Interviews
Experts to frame improved GOTS for dyeing & finishing
15 Mar '10
2 min read
The RITE Group (Reducing the Impact of Textiles on the Environment) has initiated an expert sector group which aims to improve the standards of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) standard while dyeing and finishing organic cotton. The expert sector group will provide information and advice to the textile industry, particularly the finishing segment, on a number of difficult environmental issues.
Among its task is to frame good and viable standards to improve GOTS for the dyeing and finishing of organic cotton, which will be announced at the RITE Group conference in October. The founder members of the RITE Group are Marks & Spencer, University of Leeds, and Ecotextile News and was formed in early 2007 in the aftermath of a landmark sustainable textiles conference.
Speaking to fibre2fashion, Chairman of RITE Group, Mr Phil Patterson said, “We have excellent links with the Soil Association in the UK and they have been intimately involved in the development of the GOTS standards. They have asked us to pull together an expert panel of industry professionals to review the current standards and to provide constructive comments to improve them for the future and in future the group will address a range of challenging issues and provide advice and best practice to retailers, NGO's and our supporters.”
When asked about the composition of the group, he replied by saying, “The membership of the group will be flexible and we will bring in experts from our extensive range of contacts to ensure we have the appropriate people dealing with specific issues. We also encourage members to elicit views and support from their network of contacts to get as much useful input as possible. The core group that is reviewing GOTS standards is comprised of leading figures from industry, academia, retail and experts from major dye and chemical companies.”
When asked to divulge future plans of the group, he said, “GOTS is a wide ranging standard and there are many different issues that we will have to consider as part of the exercise in hand. In addition to looking at the issues from a purely GOTS perspective we will of course look at the wider industry - and we aim to produce advice and information on challenging issues such as enzymes from GM organisms and nanotechnology.”
Among its task is to frame good and viable standards to improve GOTS for the dyeing and finishing of organic cotton, which will be announced at the RITE Group conference in October. The founder members of the RITE Group are Marks & Spencer, University of Leeds, and Ecotextile News and was formed in early 2007 in the aftermath of a landmark sustainable textiles conference.
Speaking to fibre2fashion, Chairman of RITE Group, Mr Phil Patterson said, “We have excellent links with the Soil Association in the UK and they have been intimately involved in the development of the GOTS standards. They have asked us to pull together an expert panel of industry professionals to review the current standards and to provide constructive comments to improve them for the future and in future the group will address a range of challenging issues and provide advice and best practice to retailers, NGO's and our supporters.”
When asked about the composition of the group, he replied by saying, “The membership of the group will be flexible and we will bring in experts from our extensive range of contacts to ensure we have the appropriate people dealing with specific issues. We also encourage members to elicit views and support from their network of contacts to get as much useful input as possible. The core group that is reviewing GOTS standards is comprised of leading figures from industry, academia, retail and experts from major dye and chemical companies.”
When asked to divulge future plans of the group, he said, “GOTS is a wide ranging standard and there are many different issues that we will have to consider as part of the exercise in hand. In addition to looking at the issues from a purely GOTS perspective we will of course look at the wider industry - and we aim to produce advice and information on challenging issues such as enzymes from GM organisms and nanotechnology.”
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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