your partner to sustainability GOTS BCI EUROPEAN FLAX GRS OEKO-TEX - DETOX

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1 your partner to sustainability GOTS BCI EUROPEAN FLAX GRS OEKO-TEX - DETOX

2 Thinking beyond, acting today Chemitex was born in 1970 and started out as a yarn trading company. During the years, fabrics for hometextiles and apparel were added to the activity. Today, with over 4 decades of experience, Chemitex is without a doubt a leader in this business, often considered as Europe s foremost textile trading company. Chemitex is a family group and thus has always been attached to the strong and solid values which characterize a family business. We deal with a full range of grey, bleached and colored yarn as well as fabric products; we also have expanded our catalogue from cotton to quite a large variety of textile raw materials, now covering every aspect of the textile field. At Chemitex, we are continuously looking at the needs of the market and we aim to keep satisfying our clients, therefore sustained growth has been part of our culture since CHEMITEX is certified: OEKO-TEX since 2008 GOTS since 2010 EUROPEAN FLAX since 2016 BCI since 2016 GRS certification is under application We, at Chemitex consider that being sustainable is more than an environmental gesture, it is a long-term economic sense. Sharing best practices is a key element for change in the industry, only through collaboration at different stages of the supply chain, we can find solutions for a better future. YOUR PARTNER FOR CERTIFIED YARNS AND FABRICS THIS BROCHURE IS MADE WITH RECYCLED PAPER

3 100% organic product Organic cotton is grown from non-genetically modified plants, without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides. There are currently two independent organic certifications for organic cotton: Organic Content Standards (OCS) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). CHEMITEX GROUP is working with GOTS. The Global Organic Textile Standard is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria (which is not the case for OCS). The aim of the standard is to define world-wide recognized requirements that ensure the organic status of the final textile product (garment, bedsheet, ), from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. The standard covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and distribution of all textiles made from at least 70% certified organic natural fibres. GOTS stipulates full physical traceability by Transaction Certificates for each delivery. Only certified suppliers can request for a Transaction Certificate via Approved Certification Bodies (e.g. Control Union Certifications b.v.). Without an approved Transaction Certificate, the goods are not GOTS certified. CHEMITEX GROUP is GOTS certified for yarns and fabrics (Registration No CU ). In 2016 we delivered more than 1000 tons of certified goods to our customers and this quantity is increasing every year. More info: #positive earth Cleaner, greener cotton The Better Cotton Initiative exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector s future, by developing Better Cotton as a sustainable mainstream commodity. The BCI members ( ) are paying to help the cotton farmers to achieve this aim. The farmers are trained to follow the Better Cotton Production Principles and Criteria and assessments are done on regular base to follow-up the BCI-farmers. The Better Cotton Production Principles and Criteria lay out the global definition of Better Cotton, by upholding the following 6 principles: > Minimize the harmful impact of crop protection practices; > Use water efficiently and care for the availability of water; > Care for the health of the soil; > Conserve natural habitats; > Care for and preserve the quality of the fibre; > Promote Decent Work. By adhering to these principles, Better Cotton farmers produce cotton in a way that is measurably better for the environment and farming communities. For 1 kilo physical Better Cotton, the BCI farmer gets 1 BCCU (Better Cotton Claim Unit). Those BCCU s are being transferred through the supply chain, and finally are claimed by the Retailer and Brand Members. BCI aims to have 5 million Better Cotton farmers producing 8.2 million metric tonnes of Better Cotton by That s around 30% of global cotton production. CHEMITEX GROUP has his own BCI account (N ) to receive the BCCU s from his BCI suppliers and to transfer the BCCU s to his customers on their demand. In this way, CHEMITEX GROUP is supporting the Better Cotton Initiative. More info: //bettercotton.org #better for people future environment YOUR PARTNER FOR CERTIFIED YARNS AND FABRICS

4 Linen 100 % natural - 0% waste Flax is a specific culture and supply chain. Its use involves textiles, homeware textiles as well as high-performance technical products such as composite materials. To improve products and meet consumers/buyers expectations in terms of fibre quality and traceability, a label has been created: European Flax. EUROPEAN FLAX is the qualitative visa of premium European linen fibre for all applications. It preserves, highlights and safeguards a uniquely European agriculture and industry, its regional origins and its inherent non-relocatable know-how. An ambitious global label that aims to be recognized by the final consumer. To preserve and develop this sector, environmental issue is key. The EUROPEAN FLAX Charter, signed by all the linen producers, guarantees a level of local farming that respects the environment: ZERO IRRIGA- TION, ZERO GMO (genetically modified organisms), ZERO WASTE. It fits flawlessly into the cycle of good environmental practices promoted by the label Cradle to Cradle. European Flax is an audit based process. It requires all the supply chain from producers to retailers to be audited. For companies producing flax and flax fibre, the certificate is delivered by CELC (European Confederation of Linen and Hemp). European Flax fibre is certified by the Bast Fibre Authority. For companies processing or trading linen/flax at all stages, until manufacturers of finished products, the certificate is delivered by Bureau Veritas Certification. European Flax s objectives are: > To preserve the agricultural product; > To establish the role of flax as a natural vegetal fibre helping; > To protect eco-systems through the best cultivation practices; > To certify traceability through each stage of production and offer consumer the added value of European fibre origin in flax/linen final products; > To be a brand open to all prospective potential: a qualitative visa that anticipates and participates in the opening of new markets for fashion, lifestyle, home and technical opportunities; > To participate in the entry into new geographical markets. Cotitex, a company of the Chemitex group, is an European Flax member since 2016, certified for trading of yarns, fabrics and knits (Certificate n BVBE30027) #stand for high standards Little efforts, have a big impact The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) was originally developed by Control Union Certifications (CU) in 2008 and ownership was passed to Textile Exchange January 1, The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international, voluntary, full product standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of Recycled Content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions. The goal of the GRS is to increase use of Recycled materials in products and reduce/eliminate the harm caused by its production. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GRS ARE: > Alignment of definitions across multiple applications; > Track and trace Recycled input materials; > Provide customers (both brands and consumers) with a tool to make informed decisions; > Reduce harmful impact of production to people and the environment; > Provide assurance that materials in the final product are actually Recycled and processed more sustainably; > Drive innovation in addressing quality issues in the use of Recycled materials. The Global Recycled Standard is intended for use with any product that contains at least 20% Recycled Material. Each stage of production is required to be certified, beginning at the recycling stage and ending at the last seller in the final business-to-business transaction. Material Collection and Material Concentration sites are subject to self-declaration, document collection, and on-site visits. In addition to the requirements of the Content Claim Standard, all organizations involved in the production or trade of GRS products shall meet the following requirements: > All Recycled materials entering the supply chain shall have a valid Transaction Certificate (TC) issued by an approved Certification Body. > Pre-Consumer and Post-Consumer Material Content percentage shall be recorded separately for each batch at every certified site and recorded on the transaction certificate. CHEMITEX GROUP is applying for GRS certificate. More info: #reuse reduce recycle YOUR PARTNER FOR CERTIFIED YARNS AND FABRICS

