SGS Supports Outdoor Industry to Take Sustainability Lead

LONDON, ENGLAND, December 12, 2010 (Press-News.org) The Eco-Index, being developed in tandem by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) in the USA and the European Outdoor Group (EOG) is being designed as an industry standard index. This follows independent sustainability measures introduced by particular companies, including the "Green Index" introduced by Timberland in 2007 and Nike's apparel index. The Nike index was intended as a an aid toward better environmental choices for Nike product development teams, while the Timberland index was consumer directed, aimed at providing a guide for consumers wanting information about the environmental footprint of Timberland products. In contrast, the Eco-Index is designed to be applicable initially to all outdoor industry products (http://www.softlines.sgs.com/functional-clothing.htm) and ultimately to textile products from other industry sectors, as well as to sports equipment.

Sustainability Through Life Cycle Analysis

Currently in phase 1 of its development, the Eco-Index tool is at present designed as an internal-facing metric, intended to drive supply chain improvements by assisting companies to conduct full product life cycle analyses of their environmental sustainability. This first phase, which does not include provisions for consumer-facing eco-labelling, is intended to be complete by the end of 2010.

In this first phase, Energy, Waste, Water and GHG fall within the scope of the Eco-Index. Ultimately, upon completion of the index, it is intended that all significant environmental impactors will be assigned both a quantitative metric and a methodology outlining how each measure should be determined. In the current phase, in lieu of a full set of tools for footprinting, a set of standards recommendations and links to related to resources and tools are provided by the index.

The starting point for this first phase of the index has been a combination of guiding principles for the ecodesign of packaging (http://www.sustainability.sgs.com/consumergoods/ecodesign.htm), products and facilities improvements along with a set of qualitative indicators for each part of the product lifecycle. For each indicator, the index provides the basis for an overall product score, providing in each case a measure against environmental indicators including end of life recyclability, component reduction, chemical substances restrictions and usage of certified or recycled materials.

How You Can Contribute

The index aims to have a global reach in order to ensure that it not only assist with the development of a worldwide approach to sustainability, but also better facilitate the application of the Eco-index beyond the outdoor sector and ultimately beyond the apparel industry. To these ends, a generic bill of materials (BOM) has been formulated allowing businesses to practice the use of the index, as well as to commence the in depth application of the index to their own products. These simplified metrics are being made available under the umbrella of a pilot programme that is being run to encourage producers in the outdoor industry to commence testing of the tool. It is also intended that the tool will continue to provide a set of simple qualitative product analysis techniques, along with high level environmental guidelines, in order that it provide a good introduction for businesses first undertaking ecodesign.

Gaining Eco-Index Assistance

A key component of the index will be a tool designed to assist producers to select and use standards appropriate for their activities from among the wide range already existing. The input that SGS has had into the Eco-index has involved specific input into this, the Standards and Regulations tool. SGS is therefore strongly equipped to provide producers with assistance with this tool, as well verification, assessment and training for carbon foot-printing (http://www.sustainability.sgs.com/consumergoods/carbon-footprint.htm), in addition to the provision of quantitative environmental metrics for such factors as GHG emissions. SGS expertise in these areas is further complemented by its ongoing work with the Outdoor Group to provide assistance with validation and appropriate training for the various aspects of the index.

Contact details:

SGS Consumer Testing Services
Bethany Murray
Sustainability Consultant SGS UK
Saunders House, 52-53 The Mall, Ealing, London, W5 3TA, UK

t +44 203 008 7866
E-mail: bethany.murray@sgs.com
Website: http://www.softlines.sgs.com/index.htm

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SGS Consumer Testing Services ensures the quality and safety of every kind of consumer products, from textiles, electronics and furniture to food and automotive. Our customers in these distinct manufacturing industries rely on our inspection and testing capabilities and laboratories to help them comply with the regulatory requirements governing their products, as well as to ensure the integrity of the inputs received from their suppliers.
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