Resource Library - Resource Management

• Better Cotton Initiative: Collaborations & Promotions
  October 1, 2011
  Information on BCI's collaborations and promotions with brands and retailers to reduce their cotton production footprint.
• Benefit Corp (B Corp)
  September 30, 2011
  Some information on Benefit Corp (B Corp), a new type of corporate entity that purports to use business to address environmental and social problems.
• Interbrand's "Best Global Green Brands"
  September 30, 2011
  Some information on Interbrand's study of the Best Global Green Brands.
• Sustainable Businesses: WhoIsGreen.com
  September 30, 2011
  Background on WhoIsGreen.com, a New York start-up that provides a directory of companies that use sustainable practices.
• Chinese Regulations for Crop Protection Products
  August 31, 2011
  Information on Chinese regulations governing crop protection products.
• Defra: Green Claims Guidance
  August 31, 2011
  Overview of the Green Claims Guidance by the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
• Gaining Consumer Trust Despite Greenwashing Fears
  August 31, 2011
  An article discussing best practices for green marketing to gain consumer trust.
• Biotech Crops
  July 31, 2011
  Information and research on genetically modified crops
• Crop Protection Pesticides and Products
  July 31, 2011
  Information about crop protection pesticides and products
• Key Attributes of Sustainable Leaders
  July 31, 2011
  Overview of the characteristics of forward-thinking sustainable leaders.
• Organic Cotton Production
  July 31, 2011
  Information and research on organic cotton production.
• ASTM International Subcommittee D13.40 on Sustainability of Textiles
  June 30, 2011
  Information about ASTM International Committee D13 on Textiles
• Building Company Culture to Become Sustainable
  June 30, 2011
  An article describing the important role company culture plays in corporate sustainability efforts.
• Cotton: Technology for the 21st Century
  June 30, 2011
  Overview of a book about the future trends in cotton production technology and research.
• Cradle 2 Cradle
  June 30, 2011
  Overview of Cradle 2 Cradle, a biomimetic approach to the design of systems that aims to cut inefficiency and waste.
• EPA Toxicity and Exposure Databases
  June 30, 2011
  Information about EPA's two databases that are aimed to help improve decisions about chemical safety.
• Executing Your Sustainability Strategy
  June 30, 2011
  Article on how to successfully execute corporate sustainability strategies.
• Fair Trade USA
  June 30, 2011
  Information on Fair Trade USA and the Fair Trade Certified label (the first ethical fashion certification label).
• ISO 50001
  June 30, 2011
  Information on ISO 50001, an international standard for energy management systems.
• Lifecycle Assessment (LCA)
  June 30, 2011
  Explanation of lifecycle assessment (LCA), according to the EPA.
• Marks & Spencer: Plan A
  June 30, 2011
  Brief overview of Marks & Spencer's initiative to increase environmental sustainability of the business.
• Outlier's Cotton Shirt
  June 30, 2011
  Article on Outlier's Supermarine cotton shirt.
• Timberland's Green Index
  June 30, 2011
  Information about Timberland's green rating system.
• Underwriters Laboratory
  June 30, 2011
  This article is about Underwriters Laboratory, a company that supports the growth and development of sustainable products, services and organizations in the global marketplace through standards development, educational services, and independent third party assessment and certification.
• Climate Change and Water
  May 31, 2011
  Information about the effect of climate change on water resources.
• Leonardo Academy ANSI Sustainable Agriculture Standard
  May 31, 2011
  Overview of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard initiative by Leonardo Academy
• The Rainforest Alliance's Standards for Environmental Sustainability
  May 31, 2011
  Overview of the Rainforest Alliance's Sustainable Agriculture Certification program
• California Proposition 65
  April 30, 2011
  Information on a California law that requires labeling on products containing certain chemicals.
• Carbon Trust
  April 30, 2011
  Information about the carbon reduction programs of Carbon Trust, a UK-based NGO.
