GAP's Clean Water Programme - Improving Water Quality in Denim Laundires
Last updated 28/08/2009 09:32:34
GAP Clean Water Programme
Gap's newly launched brand of 1969 Premium Jeans are the first to communicate the company's efforts to improve water quality in denim laundries.
The company's Clean Water Programme is a result of it's work with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), and requires that all the facilities that launder Gap jeans treat wastewater to ensure that it is clean and safe. The move addresses the complex supply chain issue in clothes manufacturing.
BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer comments ‘We are pleased that it has also created opportunities to communicate with consumers and stakeholders. As recent news reports indicate, ensuring clean water use throughout supply chains can be challenging, and we hope that these activities help improve conditions across the apparel industry and in the countries in which it operates.'
Gap joined BSR's Sustainable Water Group in the late 1990s, which formed a partnership of companies that were committed to managing water use and waste-water discharge in global textile supply chains, and included companies such as Nike, Timberland and Levi Strauss. The collective implementation approach helps the companies increase the effectiveness of their efforts, reduce the risk of supply chain disruption, and implement performance testing and improvement.
In 2004 Gap started its Clean Water Programme, which at the time was a pioneering move within the apparel industry. Since then, Gap has eventually required all of its 100 approved denim laundries to adhere to the standards in its programme, and this is the first time that they have fully communicated their efforts.
Dan Henkle, SVP, Gap Inc. Global Responsibility comments ‘We're excited our customers have the opportunity to learn from the product itself, about the efforts we've taken to treat wastewater discharged in the laundering of our jeans.'
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