NATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL
The India International Textile Machinery Exhibitions Society India (ITME Society) will host an exhibition of textile machinery ‘ITME Africa 2023’ from November 30 to December 2, 2023 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi. During the event Indian representatives will provide technology to the textile industry in Africa and the West Asian countries. They will also share knowledge and other important information relevant for the textile machinery industry. India’s expertise can be leveraged to build textile industry in Africa through the sharing of knowledge and technology owing to the growing importance of South-South cooperation. The expo will promote trade, investment, creating business friendly environment and vibrant private sector. It would also focus on working in partnership with the government, business community and other stakeholders.
Source: Knn India
Textile manufacturing is crucial for the Indian economy as it contributes significantly to India’s overall GDP. It plays a significant role in India’s economy, contributing about 14% of the total exports. And thus, it is one of the considerable contributors towards India’s foreign exchange earnings. It has been instrumental in making India one of the leading exporters of textiles in the world. Our country has a long history of textile manufacturing, which has developed over centuries. India was one of the global leaders in textile manufacturing before the industrial revolution. While its capacity declined during the British rule, it was still a prominent contributor to the Indian economy. It is one of the largest employment generators since the pre-independence era, providing jobs to millions in rural and urban areas. For unskilled labour in remote regions, it is a prominent source of income. The Indian textile manufacturing industry is a significant market, contributing to India’s growth story. Following are some important data on the sector. India is the world’s second-largest producer of textiles and garments. It is also the sixth-largest exporter of textiles spanning apparel, home and technical products. India has a 4% share of the global trade in textiles and apparel. The textiles and apparel industry contribute 2.3% to the country’s GDP, 13% to industrial production and 12% to exports. The textile industry has around 45 million of workers employed in the textiles sector, including 3.5 million handloom workers. India’s textile and apparel exports (including handicrafts) stood at US$ 44.4 billion in FY22, a 41% increase YoY. Total textile exports are expected to reach US$ 65 billion by FY26. The Indian textile and apparel industry is expected to grow at 10% CAGR from 2019-20 to reach US$ 190 billion by 2025-26. The Indian apparel market stood at USS 40 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach US$ 135 billion by 2025. The Rs. 10,683 crore (US$ 1.44 billion) PLI scheme is expected to be a major boost for the textile manufacturers. The scheme proposes to incentivise MMF (man-made fibre) apparel, MMF fabrics and 10 segments of technical textiles products.
PLI Scheme for Textile The PLI Scheme for Textiles is a part of the comprehensive package of measures by the Government of India to promote the textile sector. Designed to motivate and reward the employees of textile manufacturing in India, PLIS for Textile was launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Textiles to incentivise the manufacturing of textile products in India and to promote their exports. Other than incentivising exports, the programme covers several additional aspects of the manufacturing process. These measures include providing raw materials at competitive prices, skill development, providing credit at competitive interest rates, providing infrastructure support and encouraging technological upgradation. All these measures, when combined with the PLI Scheme, will help create an environment conducive to the growth of the textiles sector in India. To be eligible for the programme, companies must demonstrate an increase in their exports over the preceding three financial years. Further, they must also meet some criteria related to safety, labour standards, and environmental regulations. The programme offers incentives to companies in the form of a one-time payment of up to 5% of the total value of their exports. Based on the performance in terms of quality, quantity, and timely delivery of the products, it is open to all textile manufacturing units in India, including those engaging in spinning, weaving, garmenting, and other related activities. support and encouraging technological upgradation. All these measures, when combined with the PLI Scheme, will help create an environment conducive to the growth of the textiles sector in India. To be eligible for the programme, companies must demonstrate an increase in their exports over the preceding three financial years. Further, they must also meet some criteria related to safety, labour standards, and environmental regulations. The programme offers incentives to companies in the form of a one-time payment of up to 5% of the total value of their exports. Based on the performance in terms of quality, quantity, and timely delivery of the products, it is open to all textile manufacturing units in India, including those engaging in spinning, weaving, garmenting, and other related activities.
Innovation and Technology Innovation and technology play a crucial role in the textile manufacturing industry, driving advancements in production processes, materials, product design, sustainability, and efficiency. We are also seeing the emergence of smart textiles, also known as etextiles or technical textiles, are textiles embedded with sensors, electronics, and other smart components that can sense and respond to external stimuli. Smart textiles have diverse applications, ranging from sports and fitness wear to medical textiles, automotive textiles, and military textiles. They are driving innovation in areas such as wearable technology, smart monitoring, and connected textiles. Nanotechnology is also being used in textile manufacturing to enhance properties such as durability, water repellence, UV protection, and antimicrobial properties of textiles. Nanotechnology-enabled textiles are finding applications in areas such as outdoor apparel, protective clothing, and medical textiles, offering improved performance and functionality.
