NPE churns the problem of toxic substance residues in the global textile and apparel industry

At the end of August 2011, Greenpeace announced the results of the survey on the residual toxic and hazardous substances in global branded apparel. This report refers directly to Nike, Adidas, Puma, Converse, KAPPA, H&M, and many other well-known global apparel brands, claiming that its products contain nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (NPE) residues.

Since the report of the Greenpeace organization was aimed at famous global apparel brands, the quality of apparel once again attracted everyone's attention. In fact, as early as 2005, the European Union stipulated that chemical additives used in the production of textiles sold on its market should not contain more than 1,000 mg/kg NPE substances. How to use NPE as soon as possible or how to reduce the time without using NPE is worth discussing.

NPE overturns the global textile and apparel industry. Greenpeace, which released this report, is one of the world's leading NGO organizations. The so-called NGO refers to non-governmental organizations that are not considered as government associations, associations, associations, charitable trusts, non-profit corporations or other legal entities, and are not for profit. Its driving force is volunteerism, and it is not driven by economic interests. It is an important symbol of the rise of civil society.

The NPE that was measured in more than two-thirds of well-known branded apparel products mentioned in its report was a substance called nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether. It is understood that NPE is widely used in the textile industry for dyeing, cleaning and other processes. Once NPE enters the environment, it quickly decomposes into the more toxic environmental hormone NP, which is nonylphenol. NPE is recognized worldwide as an environmental hormone. Studies have shown that even if the concentration of this material is very low, it is extremely dangerous.

This time, Greenpeace purchased 78 samples of 15 clothing brands in 18 countries around the world, including sportswear, casual wear and footwear. Subsequently, the organization sent the samples to a qualified third-party laboratory for testing. The results showed that more than two-thirds of the samples were detected to contain NPE. This also involves China's famous clothing companies.

In view of the visibility and influence of Greenpeace, this news undoubtedly caused a great uproar in the global textile and apparel industry.

By consulting related materials, we learned that China's national mandatory standard "Basic Safety Technical Code for National Textile Products" (GB/T18401-2003), which was implemented in China in 2005, has already been applied to clothing pH value, formaldehyde, color fastness and Decomposition of carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes and other strict limits. In other words, if clothing companies that produce and sell in China are strictly in accordance with the standard, under normal circumstances, there will be no excess of hazardous substances in the textile and apparel products entering the market terminal.

It can be said that in this incident, many well-known brands of textile and garment companies “bridled their head” on the quality of clothing. In fact, it is not difficult for us to review history. It is not uncommon for companies involved in difficult situations or even bankruptcies in these years because of the quality of textile and apparel products.

However, it is worth noting that the main reason for the unqualified detection of most textile and apparel products was unclear labeling and inaccurate fiber content. This kind of situation can only be regarded as a matter of less than the excessive residual toxic substances in the product. Imagine who can maintain “calm and calm” when facing toxic textile and apparel products. If anything, such as the confusion of the identification of fiber components, may also be caused by the carelessness of staff, either intentionally or unintentionally. Its consequences are not enough to have a serious impact on consumers' health and even their lives. However, such quality problems caused by the residues of toxic substances have caused people to "fear".

As for the NPE, the “protagonist” of this incident, it can stimulate the simulation of estrogen and affect the biological development of the organism. Therefore, it interferes with the endocrine of the organism and is toxic to the reproductive system. Even more frightening is that it will exist in the environment for a long time, and it can enter the food chain and be amplified step by step through the food chain.

In fact, the issue of China's clothing product residue is not a new topic. In the past, more attention was paid to traditional pollution problems such as excessive formaldehyde levels and excessive pH values. Environmental hormone pollution such as NPE is still in a relatively unfamiliar stage, especially for the average consumer. In the face of the ever-changing new phenomena and new problems in the quality of textile and apparel products, how to further strengthen the formulation of relevant laws and regulations and the timely mastery of related situations requires the joint efforts of all parties in the industry.

In the face of NPE's crisis treatment of Chinese and foreign brands, however, this NPE incident triggered by the report issued by Greenpeace occurred. The related textile and apparel brands involved in the Chinese market are different from the treatment and attitude shown by domestic companies and foreign companies. This phenomenon cannot but arouse our deeper thinking.

In late August 2011, immediately after the NPE incident was publicized, it attracted the attention of domestic media and some consumers. Among the many branded apparel products involved in the Chinese market, Li Ning, a well-known domestic garment company, is the fastest-responding company and the first company to take a stand on this NPE event.

