Apparel Industry Leaders Launch Sustainable Apparel Coalition to set Common Metrics and Standards to Improve Apparel Sustainability

VENTURA, Calif., March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- A group of leading apparel and footwear brands, retailers, manufacturers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic experts, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today launched the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The Coalition will work on a collaborative approach to reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel and footwear products sold around the world by: Leading the industry toward a shared vision of sustainability built on an industry-wide index for measuring and evaluating apparel and footwear product sustainability; Spotlighting promising technological innovations; and Identifying opportunities for improving current social and environmental practices throughout the supply chain by collaborating to establish consistent expectations for brands, retailers, and manufacturers.

The goal of the Coalition is to lead the industry toward a shared vision of sustainability built on an industry-wide index for businesses to use to measure and evaluate apparel and footwear product sustainability performance. The tools will be developed with involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, and the metrics will be fully transparent to encourage broad adoption of the index globally. To accomplish this, the Coalition will draw on the work of different efforts to measure and track apparel sustainability including the Outdoor Industry Association "Eco Index" and Nike's "Environmental Apparel Design" tools. The group has been working together informally since early 2010, and will begin beta-testing the initial version of an apparel and footwear sustainability index in 2011.

Founding members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition are based in North America, Asia, Europe and the U.K. They include Adidas, Arvind Mills, C&A, Duke University, Environmental Defense Fund, Esprit, Esquel, Gap Inc., H&M, HanesBrands, Intradeco, JC Penney, Kohl's Department Stores, Lenzing, Levi Strauss & Co., LF USA, a division of Li & Fung Limited, Marks & Spencer, Mountain Equipment Co-op, New Balance, Nike, Nordstrom, Otto Group, Outdoor Industry Association, Patagonia, Pentland Brands, REI, TAL Apparel, Target, Timberland, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Verite, VF Corp, and Walmart.

"The largest and most influential corporations in apparel and footwear together with leading environmental and social organizations have voluntarily engaged in this collective effort because they recognize the opportunity to get in front of the growing need to measure and manage the environmental and social impacts of their products," said Rick Ridgeway, Coalition Chair and Vice President of Environmental Programs, Patagonia. "More importantly, they recognize the threat to the planet and its inhabitants by continuing the model of 'business as usual.'" Each of the Coalition's participating companies and organizations see an opportunity to advance their own sustainability goals by collaborating to create more uniform, broadly defined tools for measuring sustainability, and for collective actions to drive innovations in products and manufacturing that will benefit the entire apparel industry and consumers.

SOURCE Sustainable Apparel Coalition www.prnewswire.com Copyright (C) 2011 PR Newswire.

Intradeco Converts Dyehouse Effluent to Plant Fertilizer

Intradeco’s most recent success has come from its subsidiary Inmobilaria Apopa, in Apopa, El Salvador, also known as Inmo.  Inmo has developed a process which produces nitrogen-rich plant fertilizer from its water treatment facility.

The recycling process was developed at Inmo’s water treatment facility where the water which has been used in the fabric dying process is put through several tanks with bacteria cultures which restores the water. Once the water is clean, it is recycled back into Inmo’s dye houses and the process revives the natural consistency and color of the water and also makes it safe for other uses.

K-C to manage Intradeco Apparel recycling program

In May, 2010, Intradeco Apparel, through its subsidiary Intradesa in Soyapango, El Salvador, embarked on its continued efforts to create more sustainable practices at their facilities. This movement is part of Intradeco’s Corporate Environmental Responsibility in which the company has made strategic alliances with domestic companies to meet their criteria of environmentally responsible goals. This program expands the management team’s goals to stay ahead of the curve on sustainable programs, as well as the reuse of waste, and regeneration of energy.

Most recently Intradesa has initiated an effort to develop a paper recycling campaign with Kimberly Clark. Primarily, this program involves the collection and regeneration of paper waste at the manufacturing plant which turns collected paper waste to future use and benefits. Kimberly Clark will manage Intradesa’s internal recycling program. The second link in this project involves Intradesa’s commitment to purchase the recycled paper, from Kimberly Clark. Intradesa will be the first in El Salvador to bring about a project like this, which may hopefully incentivize other manufacturers to follow its lead.

An environmental impact study has been conducted at Intradesa, highlighting the impact of forming strategic alliances with outside companies to handle recycling processes. In addition to the newly established Paper Recycling Program with Kimberly Clark, other sustainability processes have included Waste Oil with Textiles San Andres SA; Solid Waste- through Recycling Company Textil SA of C.V., and sewing needles and infectious clinical bio waste by corporate HR SA of C.V

Apparel™

2010 SUSTAINABILITY

ALL-STAR

---------------------

Intradeco Apparel

March 2010

On March 23^rd Intradeco Apparel was awarded one of the 2010 Sustainability All-Stars by Apparel Magazine at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, we will be profiled in the June 2010 issue of Apparel. We were awarded for being a “world-class vertical supplier of Knit apparel to North America,” and the only vertical resource in Central America spinning raw bales of organic cotton. For over five years we have put effort toward organic products, recycled polyester, the use of biodegradable bags and recycled boxes and its energy efficient initiatives in our buildings and operations.

 “We are very proud of our company’s commitment and undivided efforts to be sustainable. Sustainability must be a culture in the company. This has to emanate from the directors, to human resources, manufacturing operations and so on. By getting everyone involved in these goals we are able to develop more sustainable methods in all our company divisions. From the amount of disposable coffee cups used, to using co-energy generation in our dye and finish facility; to efficient lighting, product development and packaging. We are very pleased to be recognized and singled out by some of the most prestigious organizations for our ecological solutions.”

Award for Excellence in Energy Conservation

Presented to

INTRADECO APPAREL

For ongoing efforts in reducing energy consumption

March 2009

P. E. Energy, Inc.

Energy Efficient Solutions BETTER BY DESIGN 

Award for Excellence in Energy Conservation

•In March-2009 Intradeco Apparel completed the energy efficient solutions project, implementing upgrades that included lighting system, sensors, power strips, and intelligent programmable electronic thermostats.

•All of the indoor lighting system was addresses in the implementation of the energy saving program. Some of the existing lighting were replaced, retrofitted, or re-lamped. The warehouse main lighting system is fully controlled by occupancy sensors. We also implemented a control strategy for the newer T5 light fixtures and several areas in the offices.

ENERGY REDUCTION SUMMARY

- 66.4% – Projected reduction in electrical lighting cost.

- 876 Tons – Projected annual reduction in CO2 emissions.

- 19.6 pounds – Projected annual reduction in methane emissions.

- 23.3 pounds – Projected annual reduction in nitrous oxide emissions.

FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS - BY OCTOBER-10, 2010

- 16% – Reduction in greenhouse gases.

- 10% – Reduction in solid waste.

- 10% – Reduction in water consumption.

Intradeco was awarded the supplier of the Year two consecutive years for Sustainability from Wal*Mart, for all the initiatives taken by Intradeco with Men's, Boys, and Infant Organic Products, recycled polyester, biodegradable bags, and energy efficient buildings.

WRAP - Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production. Certificate of Compliance April 13, 2009 to April 13, 2010

A typical conventional cotton t-shirt uses about 150 grams of acutely toxic pesticides and insecticides; that’s the size of a cup of sugar. (Source: Soil Association). Our organic cotton clothing uses none.

Organic cotton farming methods benefit farmers and their communities by:

• Preventing and reducing farmer debt

• Improving food stability for farmers as a result of crop rotation

• Preventing pollution of the water table

• Preventing potential fatal pesticide poisoning of farmers and their families

• Improving and maintaining biodiversity