What is bluesign®?
bluesign® is a sustainable and independent label for the textile industry intended to contribute to the reduction of negative environmental impacts of the textile industry and thus to contribute to the safety of employees as well as consumers. Worldwide bluesign® is one of the most stringent standards for the protection of environment and health in the textile industry. As a so-called „Input Stream Management“ the bluesign® system controls the entire supply chain and only permits those fabrics that neither pollute the environment nor harm people. The aim is to guarantee that clean, safe and evironmentally friendly products are manufactured.

Proprietor and structure
The bluesign® technologies AG is the proprietor of the bleusign® label. It was founded in 2000 by experts of the textile and chemical industries, the headquarters are located in Switzerland. The evolution and progress of the bluesign® labels is monitored by the advisory board consisting of scientists and sustainability experts. This supervision system is designed in such a way that no unnecessary costs or hindrances occur. Thus even smaller companies shall be able to fulfill the requirements of the label.

Principles
bluesign® aims to reach the highest possible sustainability throughout the entire supply chain. To ensure this, five principles were established according to which all components and processes are inspected.

The bluesign® principles are:

• Resource productivity
• Consumer safety
• Water emission
• Air emission
• Occupational health & safety

bluesign® wants to guarantee that stringent standards in relation to the above mentioned principles are fulfilled. A resource conserving production and maximum reduction of pollutants are to be ensured for the entire supply chain of the labeled products.
The bluesign® certificate thus aims to ensure that only fabrics are used that do not endanger environment or people.

Why is bluesign® so unique?
The bluesign® system helps to eliminate harmful substances from the very beginning. Not merely the finished products are inspected but all production processes of all used components and fabrics of a product (fabrics, yarns, chemical substances like dyes etc.) - all involved brands, manufacturers and suppliers.
Thus not only the outdoor brands (for example Vaude) are bluesign® system partners but also their suppliers that produce the components and raw materials according to bluesign® criteria. All bluesign® system partners have to undergo strict on-site checks to ensure that the bluesign® criteria are fulfilled. Only when these high standards are complied with the products will receive the bluesign® label.


bluesign® label
Currently there are two bluesign® labels: bluesign® approved fabric and bluesign® product. Only the latter label is visible for the consumer.



bluesign® approved fabric
This label marks components that are certified according to the bluesign® criteria. These are for example yarns, fibers, fabrics and fittings like zips, buttons, buckles etc. that are part of the supply chain of the manufacturing process of ourdoor articles. Finished outdoor products are not marked with the bluesign® approved fabric label even though they are made of components certified with the bluesign® approved fabric label.

bluesign® product
Finished outdoor products such as jackets or pants are labeled with the bluesign® product label when they are made of components that carry the bluesign® approved label. Consumers can be sure that they receive a sustainable product where substances hazardous for environment and people are excluded right from the start.



Please note
The bluesign® label is a certificate that is strongly focused on the technologies of textile production. The label does not take into account social aspects such as fair wages or social security. But there is one important requirement in this regard: all bluesign® system partners have to commit to the UN GLOBAL COMPACT.
The Global Compact or United Nations Global Compact is a worldwide pact that is agreed to by companies and the UNO. This pact contributes to make globalization more social and more sustainable as the members commit to observe human rights, dispose of child and forced labor and to contribute to environmental protection.

Transparency
A further positive aspect of the bluesign® label is its transparency. All information is easily accessible and thus verifiable and it originates from reliable sources. Information about the administrative body, investors and also about implementation processes are presented publicly.

Conclusion
The bluesign® system is based on demanding criteria that guarantee a high degree of environmental and health protection.