Brentano's eco-fabrics are made from bamboo, Eco Wool, recycled polyester, polyurethane and organic cotton, they are labeled under the tag
Some of our Brentano Green fabrics are MBDC Cradle to Cradle Certified, while others may be eligible for LEED certification points for their use of rapidly renewable resources or recycled fiber contents.
Bamboo
Because of its quick growth, bamboo is an ideal sustainable source of raw material. Bamboo does not require replanting after harvesting because its vast root networks continually sprout new shoots... more »
Eco Wool
Wool is naturally an environmentally friendly fiber. The process of raising and sheering the animals, then carding, scouring and dying the wool fiber requires less water and fewer pesticides and chemicals... more »
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton not only eliminates the harmful fertilizers, pesticides, and chemicals used in conventional (or traditional) cotton, organic certification also includes systems for production, processing, distributing and selling organic products to assure that they maintain the "organic integrity" ... more »
Polyurethane Faux Leather
Polyurethane is a greener alternative to PVC (vinyl) and leather. Naturally soft, it does not require the solvents used to soften PVC or leather. Polyurethane-based faux leather is also an animal friendly alternative to natural leather... more »
Recycled Polyester
Brentano's recycled polyester fiber is made from post consumer polyesters. One source of post consumer polyester is recycled soda and water bottles that otherwise may have ended up in landfills... more »
In order to qualify for the Brentano Green label, Brentano green fabrics must comply with at least two of the three following green criteria: raw material, process, and facility and social responsibility.
Raw Material
The raw materials criterion can be met in one of two ways:
The first green approach is to use energy saving recycled materials. The second option is to manufacture biodegradable fibers. If the raw material is a naturally grown fiber, it must be a quickly renewable resource and also be grown without or with minimal harmful pesticides, chemicals and fertilizers.
The Process
The process accounts for the series of actions needed to achieve a final textile as well as the environmental aspects of manufacturing. From yarn dying and spinning all the way to weaving and finishing the fabric, no harmful chemicals are involved. The manufacturing facility must comply with environmental protection laws governing energy conservation, water treatment and chemical regulation.
Facility and Social Responsibility
Facility and social responsibility accounts for working conditions, public health, and implemen-tation of green programs. Manufacturers must comply with fundamental human rights laws for improved working conditions. Additionally, manufacturers must initiate programs to promote the green movement. Such policies include using energy saving and air quality improvement devices, recycling programs, waste water treatment and educating employees on green consciousness.
United States
New Zealand
Europe
International
Currently in development, the Association for Contract Textiles (ACT), is creating a comprehensive sustainable textile standard that will address raw materials, fiber sourcing, safety of materials, water conservation and quality, energy efficiency, air quality, recycling, and social accountability as related to textile manufacturing.
Founded in 1974, the Ecological and Toxicological Association of Dyes and Organic Pigments Manufacturers (ETAD), represents the interests of industries on matters relating to health and the environment. It is an international organization that has member companies around the world. Basing positions in science, ETAD minimizes possible harmful impacts of organic colorants on health and the environment. Member companies must adhere to the ETAD Code of Ethics as well as all national and international chemical regulations.
For more information, please visit www.etad.com
Brentano's Eco Wool fiber is from Tasmania, Australia. As such, it is produced according to EU Eco-label for textiles. EU Eco-label, comparable to MBDC and GREENGUARD in the US, is an independent organization that promotes environmental protection. It aims to achieve significant environmental improvements by developing, publishing and promoting criteria that push the market forward. The goal is to minimize the environmental impacts of a wide range of products and services over their life-cycle. The product labeling serves to educate the general public on environmental concerns. For more information, please visit www.eco-label.com/.
The New Zealand Mill that produces Brentano's Eco Flannel, Eco Satin and Eco Stripe textiles has achieved a silver Enviro-Mark rating. Enviro-Mark is a set of standards designed to help businesses enhance their environmental performance. This mill maintains Enviro-Mark standards and continues demonstrating their commitment to improve the environment. Eighty percent of electrical energy used throughout the mill comes from renewable resources (hydro and wind power), energy usage is reduced through use of high speed energy-efficient looms and seventy-percent of all used cardboard packing is recycled.
Brentano's Eco Wool textiles Eco Flannel, Eco Satin and Eco Stripe comply with the Environmental Choice New Zealand program, which is a regional program for environmental labeling that began in 1992.
