Circularity in Textiles Textile industry is one of the major industries in the world in terms of economic contribution and value, employment and is characterized by its diverse linkages across multiple sectors and role played by the informal sector. Globally, the industry is worth nearly US $3 trillion and includes the production, refinement, and sale of both synthetic and natural fibers that are used in hundreds of applications. Today, textile is the world’s second most polluting sectors after the oil industry. This is due to significant water and energy consumption, air emissions, wastewater generation and release of chemicals during both production and use or consumption of products. It is estimated that the textile industry is responsible for 10 per cent of the global carbon emissions and according to UNFCCC, the sector’s emissions are expected to rise by more than 60 per cent by 2030. Compounding this challenge, there has been a noticeable shift towards fast fashion, with average consumers buying 60% more items than they did 15 years ago and wearing them for half as long. Therefore, extending the active service life of garments is considered as one of the most effective ways to reduce the overall impact of the textile industry. Moving towards leaner and safer production, designing and promoting sustainable fashions, reducing transportation and practicing recycling and reuse of fibers and chemicals have been some of the effective strategies. This has helped to ensure minimizing the life cycle impacts, maximizing the lifecycle of clothes to its full potential and closing the loop of material flows. This transition is now recognized as a shift from linear to circular economy. However, given the complexity of the supply chains, diversity of the markets and the presence of myriad of regulations, establishing circular economy in the textile sector is not going to be easy. Apart from innovation, circularity requires a partnership approach between business, government, investors, research and academia and the customers or communities. In this context, this presentation will set the stage by explaining the concept of circular economy and its evolution. Next, it will present a panorama of several global initiatives that are working towards circularity in textiles covering topics such as materials, technology, markets, regulations and the business models with illustrations. Finally, circularity in Indian textile sector will be touched upon stating the challenges and opportunities ending with concluding remarks and recommendations. As seats are limited, please confirm your attendance to: Dr. R. D. Kale (Email ID: rd.kale@ictmumbai.edu.in)

Compliance to REACH regulation requires extensive and specific technical competence and knowledge. With the deadline for registration of substances exported > 1 tonne per annum – 31st May 2018 – approaching fast, the Indian chemical industry needs to prepare themselves so that there is no disruption in their business to the EU.

With this backdrop, NimkarTek Technical Services conducted a full- day workshop ‘Preparing for REACH 2018’ at Hotel Satkar Residency, Thane on 1st Sept. This workshop was arranged specially for the chemical industry who export to EU as well as for manufacturer-exporters of articles. About 45 persons participated in the workshop from different chemical companies.

The workshop presentation was done by Dr. Dileep Wakankar, Technical Advisor at NimkarTek and an acknowledged expert in REACH. Being the Chairman of CHEMEXCIL’s REACH Committee, Dr. Wakankar provided practical insights into the subject and explained the steps for registration and the exemptions therein in a simple manner. There was a lot of interaction during the workshop between the participants and Dr Wakankar, who answered all their doubts and queries.

The main topics covered in the workshop were:

• Background, Timelines and Purpose of REACH
• Understanding important aspects of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction
• The Steps for registration of substances for REACH
• Sameness Studies for joining SIEFs
• Obligations for articles and polymers
• Costs of registration and the Indian scenario on REACH

The workshop was a resounding success.

NimkarTek provides services for Sameness Studies Dossier that is required for submission to the Only Representative to join a SIEF (Substance Information Exchange Forum) to register same substances under REACH. Authoring of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) as per CLP regulation is another important requirement for REACH registration where NimkarTek can offer support.

26^th May 2016: Nairobi, Kenya

Ullhas Nimkar, CMD, NimkarTek Technical Services participated as a panelist in a side event at the ongoing UNEA-2 at Nairobi titled “Advancing Sustainable Chemistry in a Sustainable Development Context : Opportunities for Global, Regional & National Chemicals Management.”

(http://ipen.org/sites/default/files/documents/Invitation-%20Advancing%20Sustainable%20Chemistry%20in%20a%20Sustainable%20Development%20Context.pdf)

The event was hosted by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Germany & the UNEP (http://www.unep.org/) Chemical & Waste Branch of DTIE & co-sponsored by the Government of Ghana & the BRS Secretariat to discuss the potential role of sustainable chemistry in relation to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (http://web.unep.org/unea/side-events/advancing-sustainable-chemistry-sustainable-development-context-opportunities-global-regional-and).

The concept of sustainable chemistry has recently gained international momentum, given its potential to contribute to future Chemical Management and Catalyzing Transformative changes in the chemical industry all over the world.

Sustainable chemistry covers all three dimensions of sustainable development i.e., economic, social & environmental considerations.

In the discussions, Mr. Nimkar presented the situation that exists with respect to the thousands of chemicals used in the textile supply chain from fibre to the production of a product and finally to the end of life – fate after disposal.

The panel spoke about the potential of sustainable chemistry in a SAICM beyond 2020 & 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda Concept.