On August 22 and 24, they respectively issued a statement on the official website, which not only answered the questions on whether the product meets the EU REACH standard, but also made positive efforts to achieve environmentally-friendly emissions in the supply chain. committed to. At the same time, a press conference was held on August 26 to further supplement the previously proposed environment-friendly emission commitments.

It is understood that the EU has promulgated the "REACH Regulation" in 2005 and clearly states in its Appendix 17 that chemical additives used in the production of textiles sold on the EU market should not contain more than 1,000 mg/kg NPE substances. Li Ning said that all products of the brand have passed the tests of third-party international testing agencies. They are safe and non-toxic, and can be sold in any country in the European Union. Consumers can feel comfortable wearing them.

In fact, from the current status of the textile and garment industry. Textile auxiliaries total nearly 100 categories, 15,000 varieties; textile dyes also have nearly 10,000 varieties. The annual consumption of both in the world is close to 5 million tons. Many of these species either contain or are produced in the process of using chemicals that are harmful to human health and ecological environment.

Various relevant research institutions and production enterprises in the textile and garment industry in China have been studying how to reduce the problem of toxic substances and environmental pollution. However, although such research has achieved certain results, there is still some distance from the zero pollution and zero residue target. As far as NPE is concerned, the Chinese government also added NPE and NP to "China's Catalogue of Toxic Chemicals with Strict Restrictions on Imports and Exports" in early 2011. However, there is no corresponding provision for its use and emissions in the country.

Li Ning’s active response to the NPE incident clearly puts it in a favorable position. The company through the way of reporters to meet the meeting, in line with the principle of transparency and openness, so that the majority of media and related consumers understand how the NPE this substance is produced in the end, in addition to its harm to the environment and humanity how much. At the same time, it also understands the specific NPE residuals allowed by the relevant regulations for clothing products.

At the same time, it is also responsible for the parties concerned to understand that domestic branded apparel strictly controls the standards of similar residues within a safe range. In fact, timely disclosure of information and data that are not familiar to the general public. It is definitely a good thing for a company to not only eliminate the impact of the incident itself on the company. At the same time, it is a very beneficial behavior for the company's culture and brand building.

On the other hand, a series of well-known foreign clothing brands that are also in the forefront of the turmoil have chosen to remain silent about this incident. In fact, this is also a consistent approach adopted by these international big brands for Chinese consumers. They habitually believe that China's relevant laws and regulations are not yet sound. At the same time, Chinese consumers do not have a high awareness of the quality of textile and apparel products, and their sense of rights protection is weak. Therefore, many international apparel brand companies did not take this NPE incident seriously.

It was not until early September 2011 that a well-known foreign brand company issued a statement on the incident on its website. The company stated that "its cooperative relationship with companies in China is limited to the tailoring and sewing of garments, and does not involve the use of fabrics and the possible use of dyes, chemicals, and water treatment processes." And in just a few hundred words In the statement, basically the first half of the statement explained the long history of its brand. This is simply a statement that “the head is not right”. You are talking to it about the quality of the product. It is talking to you about the history of the brand. You are talking to it about environmental pollution. It is talking to you about cutting and sewing. It is exactly the posture of a dead pig who is not afraid of hot water.

However, the arrogant attitude of foreign brand apparel companies is indeed quite "encouraging." First of all, although China has already added NPE and NP to "China's Catalogue of Toxic Chemicals with Strict Restrictions on Imports and Exports". However, this only prohibits the export of apparel containing NPE, but it does not prohibit its production and sales in the domestic market. For the use and emissions of NPE in China, China has not issued corresponding regulations.

In addition, it was when major media buzzed about NPE branded apparel. Almost all the foreign brand clothing stores are still full of people and business is booming. Before a Adidas store in Chengdu, a giant advertising sign was advertised and the merchandise was being discounted. The store was even more crowded with consumers. The clerk said that it was not clear what the NPE was contaminating. However, in the shop's inconspicuous corner, there is a sign saying "The discounted goods will not be returned."

Faced with such a hot buying situation, foreign brand clothing companies naturally have a arrogant "mood." Over the past year, with the rapid development of our country’s economy, people’s money has gradually increased. The purchasing power of Chinese consumers has caused foreigners to admire them on many occasions, but the blindness of consumption does make the “foreigners” an eye-opener. However, we rush to purchase the discounted products for consumers at the discounted price. We can see that the pursuit of foreign brands has nothing but "to mourn its misfortune and anger."

Chinese and foreign branded apparel companies face a completely different attitude towards the NPE incident, which not only allows us to see foreign brands contempt for Chinese consumers. At the same time, it also allows us to clearly understand the urgency of speeding up the development of relevant laws and regulations.