Conclusion Innovation and technology are driving significant advancements in the textile manufacturing industry, impacting areas such as automation, digitalization, smart textiles, sustainability, digital printing, virtual prototyping, and nanotechnology. These advancements are transforming the way textiles are produced, designed, and used, and are shaping the future of the textile manufacturing industry. Overall, the Indian textile manufacturing industry is a significant and vibrant sector with a rich heritage, contributing to economic growth, employment generation, and export earnings. It is characterized by a diverse range of textiles, traditional handloom textiles, sustainability initiatives, and government support.
Source: CII blog
The commerce ministry on Monday laid out a procedure for applying for amnesty scheme for onetime settlement of default in export obligation by certain exporters. The directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT), under the ministry, directed the regional authorities to process any such applications within three working days. "Application for AA (advance authorisation)/EPCG (export promotion for capital goods) discharge/closure shall be filled online by logging onto the DGFT website and navigating to services," the DGFT said in a policy circular. The government announced the new foreign trade policy (FTP) on March 31. It included an amnesty scheme for exporters for one-time settlement of default in export obligation by the holders of advance and EPCG (export promotion for capital goods) authorisations. Under the scheme, all pending cases of the default in meeting export obligation (EO) of certain authorisations can be regularised by the authorisation holder on payment of all customs duties that were exempted in proportion to unfulfilled EO and interest at the rate of 100 per cent of such duties exempted. In another trade notice, the DGFT notified new HSN codes for technical textiles items. In trade parlance, every product is categorised under an HSN code (Harmonised System of Nomenclature). It helps in systematic classification of goods across the globe. It said that despite having specific codes for technical textiles, it has been noted that imports/exports have not been booked under correct HS codes and the trade seems to be still being booked under other available codes. "Accordingly, the matter has been reviewed in consultation with the textiles ministry and it is reiterated that all importers/exporters should file their bill of entry/shipping bill with specific HSN codes available for man-made fibre and technical textiles under...and to avoid using any other codes," it said. A list of 32 codes has been notified to facilitate the industry for easy recognition and helping them to book their import and exports under correct product category. It asked the industry to suggest more codes, if they require.
Source: Economic times
Precarious forms of employment have become rampant and a thorn in the flesh of workers in this country. Trade unions have adopted the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition of precarious employment as work that is devoid of a decent wage, a According to ILO, researchers estimate that less than two thirds of employed workers enjoy permanent or ‘regular work’. An estimated 650,000 workers in Kenya are exposed to precarious conditions, excluding 15 million workers who are in the informal and gig economy. In an article by ACTRAV in the ILO website, precarious employment is so prevalent and widely known, especially to those who are currently seeking for employment. It is so unfortunate that nowadays, it is almost impossible to find a ‘normal’ job. A normal job is one that has decent wages, steady and full-time working hours and is secure. A normal job is defined as one that is productive and delivers a fair income, security and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration. It is also a job that offers freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment of all women and men. Outsourcing, temporary employment (task-based contracts), fixed contracts, parttime work which includes piece-rate work and casual work are some of the major forms of precarious employment in Kenya. Almost all organisations in public and private sectors have employees on fixed term, casual or seasonal contracts of service. Sectors with the highest prevalence of precarious employment, according to research conducted by trade unions, are the manufacturing sector, textile and apparel, agriculture and hotel and catering sectors. It is important to note that all these forms of precarious employment have one thing in common; workers are forced to bear the risk of being laid off at any time as they are easily disposed off immediately their services are not needed. This is against the ILO’s Philadelphia Declaration of 1944 which states “Labour is not a commodity” to be traded in markets for the lowest price, and that workers are human beings with rights, needs and aspirations. The government and organisations in Kenya are moving away from permanent and pensionable terms of employment to fixed-term contracts of service. It is so unfortunate that the government has set the pace by employing new civil service staff on a three-year fixed term contract of service which came into effect on July 1, 