Huntsman Textile Effects, a major provider of dyes and other chemicals that enhance the color and finish of textiles, has become the latest member of the Founding Circle of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.


The Sustainable Apparel Coalition has defined a vision of an apparel industry which produces no unnecessary environmental harm as well have a positive impact on the people and communities associated with its activities.


In a release, Huntsman Textile Effects said it “sees the Coalition as the major initiative in driving sustainability throughout the whole textile value chain. Including many of the world’s leading Brands & Retailers, the Coalition has the ability to influence consumers and provide them with meaningful environmental choices.”


Huntsman Textile Effects is a Singapore-based unit of the $9 billion a year Huntsman Corp., a Houston petrochemicals company. It is a founding member of bluesign and has been an active supporter of the  RITE Group, a British coalition dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of textile products. Huntsman has sponsored many conferences in recent times including a highly successful event in China organized by the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) around supply chain sustainability. Upcoming sustainability events sponsored by the company include Textile Exchange, Barcelona (September 19-20); RITE Conference, London (October 12); and Planet Textiles, Shanghai (October 19).


Huntsman Textile recently launched products allow mills the chance to half the water and energy consumed in dyeing cotton, the world’s most popular (but thirsty) fibre. In addition Huntsman actively promotes partnership with mills to truly drive water and energy reductions in all operations by providing a specific proprietary action plan for mills engaged in their “Productivity Improvement Plan” (PIP) initiative.