Latin American companies are committed to sustainability
In a survey of 450 CEOs, 60% said they have a strong affinity for issues such as gender equality, circular economy, climate change, and the workforce of the future. Sustainability and the circular economy, which a few years ago were almost ignored practices, quickly climbed among the priorities of the most prominent companies in Latin America and the world, and came to be among the aspects that receive the most attention today. Furthermore, 45% of business leaders in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico said they already have a sustainability strategy in their organizations; and 22% said they are working on one, placing this issue as a priority agenda among corporations in the region. The CEOs' responses suggest that sustainability is not seen as a "standalone program" but as a cross-cutting or multidisciplinary issue, a way of approaching business. Today it is difficult not to associate a company's profitability and economic development with its sustainability policy. Not only because a sustainable business is one that will be able to sustain itself in the long term, but for several other reasons: customer preference in choosing products and brands, talent attraction, and regulatory compliance. In all these areas, a sustainable company will have advantages over one that is not. In the case of the textile industry, which is the second most polluting industry in the world after the oil industry, achieving a balance between nature and textile production is paramount. The current trend is to develop textiles and materials that come from organic waste. In addition, textile companies are adopting new practices such as considering the life cycle, avoiding animal testing, and aligning their daily operations towards a sustainable lifestyle and collaborating against climate change. In Mexico, textiles are recycled at a rate of only 0.5% per year; on average, each person throws away 3 kg of clothing, of which only 15 grams would be recovered. This is why it is important to innovate with organic fabrics that reduce the pollution rate. At GDI we have sustainable projects that seek to reduce the environmental impact of our company and that of our business partners. Recycled Garments Program: They are made with fabrics manufactured from PET bottles, which is one of the most convenient ways to recycle plastic bottles. Furthermore, at practical levels there is no difference between traditional and recycled polyester. During the recycling process, the fiber is reconstituted at a molecular level, and therefore recycled polyester is just as strong, durable, and has the same properties as virgin polyester. The two polyesters differ in their environmental impact; PET has a much lower environmental impact than traditional polyester. Regenerated Garments Program: They are made with fabrics made from recycled textiles; That is, they are made from regenerated waste from post-consumer cotton garments. Natural fibers such as wool and cotton can be mechanically recycled, but the process decreases the length and quality of the fibers, which is why it is necessary to add virgin fibers. These latter serve as a supplement, since it is not currently possible to include 100% recycled materials in garments. Controlled Garment Destruction Program: With this service, we prevent post-consumer uniforms from having a negative impact on the planet and on our client's corporate image. The intention is to prevent our clients' uniforms from being discarded, polluting the environment, or from falling into the hands of someone outside the company, damaging its corporate image. The program begins with GDI collecting the uniforms or the Client sending them. Afterwards, a process of destroying garments begins, ensuring that the misuse of obsolete uniforms is avoided. Customers are given photographic evidence and a document certifying the destruction of all the garments. The resulting material is reprocessed to generate new by-products, which are used as carpet fabrics, upholstery yarns, among other things.
GDI Uniforms joins the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.
