Platform launched to identify sustainable textile products

"Reborn - China Fiber Zero Carbon Action 2023 — Sustainable Textiles Credible Platform" was launched at the National Exhibition and Convention Center Shanghai on Wednesday to mark one of the industry's significant steps to practice the "dual carbon" strategy.

The platform is supervised by the Department of Consumer Goods Industry of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Suzhou Market Supervision Administration and will be jointly run by China Chemical Fibers Association and the National Advanced Functional Fiber Innovation Center.

China is the world's largest producer and consumer of chemical fiber, a crucial raw material for the textile industry. China produced 64.88 million tons of chemical fiber in 2022, which was more than 85 percent of the country's total fiber processing volume and more than 70 percent of the world's total fiber output.

He Yaqiong, Director of the Department of Consumer Goods Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said the ministry is making continuous efforts to strengthen industrial policy guidance by issuing the Guidance on the High-Quality Development of Chemical Fiber Industry, publishing and revising the Normative Conditions for Recycled Chemical Fiber (Polyester) Industry and Interim Measures for the Administration of the Announcement on the Normative Conditions of the Recycled Chemical Fiber (Polyester) Industry, promoting high-quality, high-efficiency, high-value recycling of waste resources such as waste textiles and bottle flakes, and promoting the structural adjustment and industrial upgrading of the recycled chemical fiber (polyester) industry.

According to He, the ministry is working to establish China's recycled fiber standard certification system with guiding and supporting the establishment of the Sustainable Textiles Credible Platform as one of the steps to do so.

"Since building a certification platform for the traceability of the entire life cycle of green fiber products is conducive to promoting the low-carbon, environmentally friendly and circular development of the industry, the Department of Consumer Goods Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will strengthen coordination and promotion, and organize and support industry associations, high-quality brand owners, and manufacturers to connect with the platform, jointly improve the platform, so as to quickly promote the popularity and recognition of the platform in the industry," said He.

Duan Xiaoping, Vice President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, said the green development of China's textile and chemical fiber industry is leading in the world, citing the low consumption of raw materials and energy for products, the low resources and energy consumption to produce the same number of products, the top place of the world's output of recycled fibers ranks and the top-class recycled fiber production.

Duan urged to strengthen the promotion of green fiber products, speed up the construction of the platform to guarantee consumers' confidence in buying green products. Also, a complete waste textiles recycling system to achieve zero old clothes waste needs to be established to tackle the waste-related pollution and ensure a steady supply of raw materials for the production of green fibers, Duan said.

Mei Feng, Chairman of the National Advanced Functional Fiber Innovation Center, said that the platform's responsibility and mission are to solve all aspects of technology and problems associated with the transformation of key technological achievements in the industry, including the healthy development of the industry chain.

"From a security perspective, security is a shared responsibility between each of us and the businesses we make available online. In the future, we will also collaborate with all parties to develop China's recycled fiber industry. We are confident that the platform will function well and promote the high-quality development of the industry," said Mei.

Zhang Yexing, General Manager of Jiangsu Guowang High-Tech Fiber Co. Ltd., pledged the company's support to the country's fiber zero carbon action and contribution to the long-term viability of the chemical fiber industry and enterprises.

Hong Boming, CEO and Creative Director of K-BOXING said the country's complete clothing industry chain provides solid foundation for the "dual carbon" action and sustainable development of the industry.

"It is difficult for consumers to identify whether a product really uses recycled fiber raw materials. With the platform, consumers can trace the whole process of the whole industry chain from fiber to end products to ensure the transparency and credibility of green fiber products and encourage the use and consumption of green fiber products," Hong said.

Twenty-six enterprises were reportedly to have signed up for the platform and were honored during the conference for doing so.