Apparel Online India Magazine May 1-15, 2019 | Page 17

SUSTAINABILITY
Walmart to sell reusable bags in US stores
from May
Taking cue from other retailers
and making its way towards
sustainability, Walmart recently
announced that in May, for the
first-time ever, it will be using
new reusable bags made up of
post-consumer recycled content,
which will be available for sale at
the checkout carousels at its US
stores. Through this initiative,
the retail giant is aiming to
reduce plastic waste and increase
customer convenience by placing
reusable bags in easy-to-find and
highly frequented sections of its
stores. The retailer will increase
the use of recycled polyester fibre,
and is setting a goal to use 50%
recycled content by 2025. It is also
planning to source 100% more
sustainable cotton.
The retailer also made other
announcements and updates
on several other sustainability
initiatives at its 2019 sustainability
milestone summit. It is also
working on its responsible
sourcing work with NGOs,
industry groups, Governments
and suppliers, with the aspiration
to improve the lives of workers
in the global apparel supply
chain with a particular focus on
women. Walmart also shared new
sustainability goals for apparel
and soft home textiles within
Walmart US stores. By 2022,
Walmart US stores will source
apparel and home textile products
only from suppliers working
with textile mills that use the
Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s
(SAC) Higg Index Facility
Environmental Module (FEM)
to measure and help improve
environmental performance.
Walmart is also planning to
prioritise sustainable chemistry,
setting a goal to reduce the
discharge of priority chemicals
from the textile manufacturing
process.
The Lycra Co. promotes denim fabrics
incorporated with its sustainable innovations
The Lycra Co. showcased fabrics
with its latest sustainable offerings
including Lycra fiber 166L which
was recently acknowledged by
a Gold Level Material Health
Certificate by the Cradle to
Cradle Products Innovation
Institute, at the recent Kingpins
Amsterdam tradeshow. The 166L
fiber is produced at The Lycra
Co.’s factories situated in China,
Singapore and Northern Ireland
and is widely available. In addition
to Lycra fiber 166L, the company
also exhibited customers’ fabrics
made with its EcoMade technology
including Lycra T400® and
COOLMAX® fibers. The EcoMade
versions of these products offer the
same performance benefits as their
standard counterparts while being
developed partly from recycled
materials. The latest innovation that
is to be unveiled within this group is
Coolmax Natural Touch technology
which uses a patented composite
yarn structure in order to deliver
enhanced moisture management and
natural appearance and hand feel.
Jean Hegedus, Director for Ready-to-
Wear, The Lycra Co. added that, “We
are delighted about the prospects of
Coolmax Natural Touch technology.”
“By specifying Lycra
fiber 166L in denim and
woven fabrics, mills,
brands, and retailers
can be assured of
transparency about the
product’s ingredients
and suppliers as well as
The Lycra Company’s
commitment to
continuously improving
the sustainability
profile of its products.”
– Jean Hegedus
www.apparelresources.com | MAY 1-15, 2019 | Apparel Online India
17