5 The right to know The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels, as well as accessory materials used. Since its introduction in 1992, the central focus of the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX has been the development of test criteria, limit values and test methods on a scientific basis for several hundred regulated individual substances, taking in account: > Important legal regulations, such as banned Azo colourants, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol, cadmium, nickel, etc; > Numerous harmful chemicals, even if they are not yet legally regulated; > Requirements of Annexes XVII and XIV of the European Chemicals Regulation REACh as well as of the ECHA SVHC Candidate List insofar as they are relevant for yarns, fabrics, textiles, garments or accessories; > Numerous also environmentally relevant substance classes. The OEKO-TEX tests for harmful substances are fundamentally based on the respective purpose of the textiles and materials. The more intensive the skin contact of a product and the more sensitive the skin, the stricter the human-ecological requirements that need to be complied with. Accordingly, a distinction is made between four product classes: > PRODUCT CLASS I Articles for babies and toddlers up to 3 years of age (underwear, rompers, clothing, bed linen, terry products etc.) > PRODUCT CLASS II Articles that are worn close to the skin (underwear, bed linen, t-shirts, socks etc.) > PRODUCT CLASS III Articles used away from the skin (jackets, coats etc.) > PRODUCT CLASS IV Decoration/Furnishing materials (curtains, tablecloths, upholstery covers etc.) CHEMITEX GROUP has following certificates : > PRODUCT CLASS I N : Yarns made of 100% polyester raw N : Yarns made of 100% cellulosic fibres (cotton, viscose, viscose made of bamboo, linen) and mixtures with polyester or lyocell or elastane raw or bleached N : Woven fabrics made of 100% cellulosic fibres (cotton and viscose) and mixtures with polyester or elastane in loomstate (raw) > PRODUCT CLASS II N : Woven and knitted fabrics (including 3D airmesh fabric) in 100% polyester bleached, dyed, printed and finished and woven fabrics in polyester/polypropylene mixtures with or without a polypropylene nonwoven interlining white N : Woven fabrics made of cellulosic fibres (cotton, viscose, linen) and mixtures with polyester, polyamide and/or elasthane, in loomstate, bleached, dyed and finished. In 2016 more than 250 customers of the CHEMITEX GROUP have used one of our certificates for their own certification. In a few years time, we could convince almost all our suppliers to get certified. In the near future, we will push our suppliers to upgrade their certificate with DETOX TO ZERO. #less is more YOUR PARTNER FOR CERTIFIED YARNS AND FABRICS

6 Zero Discharge Technology DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX is a comprehensive verification and reporting system that prepares facilities along the textile chain for the requirements requested by the Detox campaign of Greenpeace. DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX continuously screens and offers you a transparent solution to meet the Detox goals. The DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX system is focused on: The establishment of a transparent chemical management system A continuous improvement plan to reduce hazardous substances in the production process, e.g. comprehensive MRSL examination Wastewater and sludge measurements Improvement of protective measures for the protection of the environment DETOX TO ZERO provides an annual status report about chemicals used, evaluation of waste and wastewater treatment analysis and environmental protection measures so the facility and its buyers have a continuous monitoring tool focused on achieving Detox campaign alignment. In addition, OEKO-TEX pays particular attention to the following: > ELIMINATION Eliminating all release of toxic chemicals and recognising that there are no environmentally safe levels for hazardous substances according to Greenpeace's priority list of 11 hazardous chemicals / chemical groups. > PREVENTION AND PRECAUTION Review and analysis of processes and measures for continuous improvement regarding preventive measures for the handling and the use of hazardous substances. > RIGHT TO KNOW Documentation of the company s operations including training, environmental reporting, internal and external communications. One of the targets is a publicly available register on the website. Within the scope of DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX, tests are conducted to check against the requirements of the Detox campaign, but OEKO-TEX has added incremental elements such as, for example, resource efficiency, health protection, environmental protection and prevention of water pollution, and occupational safety. #together we can CHEMITEX your partner for, certified yarns and fabrics

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