Apparel Online India Magazine May 1-15, 2019 | Page 57
RESOURCE CENTRE
Latest technologies in use at Manohar Filaments
AMERICAN & EFIRD
RELEASES ITS
9TH CORPORATE
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Sustainability has gained an equally important momentum
across the supply chain of the entire textile and apparel
industry and many companies are giving due diligence to
this globally accepted concept. US-based American & Efird
(A&E), a portfolio company of Elevate Textiles and the world’s
foremost manufacturer and distributor of industrial and
consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical
textiles, released its 9th annual, Corporate Sustainability
Report, ‘A Focus on the Future’ on 22nd April (Earth Day).
The special day selected to release the report highlights
the company’s annual progress in terms of environmental
sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
H
aving 28 manufacturing facilities and employing over
10,000 associates from around the world directly or
in partnership with joint venture partners, A&E measures
its performance against the goals outlined within its Eco-
Driven® program – the ten threads of sustainability. It is to
be noted that 45 per cent of A&E’s global energy portfolio for
steam production consisted of renewable fuels in 2018.
The Report Outlines…
Water Stewardship: The company recycled and
reused over 2 billion litres of wastewater through its
global operations since 2013 and there was 41 per cent
reduction in global water consumption (litres per kg of
thread) since 2006.
Speaking about the company’s
biggest challenges in the branding
solutions industry today, for Manohar
Filaments, there are many challenges
that the labels and branding industry
are facing globally, but the most
serious one is related to market shifts.
As our industry eventually depends
on the fate of mass market retailers
and brands who are themselves facing
margin pressures and lower first
sell through, higher inventories and
reducing margins, so the downstream
effect is natural. The apparel and
fashion industry is now toying with
the ideas of automation, reshoring and
fast-fashion (faster than ever before).
With all this happening, Amit also
considers that there are three major
challenges that are affecting the way
branding players are behaving in the
world. He asserted, “We are facing
three main challenges: The need to
have faster lead times, which range
from 3-7 days, for all items; then the
ability to produce smaller lot sizes
at similar or even lower prices, while
maintaining some profitability; and
supplying where the needle is.”
In this competitive scenario, the
company thinks delivering the right
quality at the right time is the only
service that is keeping it ahead of all.
“Now the expectations with ultra-fast
fashion coming into the foray is to
deliver right quality, before time and
we are gearing up to do just that. All
the players in the branding industry
need to become faster as delivering
the desired quality at the desired
time is what would lead to customer
delight. This is the new norm of
excellent service,” concluded Amit
with a futuristic note.
Recycling and Waste Reduction: A&E claims 100
per cent zero-waste-to-landfill status at 16 of its global
manufacturing operations and support facilities in 2018,
with five other operations recycling more than 90 per cent
of by-products and created waste.
Global Carbon Footprint and Energy Conservation:
There was 13 per cent reduction of global carbon
footprint (measured in CO 2 e in kg per kg of thread) since
2006 and 11 per cent reduction was noticed in global
power consumption (KwH per kg of thread) since 2006.
A&E’s global incident rate improved to 0.55 in 2018.
Though it is well below the US industry’s average, but the
company’s target is to reach at zero accidents.
In 2019…
Recently A&E implemented a global energy efficiency
best practice program to assist in enhancing the energy
efficiency and conversation practice already in place and
accomplish reduction goals.
In this year, all A&E operations will complete the
Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s (SAC) facility Socila
Labour Module (Higg FSLM). Its results will be available
for A&E’ clients as well as suppliers through the Higg
Index System.
www.apparelresources.com | MAY 1-15, 2019 | Apparel Online India
57