2019. While fixed-term contract connotes seasonal contract, most organisations have borrowed this and made it continuously renewable, thereby defeating the purpose of the short-term and non-continuous nature of the job. The implication is that employers resort to fixed-term contracts of service to avoid labour costs and push the risks associated with the job to the worker. With precarious forms of employment, employees face challenges that range from lack of sustainable consistent wage earnings to having no or only limited access to social protection. With the new National Social Security Fund deduction rates that the government released, employees who are in precarious employment are left at a disadvantaged state of enjoying Fund's products and services. Encouraging precarious forms of employment is also a way of discouraging union activities and denying workers their rights of freedom of association as per Article 36 of the Constitution and rights to labour relations according to Article 41 of the Constitution. We therefore urge the government to be on the frontline in promoting decent work by offering permanent and pensionable employment and discouraging other sectors from the same. With this, as a country, we will be moving closer to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 1 (no poverty) and 8 (decent work and economic growth). The decent work that we want the government to promote is one that offers decent pay that allows an adequate, secure standard of living for workers and their families and one with a regular, predictable, year-round hours. We want a ‘normal job’ that does not have excessive overtimes and that fairly remunerates the overtime. Social security, which is a pillar of decent work, is also one aspect that the government should ensure every worker enjoys, including part-time employees. Excellent health and safety conditions and at the same time comfortable working conditions should also be promoted in workplaces. By offering permanent and pensionable terms, workers will also be in a position to have paid time off work for holidays, sick leave, study leave and compassionate leaves, which are acceptable by the laws of Kenya, specifically the Employment Act.
Source: Standard media
The imbalance in India-Russia trade needs to be combated on a “ very urgent basis" , external affairs minister S. Jaishankar warned as two-way trade surged to a record $45 billion between April 2022 and February 2023 on the back of Indian purchases of cheap Russian oil. “Addressing that imbalance really means addressing the impediments, whether they are market access impediments, whether they are non-tariff barriers, whether they are related to payments or to logistics. I really cannot emphasize this enough, " said minister Jaishankar. He was speaking at an event organized by FICCI on India-Russia economic ties. The minister called for both sides to work together on payments, logistics and certication measures to allow smoother trade ows. Speaking alongside Russia’s deputy prime minister Denis Manturov, Jaishankar spoke frankly about Russian businesses having shown an “inadequate appreciation of the concerns and risks that Indian businesses face" in doing business with Russia. At the same time, India’s foreign minister acknowledged that Indian rms may also suffer from “ over-anxiety or even over-caution" when dealing with Russian rms. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has come under sweeping western sanctions, discouraging other countries form doing business. At the same time, Jaishankar recognized that India needs to expand the range of goods it exports to Russia. “Apart from traditional exports of pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals, clearly there are possibilities in auto and spare parts, electronic goods and components, medical devices, high efciency solar PV modules, textile apparel, white boots, leather and ceramics, " Jaishankar said. Jaishankar also pointed to food and agricultural exports as a promising area but acknowledged the existence of non-tariff barriers that have stymied trade in these commodities for close to a decade. He also stated that India and Russia were in advanced discussions on a bilateral investment treaty. Improving connectivity will also be a key focus for New Delhi and Moscow. “There has been some talk, rightly in my opinion, about the importance of connectivity initiatives like the International North South Transport Corridor, as well as the Eastern maritime corridor, the Chennai Vladivostok corridor, and these are being given due consideration, " India’s top diplomat said.
Source: live mint
The state government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Centre, led by Union minister for industries Piyush Goyal, will sign an MoU on Tuesday for setting up a textile park in an area of 1,000 acres across Lucknow and Hardoi districts. The Park will be set up under the Prime Minister Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Scheme (PM-Mitra). A government spokesperson said that multiple textile units will come up in this park, getting various benefits under the state’s policy on textile and apparels. “While the project will give a new lease of life to the apparel industry and bring investments worth several crores, it will also generate employment for lakhs of people,” he said.