The US The Cotton Trust Protocol sets a standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It provides quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurements about the production of responsibly grown cotton and drives continuous improvement in key sustainability metrics. US cotton UU. has focused on sustainability for decades. According to Field to Market data, over the past 35 years cotton has increased land use efficiency by 31% while reducing soil loss by 44%, water consumption by 82%, energy expenditure by 38%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 30%. Although cotton has told its sustainability story and highlighted its decreasing environmental impact, more and more brands and department stores are demanding industry-wide standards and independent verifications. To address this growing concern, the U.S. cotton industry UU. structured and created the US The Cotton Trust Protocol defines new standards for sustainably grown cotton and the continuous improvement of that sustainability, which will be measured and verified by a third party. The cotton industry of the US UU. It invests more than $100 million annually in scientific research to continue developing the most advanced tools needed to reduce its environmental footprint. These technologies help producers save money while protecting and even improving the environment. The goal of the Trust Protocol is to help brands and department stores communicate this progress to end consumers. The Trust Protocol has a four-step process: The standards are about defining sustainability goals for the cotton industry. By 2025, the North American cotton industry aims to increase land use efficiency by 13% and soil carbon by 20%, while simultaneously reducing soil loss by 50%, water consumption by 18%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 39%. The measurement includes the voluntary affiliation of US cotton producers. UU. to measure and keep track of its environmental impact. The purpose of the U.S. cotton industry UU. It is to affiliate half of the cotton producers by 2025. Verification will involve the participation of internationally recognized external verification organizations to monitor progress towards the goals. Finally, the USCTP will be the only cotton sustainability organization able to provide annual, quantifiable, and verifiable information to track sustainability progress. Therefore, the Trust Protocol supports and verifies the progress of US cotton, through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Choosing Trust Protocol cotton gives brands and retailers the fundamental assurances they need that the cotton fiber element in their supply chain is grown more sustainably with less environmental and social risk. Finally, the US The Cotton Trust Protocol is overseen by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors, comprised of representatives from brands and retailers, civil society, and independent sustainability experts. As well as by the cotton farming industry, including producers, ginners, traders, wholesalers and cooperatives, factories and cotton seed managers. At GDI Uniforms we are very pleased to join the US Cotton Trust Protocol. Through this effort we guarantee that the cotton used in our products comes from a sustainable supply chain. In addition to complying with environmental, labor, safety and health regulations in US cotton farming.
Do you know what Clean Technologies are?
Clean technologies are those that, when applied, produce no side effects or disrupt the environmental balance. They are based on sustainability and primarily use natural and renewable resources such as aerothermal, geothermal, and hydrothermal energy. The main reason for the existence of so-called "clean technologies" is none other than to reverse the global environmental imbalance that affects us all. Some of the objectives of clean technologies are based on three pillars: Types of Clean Technologies. Within clean technology, there are branches or categories that share a common goal but operate in different strategic sectors. Some of these are: There are various sectors where the implementation of these technologies has begun, but it is a process that takes time, as it involves creating a completely different culture from the traditional one, but one that is necessary for the well-being of the ecosystem. At GDI, we are concerned about the environment, and therefore we contact suppliers who seek to use these new technologies to ensure that the garment creation process includes fabrics made from natural fibers. We also have a software and cutting system that allows us to make a more precise cut without generating so much waste or fabric scraps.
Eco-Fashion: A Trend in the Textile Industry
Sustainable fashion, also known as slow fashion, encompasses all clothing, shoes, and accessories whose manufacturing processes are environmentally friendly. While the priority in 2020 was combating Covid-3, the fashion agenda for 2021 is now focused on sustainability. The fashion sector is accelerating changes that will make it more environmentally and socially sustainable. This is one of the most urgent and ambitious goals in the industry, as, having been considered one of the most polluting businesses worldwide, change has become imminent due to the current state of the ecosystem. There are three key elements to sustainable fashion: Awareness and the desire to create change have been gradually growing in both Europe and the United States, and are gaining significant traction in Latin America as well. In Latin America, the cultural richness and artisanal techniques of each country are taking center stage, not only to celebrate them nationally and internationally, but also as a key component in generating business models with more ethical and sustainable fashion. These models can compete with fast fashion, which is increasingly losing ground among more committed and informed consumers. For a garment to be considered sustainable, it must meet certain criteria, such as environmentally friendly production and/or the use of natural or organic materials, like cotton, algae, bamboo, natural dyes, and so on. Many of the materials most commonly used by the fashion industry today face challenges such as resource scarcity, rising costs, and limited recyclability. Many factors must be considered to determine a material's sustainability. Two of these are renewability and the source of a fiber. For the sake of our planet, there are already new materials that require fewer resources for their manufacture and have longer life cycles, and which are being used by large companies. At GDI, we strive to make our garments environmentally friendly, which is why we seek to make them mostly from cotton and linen, working with suppliers who are committed to environmental stewardship. GDI has joined the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, guaranteeing that the cotton used in our products comes from a sustainable supply chain. We care about your image, quality, and comfort without neglecting the environment.