Mr. Nimkar provided an update on the recent international initiatives in the textile industry to manage waste through the control of input chemicals.

He said that while certain initiatives taken by the industry are indeed welcome, a lot remains to be done to develop an adequate understanding of the variety of chemicals used in the textile supply chain and particularly the study at the end of life from the chemical metabolites point of view.

He highlighted that an initiative such as the ISC₃ (https://isc3.org/), where he is on the advisory board, can play a major role in bringing about innovation, linking the work done globally in Sustainable Chemistry, connecting countries, industry & academia.

The future for a sustainable world will certainly need advanced chemicals management through “Sustainable Chemistry”

Ullhas Nimkar, CMD of NimkarTek made a presentation at Planet Textiles 2015, Shanghai, titled ‘Current Industry Initiatives Adequately Address Sustainability Issues — Fact or Fiction?’ which highlighted the various sustainability initiatives taken by the textile industry over the years and the relevance of each.

Below is the article written by Brett Mathews on EcoTextiles about the whole presentation.

Degradation: the next target for chemicals manufacturers?

Speaking at the recent Planet Textiles conference in Shanghai organised by MCL Global and Messe Frankfurt, Ullhas Nimkar from NimkarTek Technical Services Pvt Ltd, a training & consultancy company, highlighted the limitations of the above mentioned initiatives – used by many apparel brands – pointing out that such lists fail to account for chemicals that are formed as a result of degradation in the waste water treatment plant.
Additionally, “Textiles are not disposed in secure landfills … and will degrade with time,” said Nimkar. “The dyes and chemicals in them will also degrade and these will leach with time into the environment, ultimately reaching water bodies. Studies and research have already started on this issue and in the long-term, the textile industry will need to look at developing chemicals that break down safely.”
While broadly welcoming of the introduction of the Manufacturer’s Restricted Substance List (MRSL) by the ZDHC Group, Nimkar suggested there are, at present, “too many different MRSL’s from apparel brands” and pointed out that MRSLs can only eliminate “intentional” chemicals. “Hazardous chemicals which are ‘due’ to breakdown are not taken into account,” said Nimkar.
He added that while many of the leading chemical companies in the world, including the likes of Archroma, Dystar and Huntsman, are taking an increasingly responsible, proactive approach to textile chemicals, the fact remains that 85 per cent of the industry is still made up of small, local chemical businesses where risks are less known.
The long term solution for the industry, he argued, would involve the likes of the ZDHC and SAC telling apparel brands “what to do” – rather than what not to do. Part of this might entail the development of positive lists of chemicals. Such initiatives have already been started in the industry.
He also suggested that more R&D is required in order to develop chemicals & intermediates with very low impurities, while there is also a need for investment in new areas such as digital colouration, bio-mimic finishing, bio-engineering of colourants and “colouration without chemistry”.
A more in-depth look at this issue by Nimkar will appear in the next printed edition of Ecotextile News.

NimkarTek conducted a one and half day workshop at Arvind Ltd, Santej plant on “Chemical management at the workplace” on 18^th and 19^th August’15.

The Day 1 workshop was conducted for their workers and Front Line Managers in the Shirting, Bottom weight and Knits Departments. Each session at each department was for 2 hours and the employees were given an overview of:

Vivek Wani explaining about PPEs in the Day 1 workshop at Knits Department

1. Hazards and risks from textile chemicals
2. Compatibility of chemicals for storage and handling
3. Identification of hazards through Hazard Pictograms and MSDS
4. PPEs to reduce risk of exposure
5. Control measures in case of chemical accidents
6. First aid and Fire- fighting
7. Storage requirements for chemicals

The sessions were conducted in an interactive manned in Hindi and Gujarati for the audience to understand the subject. Group exercises were also conducted intermittently to involve the participants in the discussions.

The Day 2 workshop was conducted for the Sectional Heads and covered the following topics:

The Group Exercise conducted on Storage requirements

1. The need for chemical management
2. Risk assessment of chemicals
3. Global textile legislations on restricted chemicals in textile products
4. GHS: Background, hazard classification and labelling
5. Understanding Brand RSL/MRSL documents
6. Understanding and interpreting an MSDS
7. Elements of a chemical management system (Factory action plans)

This audience consisted of production supervisors, purchase/ stores heads and color kitchen, as well as representatives from the chemical management team of Arvind Santej.

Prasad Pant explaining about Chemical Risk Assessment at the Day 2 workshop

The workshops were organized by Chetan Bhangale and Dipankar Bose, who are part of the Chemical Management Team at Arvind. From NimkarTek, these were conducted by Prasad Pant and Vivek Wani.

Prior to the workshops, a half-day walkthrough was conducted by the NimkarTek team of the chemical stores and production areas and live examples from the observations made during this walkthrough was made in the training workshops to connect the training with the practical day-to-day experiences in chemical handling and storage for the employees.

All the participants were extremely pleased with the practical learnings that were delivered through the training sessions.

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