Source Times of India
India and Russia are discussing a free trade agreement (FTA), Russian deputy Prime Minister Denis Valentinovich Manturov said on Monday. The move is seen further boosting bilateral trade ties after New Delhi’s sharp increase in crude imports from Moscow since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. Russia’s share in India’s crude oil import basket rose to a record 28% in January compared with a mere 0.2% before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. “We pay special attention to the issues of mutual access of production to the markets of our countries,” Manturov, who is also Russia’s trade minister, said at an event in New Delhi. “Together with the Eurasian Economic Commission, we are looking forward to intensifying negotiations on a free trade agreement with India.” Foreign minister S Jaishankar said the Covid pandemic had disrupted discussions on an FTA between India and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, and that he hoped “our colleagues will pick up on this because we do believe it will make a real difference to our trade relationship”. Jaishankar said payments, logistics and certification are some of the key areas, and it is possible to find solutions to them. In his address at the India-Russia Business Dialogue, Jaishankar said, “We are discussing the importance of connectivity and the north-south and maritime corridors have been considered. There is also discussion on payment issues like international trade settlement in Indian rupee.” Manturov also said Russia would consider widening the use of “national currencies and currencies of friendly countries”. India has been keen on increasing the use of rupee for trade with Russia. Russia Trade Subscribe to FE Daily Newsletter for latest updates on markets, business, money, infra & more, right in your mailbox Also read: Kerala’s fi rst Vande Bharat Express: Indian Railways finally begins trial run! Detailed Manturov said road construction material and equipment and chemicals and pharmaceutical products were in demand in Russia, and “I am sure that this will create opportunities for Indian companies to increase their supplies to Russia”. Trade ties between India and Russia are on an upswing notwithstanding the increasing disquiet from Western powers over the Ukraine war. By importing fuel, India chose to protect it’s citizens from hardening global commodity prices. New Delhi is also currently engaged in FTA discussions with the UK and the European Union, among others. Russia’s efforts to improve trade with India form part of its strategy to help evade the impact of Western sanctions by boosting commerce with Asian giants, including China. On February 25, the two-day meeting of finance ministers and central bank heads of the G20 countries concluded in Bengaluru without producing a joint communique, given the irreconcilable differences between the G7 segment of the grouping and Russia-China on how to describe the one-year-old Ukraine conflict. The G7 insisted on unequivocal condemnation of Russia for invasion of its neighbour, while Russia, with support from China, wouldn’t budge and demanded that it be called “a special military operation”. As the chair, India had sought a consensus and suggested the word “war” could be dropped.
Source: Financial express
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the commerce ministry, is planning to hire an agency to design, develop, implement and maintain a web application for it. The directorate is an integrated single window system for providing comprehensive and swift trade defence mechanisms to industry in India. It has floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) for hiring the agency. “DGTR proposes to appoint an agency (will be known as Implementing Agency, IA or bidders) to design, develop, implement and maintain the ARTIS (Applications for Remedies in Trade for Indian Industry and other Stakeholders) Web Application,” the proposal said. ARTIS web application is being developed for filing of applications, responses and other related submissions with respect to various trade remedial measures. “The agency should be an established web design, development, implementation and maintenance company with a proven track record and experience as per the details given in this document,” it added. Interested agencies are invited to submit the proposals by May 22 this year. DGTR is an attached office of Department of Commerce which undertakes trade remedial investigations before making its recommendations on imposition of duties to Department of Revenue. It is the single national authority for administering all trade remedial investigations including related to anti-dumping, countervailing duties and safeguard measures. The functioning of DGTR is quasi-judicial in nature. It provides a level- playing field to the domestic industry against the adverse impact of unfair trade practices such as dumping and subsidies on imported goods from any exporting country through trade remedial measures under the It also provides trade defence support to the domestic industry and the Indian exporters in dealing with instances of trade remedial investigations instituted against them by other countries.It recommends imposition of duties to Department of Revenue (DoR) which considers the same and notifies duties in the cases which it considers fit. Any interested party can challenge such notifications of DoR as well the findings on trade remedial investigations of DGTR before various courts/appropriate tribunal in the country. DGTR, in carrying out its functions in trade remedial investigations and trade defence, is assisted by professionals from three specialisations namely law, accountancy and economics. The professionals are engaged to assist the officers in investigations, costing and financial analysis, negotiations in trade agreements, policy formulations, court cases etc.
