The Danish Environmental Protection Agency will launch a campaign next spring to draw attention to EU’s environmental brand, the Flower, in connection with production of textiles. Still more companies prepare to introduce environmentally branded clothes on the market. Apart from the Flower, the Swan and the private brand Eco-tex guarantee that the clothes contain less harmful chemicals and metals than unbranded clothes.
A new report financed by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency surprisingly shows a large content of chemicals in textiles ready for use. The general impression is that the textile industry has already washed the clothes so thoroughly that in most cases it will not lose colour when washed by the consumer. Yet, much clothes clearly does rub off when washed, which can be problematic for the water environment, states Henrik Fred Larsen from DHI Water and Environment (Observer Denmark, 30 June 2000).
Photo - Samples of wash water. Bottles numbered B1 - B3 are blind tests without textiles and no.18 is from white underwear the others from coloured textiles.
DHI Water and Environment is, in co-operation with Danish Toxicology Center and Danish Technological Institute, behind the agency’s new report on the subject. Click here to download the full report in PDF format (in Danish with summary in English, p17)
Read more about DHI´s services in relation to chemical substances and products and substitution of hazardous chemicals.