Environmental Choice New Zealand publishes product specifications about design, production, marketing and use of products to be more environmentally friendly, and also provides market incentives to offer environmentally preferable products and services. It is an eco-labeling system that seeks to provide a clear and independent guide to help consumers identify eco-friendly products and services.
For more information, please visit www.enviro-choice.org.nz
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) aims to define requirements ensuring the organic status of textiles, including harvesting of raw materials, environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, and labeling, in order to provide end consumers with credible assurance. The GOTS standard covers production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural fibers and may include (but are not limited to) fiber products, yarns, fabrics and clothes. Final products that are produced and manufactured in compliance with the compulsory criteria of the standards will be labeled "Global Organic Textile Standard." There are two subdivisions of the standard. The first is "organic" or "organic-in conversion" which means that 95% of the fibers must be of certified organic (or in conversion) origin. The remaining 5% may be of non-organic fibers including synthetic materials. The second category is for products containing 70-95% of fibers of certified organic (or in conversion) origin, and will be labeled to reflect the exact percentage.
For more information, please visit www.global-standard.org
One of the first and most renowned international agencies for inspection, certification, and quality assurance of eco-friendly products, the Institute for Marketecology (IMO) has been offering certification for organic production for over 20 years. Additionally, the IMO also addresses natural textiles, sustainable forestry, and social accountability monitoring. They strive to ensure global market access for eco-friendly products by conduction of certification and quality control and by developing specific procedures, transparency, support, and educating personnel.
For more information, please visit www.imo.ch
Created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 14001 is a set of international standards pertaining to environmental management systems (EMS). An EMS is a framework that helps a company achieve environmental goals by setting up an individualized environmental policy that sets objectives and targets for improving environmental performance. According to the ISO website ( www.iso.org), an EMS meeting the requirements of ISO 14001 is a management tool that enables an organization to "identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services." It also allows a company to "improve its environmental performance continually and to implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets", as well as achieving these goals and demonstrating how they have been achieved.
Cradle to Cradle (C2C) labeling indicates that a product meets third party certification standards set by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). C2C certification provides companies with a means to credibly measure achievement in environmentally-intelligent design and also helps customers purchase and specify eco-friendly products. C2C certification is determined by use of environmentally safe and healthy materials, design for reuse including recycling, use of renewable and efficient energy, water quality and efficiency, and strategies for social responsibility. Products that achieve the necessary criteria can be certified as C2C Silver, Gold, Platinum, or as a Technical/Biological Nutrient.
For more information, please visit www.mbdc.com/c2c/
MBDC Certified textile by Brentano »
The dyes used for our Bamboo Cloth are Oeko-Tex 100 compliant. One of the most well known and successful environmental tests, Oeko-Tex Standard 100 evaluates and screens for any harmful substances present in processed textiles. Founded in 1992, it is an international testing and certification system for textiles with branches in more than 40 countries worldwide. Oeko-Tex uses the latest scientific findings to continually update criteria. For more information, please visit www.oeko-tex.com.
Founded in California in 1984, Scientific Certification Systems, Inc (SCS) is a neutral third-party certification and assessment body. SCS pledges to deliver professional services that "encourage organizations to establish and maintain practices that support environmental, social and quality goals, and that can be continually improved upon," as well as to become a global leader in "providing third-party environmental, sustainability, and food quality certification, auditing, testing and standards development."
For more information, please visit www.scscertified.com
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as gases emitted from certain solids or liquids. They include a variety of chemicals which may have short and long-term negative health effects. Because VOCs are consistently higher indoors, it is important to produce interior products that contain low numbers of VOCs.
The California Section 01350 test is a small-scale chamber test for materials for interiors, such as paint, wallpaper, and fabric. It is a pass/fail test that evaluates a material for toxic chemicals, including VOCs, at very low levels. Materials must meet stringent California state guidelines. If a material passes, it is deemed suitable for use in the education sector and is listed on the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) website ( www.chps.net). The mission of CHPS is to facilitate design, construction, and operation of schools that are not only energy and resource efficient, but also provide a healthy environment.
All the eco-friendly faux leathers in Brentano's leather category have passed the VOC emissions test California Section 01350. Further testing is in progress.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a third-party certification program that creates and implements universally understood and accepted tools and criteria in order to encourage and accelerate global adoption of sustainable building and development practices. LEED approaches sustainability by recognizing and awarding points based on five key areas of human and environmental health, including: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. For more information, please visit the U.S. Green Building Council website at www.usgbc.org
Possible LEED Points textile by Brentano »
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