This guidance is for textile and clothing manufacturers. You may find this page useful if you carry out any of the following:
- manufacturing carpet
- preparing and spinning fibre
- finishing of natural fibres, synthetic fibres and blends
- knitting and crochet of fabrics and articles
- manufacturing, hats and caps, textile shoes (without soles), gloves, belts and hair nets
- manufacturing non-woven articles using heat, latex or mechanical processes
- manufacturing soft furnishings, curtains, cushions, household textiles, linen, quilts, valances and bedspreads
- manufacturing rope and cordage from yarns of natural fibres, such as cotton, jute and sisal, and man-made fibres, such as nylon and polypropylene
- preparing and treating untreated furskins, eg scraping, currying, tanning, bleaching, shearing and plucking and dyeing
- weaving broad fabrics, narrow fabrics, lace, outdoor textiles, and converting yarns into fabric.
Environmental impacts of textiles and clothing businesses
If you manufacture textiles and clothing, your business can have a number of impacts on the environment, for example:
- air emissions causing air pollution from the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), inert gases from laser cutting and dust from finishing operations
- land contamination from the release of pesticides and other chemicals from poorly managed storage areas
- noise pollution from plant and machinery
- waste disposal of packaging, contaminated sawdust, fur trimmings and fleshings, and contaminated chemicals containers
- water discharges of water containing grease, dyes and pigments, pesticides, sugars, sodium chloride and sodium sulphate.
How can NetRegs help you?
Our guidance could help you to:
- avoid prosecution and receive fewer visits from environmental regulators
- increase efficiency and productivity
- reduce your operating costs
- be more likely to obtain business from government bodies and large businesses that require their business partners to manage their environmental impacts effectively
- improve your reputation amongst staff, customers and the public
- increase the chance of securing funding to expand your business by demonstrating that your environmental impacts are well managed.
