By Jasmin Malik Chua, Source: Ecouterre

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Canepa has pledged to eliminate toxic chemicals from its supply chain and products by 2020. The Italian mill is the world’s first textile manufacturer to publicly commit to Greenpeace’s “Detox” plan, which has seen widespread adoption by international brands and retailers such as Benetton, H&M, Zara, and Mango. “We can proudly say that with our commitment, we are setting a new standard for the ‘made in Italy’ industry,” says Elisabetta Canepa, the company’s owner, in a statement. “Being an industry leader today means adding an extra element of quality to our fabrics, that of sustainability.”
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CLEAN MILL

Greenpeace hails the move as a “victory,” particularly for local communities around the world that are severely impacted by polluted water sources. “They have the right to know what is being released into the environment they live in,” the environmental nonprofit adds.Canepa says its commitment goes beyond “mere legislative guidelines.”

Canepa says its commitment goes beyond “mere legislative guidelines.” The mill has installed solar panels at its facilities in San Fermo della Battaglia and Melpignan, producing an annual average of 1.5 million kilowatts of electricity and reducing carbon emissions by roughly 1,000 tons per year. Canepa Evolution, the company’s research branch, has also developed technological processes, including “Save the Water” and Kitotex, that reduce the use of water by as much as 87 percent.

“We want to contribute to the growth of environmentally-friendly fashion by helping top brands produce the beautiful clothes that only they can but with the added value of using our fabrics, which do not pollute precious resources such as water,” Canepa says.