• Definition of Biobased
  April 30, 2011
  USDA definition of biobased
• EPA Design for Environment
  April 30, 2011
  
• Eco-Metrics
  April 30, 2011
  Information about Eco-Metrics, a tool to calculate the environmental impact on different textile types and production methods.
• General Information on Corporate Sustainability Programs
  April 30, 2011
  Information, reports, and studies on corporate sustainability efforts.
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
  April 30, 2011
  Overview of the voluntary organic standards for fiber processing developed by the Organic Trade Association.
• International Organizations: Product Policy Institute
  April 30, 2011
  Overview of the Product Policy Institute, a North American organization promoting policies that advance sustainable production and consumption and good governance.
• NRDC Clean By Design
  April 30, 2011
  Information about the Clean By Design initiative
• Patagonia: The Footprint Chronicles
  April 30, 2011
  Information about Patagonia's online sustainability program
• Sustainable Packaging
  April 30, 2011
  Information, studies, and resources on sustainable packaging.
• Building Sustainability in the Supply Chain
  March 31, 2011
  Information on building sustainability in the supply chain.
• CSA Standards Program: "Carbon Performance Made Simple"
  March 31, 2011
  Background information on the North American CSA Standards program.
• Cotton Irrigation and Water Management
  March 31, 2011
  Brief description of cotton irrigation during production.
• Countering Rising Sourcing Costs
  March 31, 2011
  A white paper addressing ways to counter the rising cost of raw materials and production
• Energy Management Software by Hara and Hewlett-Packard
  March 31, 2011
  Information about the development of the Energy Management Software
• Heat Stress and Effects on Crop Yields
  March 31, 2011
  Information on the effects of heat stress on crop yields.
• International Organizations: Sustainable Apparel Coalition
  March 31, 2011
  Overview of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition
• International Organizations: The Sustainability Consortium
  March 31, 2011
  Overview of the Working Group of The Sustainability Consortium, including information on the Food, Beverage, & Agriculture Working Group.
• Levi's Uses Social Media in Water Conservation Effort
  March 31, 2011
  Overview of Levi's commitment to Water.org and related social media efforts
• Nike's Environmental Design Tool
  March 31, 2011
  Overview of the Nike's sustainability tools
• Rainforest Alliance's SmartSource Program
  March 31, 2011
  Overview of the SmartSource Program.
• Sustainable Apparel Coalition: Apparel Index
  March 31, 2011
  Describes the Sustainable Apparel Coalition's effort to develop an index to give every garment a sustainability score via the Apparel Index.
• Tox21: Robot Screening System
  March 31, 2011
  Information on Tox21, an U.S. interagency effort to screen chemicals in industrial and consumer products.
• U.S. Consumers and Environmental Marketing and Advertising
  March 31, 2011
  Information and studies on U.S. consumer perceptions of products labeled as "green," "environmentally friendly," etc.
• Designation of Biobased Items for Federal Procurement
  February 28, 2011
  Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement
• Developing a Green Label Standard
  February 28, 2011
  Information on companies that are developing a standard measure for products' carbon emissions to simplify decisions for consumers.
• EU Regulations: REACH
  February 28, 2011
  Information on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation in the EU.
• Green Chemistry Status in California and All U.S. States
  February 28, 2011
  Information on states with Green Chemistry laws.
• How MSDS Data Supports Sustainability
  February 28, 2011
  Key points from a lecture by Actio Corporation on MSDS data and sustainability.
• New Developments in REACH regulation
  February 28, 2011
  News and new information on the European Union's REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals).
• Sustainability Helping To Shape Business in 2011
  February 28, 2011
  An article discussing the growing commitment to sustainability in business and society.
• Sustainability and the Science of Behavior Change
  February 28, 2011
  How the science of behavior change can help with sustainability.
• Transgenic Cotton in West Africa
  February 28, 2011
  A discussion of the potential payoffs and economic risks of adopting transgenic cotton in West Africa.
