.
means a material or finished product that has served its intended end use and has been
diverted or recovered from waste destined for disposal, having completed its life as a
consumer item. Postconsumer material is part of the broader category of recovered
materials. U.S. RCRA Regulations (40 CFR 247.3): www.epa.gov/cpg/
3.
Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in
their role as end-users of the product which can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
This includes returns of material from the distribution chain. ISO Standard 14021:
www.iso.org
4.
5.
refers to materials that are reclaimed from products that have already served their intended
end-use as a consumer item. Waste from industrial processes are not considered postconsumer. Post-consumer materials are a subset of recovered materials. ASTM Standard
2129 – Data Collection for the Sustainability Assessment of Buildings: www.astm.org
means a finished material that that would have been disposed of as a solid waste, having
completed its life cycle as a consumer item, and does not include manufacturing wastes.
California Regulations (Public Contract Code Section 12200-12226):
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BuyRecycled/
Suggestion
Proportion, by mass, of recycled material within a product that has been recovered or diverted from
the solid waste stream after consumer use.
PRE-CONSUMER RECYCLED MATERIAL (POST-INDUSTRIAL)
1.
Material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process. Excluded is
reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and
capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it. ISO Standard 14021:
www.iso.org
2.
refers to materials that are reclaimed from manufacturing and other industrial processes,
and products which have not served their intended end-use as a consumer item such as
overissue publications and obsolete inventories. Pre-consumer materials include: culls,
trimmed materials, print overruns, overissue publications, and obsolete inventories. ASTM
Standard 2129 – Data Collection for the Sustainability Assessment of Buildings:
www.astm.org
Suggestion
Proportion, by mass, of recycled material within a product that has been recovered or diverted from
the solid waste stream after the manufacturing process.
REGENERATED CELLULOSE
1.
A general term for fibres that are man made through chemically modifying natural materials
such as cellulose (e.g. viscose rayon).
RENEWABLE
1.
Renewable resources are those that can be replenished once used up and are largely a
product of living things such as cotton, wool and silk. Chemistry of the textiles industry 1995,
ed. CM Carr, Blackie Academic & Professional, Glasgow
2.
A resource capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles within a ten year or less
time period. See also rapidly-renewable.
SYNTHETIC FIBERS
1.
Synthetic fibres are manufactured from polymers built up from chemical elements or
compounds. Defined by ISO Chemistry of the textiles industry 1995, ed. CM Carr, Blackie
Academic & Professional, Glasgow
Suggestion:
Synthetic fibres are manufactured from polymers built up from chemical elements or compounds
derived from petroleum.
ATTACHMENT TWO
FIBER COMPARISON
FIBER
COTTON
POSITIVES
 rapidly-renewable resource
 fibre is used in its least-processed
state
 able to absorb and retain volatile
organic compounds (VOCs)
 biodegradable
 reusable and recyclable
NEGATIVES
 can use large quantities of
insecticides and fertilisers
 the use of aerial spraying spreads
chemicals widely into the
environment
 intensive farming can lead to land
degradation
 can use large amounts of water
 often defoliants are used to remove
the leaves from the plant
WOOL








rapidly-renewable resource
sheep can graze on dry, unusable
land
fibre is used in its least-processed
state
able to absorb and retain volatile
organic compounds (VOCs)
naturally fire retardant and antistatic
biodegradable
reusable and recyclable




BAST
(INC. FLAX
AND
NATURAL
BAMBOO)





SILK






rapidly-renewable resource
can grow with virtually no fertilisers
or water
fibre is used in its least-processed
state
if the plant is cut by hand and left to
ret in the ditch, then the
environmental load on the planet is
minimal
biodegradable

rapidly-renewable resource
fibre is used in least-processed state
can grow with virtually no
insecticides and fertilisers
wild (tussah) silk production involves
minimal interference with nature
naturally flame retardant
biodegradable





often involves the use of pesticides
and fertilisers
sheep farming can degrade the land
wool scouring can consume large
amounts of water and chemicals,
and produce heavily polluted wastewater
insect-resist / mothproofing
treatments may cause health
problems as well as producing
effluent, toxic to aquatic life
often involves the use of waterpolluting, heavy-metal dyes
mechanical methods of harvesting
have adverse effects on the
environment
water retting process produces
highly polluting wastewater
use of enzymes and water increases
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
and eutrophication of waterways
commercially available cultivated silk
is resource intensive as
atmospheres are controlled and rigid
growth conditions are employed
extraction of the fibres by steaming
kills the silk chrysalis
the cleaning process involves
chemicals and the polluted waste
water is usually discharged to the
ground water
VISCOSE (INC.
RAYON AND
REGENERATED
BAMBOO)


renewable (purified wood pulp)
or rapidly-renewable (bamboo
pulp) resource
biodegradable




POLYESTER

melt-spun fibre - melt spinning is
relatively cleaner than dry and
wet spinning







NYLON

melt-spun fibre - melt spinning is
relatively cleaner than dry and
wet spinning








wood or bamboo grown
intensively in inappropriate areas
can cause soil degradation and
erosion
can generate highly-polluting air
and water emissions
can use catalytic agents
containing cobalt or manganese
processing causes strong,
unpleasant odour
non-renewable resource
long line of processing
often involves use of
carcinogenic chemicals such as
benzene, toluene and heavy
metals including antimony
allergy-provoking dyes and
carriers are added
energy and water intensive
non-degradable
no recycling infrastructure
non-renewable resource
long-line of processing
many carcinogenic chemicals
such as benzene and hydrogen
cyanide gas (nylon 6,6) are
added
manufacture creates nitrous
oxide, a greenhouse gas 296
times more potent than carbon
dioxide for producing global
warming
high-embodied energy,
compared to other synthetic
fibres
energy and water intensive
non-degradable
no recycling infrastructure
OLEFINS


melt-spun fibre - melt spinning is
relatively cleaner than dry and
wet spinning
low-embodied energy, compared
to other synthetic fibres









ACRYLIC




PVC

low-embodied energy compared
to other synthetic fibres







non-renewable resource
long-line of processing
many carcinogenic chemicals
such as lead based pigments are
used
additives such as anti-oxidants
(to resist discolouring and loss of
mechanical properties), UV
stabilisers and flame retardants
(because PE and PP undergo
combustion more readily than
any other common synthetic
fibre)
energy and water intensive
non-degradable
no recycling infrastructure
non-renewable resource
dry-spun fibre and therefore
more polluting
long-line of processing
many carcinogenic chemicals
such as vinyl acetate (on priority
lists for EPA) , acrylamide
(unknown carcinogen), N,Ndimethyl-formamid (classified as
dangerous to the environment)
and acrylonitrile (also known as
vinyl cyanide)
non-degradable
no recycling infrastructure
non-renewable resource
long-line of processing
wet or dry spun fibre, and
therefore more polluting
many carcinogenic chemicals
such as phthalates are added.
Phthalates are known endocrine
disrupters
PVC production produces
dioxins, highly toxic substances
that are linked with cancer.
Dioxins are a global health threat
because they persist in the
environment and in mammals
non-degradable
PVC is harmful to the
environment after disposal