A MADE-BY Guide to Textile Wet Processing Standards

Why did MADE-BY develop this tool?

Driven by a commitment to sustainability, our overall mission is to make sustainable fashion common practice. Through our experience and expertise, as well as our partnerships with various NGOs and organisations, MADE-BY develops tools that are relevant and effective for brands and suppliers in becoming more sustainable and that respond to gaps and needs in the market. The sustainability agenda is continuously growing and at MADE-BY we believe working together in pushing this agenda by sharing industry knowledge is key.

Wet processing refers to the textile process where products are pre-treated, dyed, printed and finished through a liquid-based process. During these treatments, large quantities of water, energy and (hazardous) chemicals are consumed. The scope of wet processing is broad, covering multiple processes occurring at multiple stages of the supply chain, each having a different and significant environmental impact. In addition, many variable factors at a supply chain level are involved, such as machine type and settings, making it an extremely complex field. Nevertheless there are many opportunities for improvement, both at the brand/retailer level, as well as with the supplier.

There is a multitude of standards and systems available in the market but it is unclear for most fashion companies what the differences between them are and how they can be used to make improvements in their wet processing supply chains in the area of water, energy and chemicals use.  Therefore this tool has been developed as an objective guide, providing a practical and comparative overview that enables brands to determine which standard(s) are most applicable in their supply chains. The guide has been developed in collaboration with the managing bodies themselves and we will maintain the tool as updates are provided.

How to use this tool

To enter the tool, click the 'VIEW GUIDE' button below. You will then see an overview of all standards covered within the MADE-BY guide. 

Should you wish to see a detailed summary of a particular standard, simply click on that standard. Within the text, abbreviations and definitions are further defined; to see the references, click here.

To see a brief overview of all the standards covered within the MADE-BY guide according to the criteria most relevant to you, select these criteria in the 'Help me find the right certification' section and click the 'go' button.

VIEW GUIDE