• US EPA funds $5m of research into nanotechnology risks
  February 28, 2011
  US EPA has announced it will award $5.5 million to three consortia of researchers from the US and UK to support research on nanotechnology
• USDA Aims to Simplify Measurement of Greenhouse Gases in Farming, Forestry
  February 28, 2011
  USDA is soliciting comments on how to best design methods for measuring greenhouse gas sources and sinks in the agriculture and forestry sectors.
• What Do Companies Look For In a Chief Sustainability Officer?
  February 28, 2011
  An article discussing the ideal background and skills of a Chief Sustainability Officer.
• ASABE to Develop Standard for Seed Cotton Protective Covers
  February 16, 2011
  The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has initiated a project to develop a new standard, Seed Cotton Protective Covers – Testing Procedures and Performance Requirements.
• Biodegradability of Cotton
  January 31, 2011
  Biodegradability Study on Cotton and Polyester Fabrics
• Biodiversity Footprint
  January 31, 2011
  Integrating biodiversity into business.
• Eco-friendly Developments in Processing Coated Fabrics
  January 31, 2011
  Describes technologies to reduce the environmental impact of coated fabric processing.
• Green Chemistry
  January 31, 2011
  Information about the term green chemistry.
• Restricted Substances List (RSL)
  January 31, 2011
  RSL - chemicals not to use or use below a certain level
• Voluntary Labeling Program for Biobased Products
  January 31, 2011
  Information about the USDA Certified Biobased Product labeling program
• Zero-waste Design
  January 31, 2011
  Improving material utilization during apparel/textile production.
• National Resources Conservation Services
  November 1, 2010
  Under the USDA, NRCS promotes natural resources conservation programs that help people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters.
• Bayer CropScience and Performance Plants Inc. Licensing Agreement
  October 1, 2010
  Information on the licensing agreement between Bayer Crop Science and Performance Plants Inc. on drought-tolerant cotton.
• Converting Post-Consumer Cotton Into Cellulose Insulation
  October 1, 2010
  Information on programs converting denim and other used cotton garments for cellulose insulation use.
• Eco-Friendly Post-Consumer Recycling Ideas and Programs
  October 1, 2010
  Information on ideas/programs that recycle and reuse yarn waste, slasher waste, cuttings, and used textiles.
• Garments Without Guilt
  October 1, 2010
  Information about Garments Without Guilt, a marketing initiative in Sri Lanka
• General Resources to Assist Cotton Production
  October 1, 2010
  Links to information on cotton production and sustainability.
• International Organizations: EOG Sustainable Working Group
  October 1, 2010
  European organization with a focus on end of life solutions for the outdoor industry
• International Organizations: Ecological and Toxicological Association of Dyes and Organic Pigments Manufacturers (ETAD)
  October 1, 2010
  Background information on ETAD.
• International Organizations: Milieu Project Sierteelt (MPS)
  October 1, 2010
  Background information on Milieu Project Sierteelt (MPS).
• International Organizations: RITE Group
  October 1, 2010
  Background information on the RITE Group.
• Labeling Ecologically Approved Fabrics (LEAF)
  October 1, 2010
  Overview of LEAF, a U.S. labeling program for apparel and textiles.
• Levi Strauss Lifecycle Assessment
  October 1, 2010
  Lifecycle assessment of the impact that select Levi's products have on climate change, water, and energy.
• Prime Source ThinkTank
  October 1, 2010
  Overview of Prime Source ThinkTank, a social media platform that allows communication among senior executives in the apparel industry.
• Textile Processing
  October 1, 2010
  Information about processing of cotton (preparation/pretreatment, coloration, and finishing).
• USDA National Agricultural Library: Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
  October 1, 2010
  Overview of a program that specializes in identifying resources about sustainable food systems and practices to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture and farmers worldwide.
• Walmart Sustainable Product Index
  October 1, 2010
  
• Yarn and Fabric Manufacture
  October 1, 2010
  Information about post-harvest handling of cotton.
• Biotech Finishing & "I do 30" Campaign
  August 11, 2010
  

  Finishing technology and consumer campaign focused on reducing carbon emissions.