Source: Financial express
India will appeal against a ruling of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) trade dispute settlement panel which ruled that the country's import dues on certain information and technology products are inconsistent with the global trade norms, commerce ministry sources said. They said that the ruling will not have any adverse impact on domestic industry. The appeal will be filed by India in the WTO's appellate body, which is the final authority on such trade disputes, they said. The dispute panel of the Geneva-based WTO on Monday said the import duties imposed by India on certain informational and technology products violates global trading norms. The EU on April 2, 2019 had challenged the introduction of import duties by India on a wide range of ICT products, for instance, mobile phones and components, base stations, integrated circuits and optical instruments. The European Union had claimed that the measures appear to be inconsistent with certain provisions of the WTO. Later Chinese Taipei and Japan have also joined the dispute. According to WTO rules, a WTO member or members can file a case in the Geneva-based multilateral body if they feel that a particular trade measure is against the norms of the WTO. Bilateral consultation is the first step to resolve a dispute. If both the sides are not able to resolve the matter through consultation, either of them can approach for the establishment of a dispute settlement panel. The panel's ruling or report can be challenged at the World Trade Organization's appellate body. Interestingly, the appellate body of the WTO is not functioning because of differences among member countries to appoint members in this body. Several disputes are already pending with the appellate body. The US has been blocking the appointment of the members. Even if the body, which is the final arbiter on such trade disputes, starts working from now, it would take over an year to take up India's appeal. According to trade experts, if the appellate body also passes a ruling against India's support measures, New Delhi will have to abide by that and make appropriate changes in the way it provides those measures. Last year, India had appealed against a ruling of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) trade dispute settlement panel which ruled that the country's domestic support measures for sugar and sugarcane are inconsistent with global trade norms.
Source: Economic times
INTERNATIONAL
Chinh welcomed the results of the third Vietnam - Australia Economic Partnership Meeting during which both sides reviewed bilateral economic cooperation and implementation of the 2021 Australia - Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, as well as introducing solutions to enhance the efficiency of cooperation. He noted with satisfaction the positive developments in bilateral relations, especially in trade and The PM suggested that the two sides boost trade exchanges in a more balanced way by increasing the export of Vietnamese products to Australia. Vietnam expects Australia will further facilitate the access of Vietnamese electronics, footwear, textiles and agricultural products to the Australian market to help create jobs for people in the context of shrinking markets globally, he said. He suggested that the two sides seek new cooperation mechanisms and strengthen cooperation in a number of strong fields such as education - training, digital economy, innovation, renewable energy, labour, tourism, high-tech agriculture, as well as people-to-people exchanges. The PM also expected that Australia would help Vietnam build an independent and self-reliant economy closely associated with active international integration, and share experiences in the fields of innovation, technology transfer, human resource training, digital economy, green economy, circular economy, energy transformation and climate change response. Minister Don Farrell, for his part, affirmed that Vietnam plays an important role in Australia’s strategy of diversifying trade partners, and that the large Vietnamese community in Australia is a factor in promoting relations between the two countries. He said Australia would coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to realize the PM’s proposals, and hoped Vietnam would help to further promote Australia-ASEAN relations and strengthen cooperation in other multilateral mechanisms such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Source: The english.vov.vn
Chinh welcomed the results of the third Vietnam - Australia Economic Partnership Meeting during which both sides reviewed bilateral economic cooperation and implementation of the 2021 Australia - Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, as well as introducing solutions to enhance the efficiency of cooperation. He noted with satisfaction the positive developments in bilateral relations, especially in trade and The PM suggested that the two sides boost trade exchanges in a more balanced way by increasing the export of Vietnamese products to Australia. Vietnam expects Australia will further facilitate the access of Vietnamese electronics, footwear, textiles and agricultural products to the Australian market to help create jobs for people in the context of shrinking markets globally, he said. He suggested that the two sides seek new cooperation mechanisms and strengthen cooperation in a number of strong fields such as education - training, digital economy, innovation, renewable energy, labour, tourism, high-tech agriculture, as well as people-to-people exchanges. The PM also expected that Australia would help Vietnam build an independent and self-reliant economy closely associated with active international integration, and share experiences in the fields of innovation, technology transfer, human resource training, digital economy, green economy, circular economy, energy transformation and climate change response. Minister Don Farrell, for his part, affirmed that Vietnam plays an important role in Australia’s strategy of diversifying trade partners, and that the large Vietnamese community in Australia is a factor in promoting relations between the two countries. He said Australia would coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to realize the PM’s proposals, and hoped Vietnam would help to further promote Australia-ASEAN relations and strengthen cooperation in other multilateral mechanisms such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Source: The english.vov.vn
A plan to save the world’s Ancient and Endangered Forests was given a massive capacity boost, designed to unlock widespread transformation of the paper, packaging, and fashion viscose supply chains. Canopy, a solutions-driven nonprofit that has partnered with over 900 global brands, from H&M Group and Zara, to Penguin Random House, Stella McCartney, and LVMH, will receive $60 million in funding from The Audacious Project to catalyze the commercial production of low-carbon and circular solutions across the globe. Such a move will have planetary impacts on the climate and biodiversity. “The audacious work being done by Canopy is not only transforming carbon-intensive supply chains at a critical juncture for our planet, but with a network of engaged and willing partners, some truly exciting and innovative solutions can now be delivered at scale,” said Anna Verghese, Executive Director at The Audacious Project. “We are excited about the change they will catalyze over the coming years with this surge in support.” Housed at TED, The Audacious Project is a collaborative funding initiative that drives social impact on a grand scale. Every year, they select a group of bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges. This year, Canopy was one of the selectees for its critical work in advancing vital forest-free supply chains. Canopy will utilize the funds to accelerate the commercial-scale production of low-impact and circular clothing, paper, and packaging solutions that don’t rely on pulp from Ancient and Endangered Forests. These Next Gen Solutions are derived from what is usually landfilled (waste textile, waste food scraps), or burned (agricultural residues), to create new fabrics, paper, pulp, and packaging. Next Gen alternatives have on average 95% to 130% less GHG emissions, 88% to 100% less land use impacts, and 5x lower impact on biodiversity.
