Clariant recently announced it will begin using a new label on its products to certify sustainable attributes in response to environmental concerns and growing consumer eco-awareness.
The chemical giant says the so-called EcoTain label indicates a four-step life cycle: Sustainable Design, Responsible Process, Safe & Efficient Use and Eco-Integration. Only products meeting all four requirements will be awarded the EcoTain label.
The company says EcoTain represents a systemic approach to sustainable innovation by providing a tangible means of understanding the ecological, economic and social impact of its products over the entire value chain.
“The world population is growing, while the natural resources available for industrial use are limited,” Clariant said in a recent release. “As the cost of raw materials has increased, the industry is under increasing pressure to find ways of using fewer raw materials and less energy. At the same time, a growing trend of eco-awareness among consumers has developed and demand for more natural, sustainable products is strong.”
Some notable examples of EcoTain-certified products include Clariant’s Synergen GL5, an agrochemical adjuvant used to modify vaccines made up of close to 95 percent bio-based substances, and the Hostacerin SFO, a cosmetic emulsifier that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by helping to suspend one liquid in another at lower temperatures than traditional methods.
EcoTain represents Clariant’s approach to sustainability at the product level and is being systematically rolled out throughout the company, Clariant says. Products in the Crop Protection and Paints & Coatings business lines already have been brought under the EcoTain umbrella and the company plans to expand it to new lines. The company also is working on sourcing new sustainable ingredients to launch under the EcoTain label.
In 2011, Clariant joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, which aims to reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel and footwear products sold around the world by establishing an industry-wide index for measuring and evaluating apparel and footwear products sustainability.
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Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Mar 6, 2013 11am EST / 8am PST / 4pm GMT / 5pm CET