• Eco Working Group & Eco-Index
  August 2, 2010
  Developed by the Outdoor Industry Association, the Eco-Index provides a means to measure environmental footprint and identify areas for improvement.
• Sustainable Cotton on the Shelves: A Handbook for the Mainstream Retail
  August 2, 2010
  Downloadable hands-on manual designed to give retail managers, buyers, and marketers an overview of issues and trends in the sourcing, production, and marketing of sustainable cotton.
• Eco-friendly Developments in Textile Processing and Finishing
  July 21, 2010
  Describes processing and finishing techniques with reduced environmental impact.
• New Developments in Environmentally-friendly Coloration
  July 14, 2010
  Describes technologies developed by various companies to reduce the environmental impact of coloration.
• Pretreatment/Preparation Processes to Reduce Use of Water, Energy and Harsh Chemicals
  July 14, 2010
  Outlines textile processing techniques developed by Huntsman and Genencor that reduce the use of water, energy and harsh chemicals.
• Harvesting and Ginning
  July 13, 2010
  Background on resource management decisions related to harvesting and ginning of cotton.
• International Organizations: International Institute for Sustainable Development
  July 12, 2010
  Canada-based non-profit focused on sustainable development.
• Measuring Sustainability
  July 12, 2010
  Overview of two systems providing quantitative measures of sustainability.
• Healthy Farm Index
  July 7, 2010
  System to measure a farm's success in terms of ecosystem services, biodiversity and crop production.
• Agriculture, Carbon Footprint and Climate Change
  July 6, 2010
  Information about agriculture's carbon footprint and impact on climate change, including links to carbon calculators and highlights of carbon reduction programs.
• International Organizations: Carbon Disclosure Project
  July 6, 2010
  Not-for-profit organization that allows members to measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies.
• International Organizations: Forest Footprint Disclosure Project
  July 6, 2010
  Organization that assists businesses in recognizing, managing, and quantifying their forest footprint through a disclosure process.
• Bioenergy
  July 2, 2010
  Information about new sources of alternative energy.
• International Organizations: Cotton Connect
  July 2, 2010
  Standard-neutral organization that assists companies with integrating sustainability into the supply chain.
• U.S. National Organic Program
  July 2, 2010
  Link for additional information on accreditation, certification, compliance and enforcement for the U.S. National Organic Program.
• Conservation Stewardship Programs
  July 1, 2010
  Information about and links to USDA programs promoting conservation.
• USDA Agricultural Research Service: Agricultural System Competitiveness and Sustainability
  July 1, 2010
  Overview of program designed to increase profitability and enhance environmental goods and services derived from agricultural lands.
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
  June 30, 2010
  US-based program providing grants and outreach to advance sustainable innovations to the whole of American agriculture.
• Guidance on Sustainable Agricultural Production
  June 28, 2010
  Links to resources on sustainable production.
• International Organizations: Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
  June 24, 2010
  Background information on the Keystone Alliance and the Field to Market initiative, which seeks to develop outcome-based metrics to measure environmental, health, and socioeconomic results of agricultural production.
• The LEAF Marque
  June 24, 2010
  Information about the LEAF Marque standard.
• International Organizations: Better Cotton Initiative
  June 23, 2010
  Background information on the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)
• Overview of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
  June 23, 2010
  General information about Integrated Pest Management, link to additional information via USDA and introduction to IPM Roadmap.
• U.S. Regulations for Crop Protection Products
  June 23, 2010
  Overview of U.S. regulations governing crop protection products.
• U.S. Regulations on Agriculture and Air Quality
  June 23, 2010
  Links to additional information about regulations governing air quality in the U.S.
• Life Cycle Inventory for U.S. Cotton
  June 22, 2010
  Provides a summary of the publically available information and data on land, water and energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem services for cotton production in the United States.
• 21st Century Corporation: The Ceres Roadmap to Sustainability
  May 14, 2010
  The Ceres Roadmap to Sustainability is aimed at helping corporations integrate sustainability into their business operations
• Definitions of Sustainability
  May 6, 2010
  Generally accepted definitions of sustainability from a variety of sources.