Source: Textile world
Sun Chemical released its thirteenth sustainability report, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to sustainability and social responsibility in all aspects of its business. As part of Sun Chemical’s ongoing process to achieve its targets to reduce CO2 levels by at least 50 percent by 2030 and becoming net carbon neutral by 2050, the company’s latest sustainability report highlights initiatives and results based on three pillars of its business: operations, products and services, and collaborations. To guide its sustainability practices and roadmaps in each of the three pillars, Sun Chemical follows a strategic framework called the ‘five Rs’— Reuse, Reduce, Renew, Recycle and Redesign—which supports a circular economy and reductions in carbon footprint. The operations section of the report shows how Sun Chemical’s recent acquisitions and additional manufacturing facilities affected overall energy and water consumption. The data highlights that despite the acquisitions, the quantities of waste incinerated without energy recovery and landfill waste continued to decrease since the last report. “Sun Chemical’s ongoing efforts to strive for continuously improving results in waste, water, and energy reduction drive decisions and actions throughout our operations,” said Gary Andrzejewski, Corporate Vice President, Environmental Affairs, Sun Chemical. “Our focus on decreasing energy usage, which last year included investing in solar arrays and heat recovery systems, is a key sustainable strategy that is especially important as we integrate acquisitions into our operations.” The products and services section of the report describes Sun Chemical’s sustainable development process which includes the design of products or processes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to climate change, conserve virgin resources and/or lower the accumulation of waste compared to conventional products or processes they replace. Some of the featured offerings include: Copper-free blue inks for compostable packaging AquaHeat oven-safe renewable inks made with high levels of biorenewable content Sustainability-enabling series of inks and coatings for the narrow-web, label and sleeve market A new water-based coating for sheetfed commercial printing and folding cartons Moisture vapor barrier coatings for paper packaging applications Digital color management solutions that offer a number of sustainability benefits New functional black pigments that enable easier recycling of black plastics in recycling facilities “Sustainability is top-of-mind for many converters and brand owners and they’re looking for products that enable them to achieve sustainability goals,” said Michael Simoni, Director, Global Sustainability, Sun Chemical. “Because Sun Chemical’s sustainability efforts in research and product development are rooted in our ‘5Rs’ framework, we develop a wide variety of bio-renewable, compost-compliant and recycle-friendly product lines across our portfolio.” Collaborations and partnerships play an essential role in Sun Chemical sustainability efforts, especially in shaping the future of a circular economy and strengthening sustainable value chains. To measure the sustainability performance of its suppliers, Sun Chemical utilizes the EcoVadis scoring platform. The report shows that more than 85% of Sun Chemical suppliers that participate in the EcoVadis system have achieved a Corporate Social Responsibility score greater than 45/100, Sun Chemical’s acceptable threshold.
Other collaborations featured in the report include: the oneBARRIER project with Bobst and other partners to create recycle-ready monomaterial ultra-high and high-barrier flexible packaging joining the Circular Plastics Initiative through the Dutch Institute for Sustainable Process Technology a partnership with United Kingdom-based In2tech to develop a more sustainable approach to electronics manufacturing For every sustainability report that is downloaded, Sun Chemical will plant a tree for every sustainability report downloaded through the established nongovernmental organization, One Tree Plante.
Source: Textile world