From the perspective of the NPE incident, the quality responsibility of garment companies is seen in the "Fashion of Fashion: China's Water Pollution Survey by Global Apparel Brands" issued by the Greenpeace Organization. Although China's Youngor, Li Ning, and other branded apparel products NPE content is less than the EU REACH regulations 1000 mg / kg standard. However, the NPE content of apparel products produced in other countries is much higher than this standard. Among them, the NPE content of a T-shirt produced in the Philippines is as high as 27,000 mg/kg. At present, no one can guarantee whether the branded apparel products produced by foreign companies have entered the Chinese market.

At the same time, we noticed that most of the branded apparel targeted in this report was produced by sportswear companies. In China, the largest number of people in sportswear is the majority of young students. However, it is regrettable that the harm of NPE is exactly the most prominent effect on young people. It is understood that NPE intake is closely related to precocious puberty. At present, there have been tests to prove that this NPE, an environmental hormone, can cause female fish to become female. Scientists have found in experiments with mice that the male testes produced by mothers that have taken NPE for a long period of time are much smaller than normal. From this it can be seen that Greenpeace’s report is not without its purpose.

However, it is regrettable that, at the same time, some "clothes drummers" of garment companies immediately jumped out of the curtain of "academic controversy" and said that there was no direct experimental data to prove that it had an impact on human beings. There is nothing wrong with academic controversy, but the so-called experimental data should not be, and it is impossible to obtain from the vast number of consumers. We are not Shennongshi and do not taste the pride of a hundred herbs. We are also not mice and we have no obligation or courage to participate in the experiment of clothing companies. If a research scholar does not have a responsible attitude towards academic security, even if the academic achievement is big, it will be nothing more than an “academic scum”.

In fact, NPE is a polymer and is not a dangerous product in itself, but NPE will react to produce nonylphenol under certain conditions in the natural environment. This is an endocrine disruptor, carcinogen, and is called an "environmental hormone." Once released into the environment, it will remain in the environment for a long time and can enter the food chain.

As we all know, at present our country's consumers are paying more attention to product quality. In particular, food safety is currently the focus of all parties concerned, but there is still a serious lack of awareness of the quality of textile and apparel products, especially their residual toxic and harmful substances.

Traditionally, there are toxic substances in textile and clothing products. Generally, after the consumer wears or uses it, there are obvious symptoms such as skin rash and itching. However, it is a toxic substance like NPE that can lurk for a long time without obvious symptoms. The majority of consumers in our country do not understand, nor do they know the extent of their harm. According to the reporter’s visit, the NPE incident coincided with the student’s upcoming school start. Looking at all aspects of data, the sales of many well-known clothing brands involved in this matter have not been reduced, but have increased. This is of course related to this particular time. As soon as the school starts, many parents will purchase sports clothes for their children. However, the deep-seated reason is that the majority of consumers are not interested in the incident itself. Almost all parents who have been asked have said they have not heard of the incident, including the vast majority of sales staff who know little about the incident.

In order to ensure the softness, smoothness, wrinkle-resistance, and non-fading of finished clothes, relevant enterprises such as apparel fabrics will use dyes, softeners, and refining agents in the processing of raw materials. Most of the NPE ingredients are added, so NPE is likely to remain in the finished clothes. So are we doing anything in the face of NPE? In fact, there are already environmentally friendly "isomeric alcohol surfactants" that can replace NPE, but the price of this alternative is higher than that of NPE, and the use of this substance has higher requirements for the technical level of the manufacturers, most companies For cost and ease of operation, this alternative was not used.

This involves the deep-seated problems of social morality and product quality responsibility of a branded apparel company. As a first-line branded apparel, though, because of its brand appeal accumulated over many years, it has a strong publicity capability and long-term market share. Its clothing products have not been affected for a short period of time. But in the long run, the casting of clothing brands is like building a building. It takes time to build, but destroying a building does not take much time.

The first thing that can destroy branded clothing in a short time is the product quality. When consumers are still worrying about stalling their clothes and not buying them, branded clothes can't afford it. When he bought a branded garment under his blood book, he turned to Greenpeace’s report. It was found that the original branded clothing bought at high prices was toxic and had quality problems. It's not hard to imagine how sad he was at the time. I am afraid that since then it will be insulated from this brand of clothing products.

Branded apparel companies have always been benchmarks in the industry, but they still need to assume responsibility for employees, consumers, communities and the environment while creating profits. This is not only a clothing company but also the social responsibility of every one of us today. The NPE incident is undoubtedly a wake-up call to branded apparel companies. However, it also raises new issues for the relevant regulatory bodies in the textile and apparel industry. Is it possible to plan ahead and formulate relevant laws and regulations before the problem occurs? How to protect consumers' interests and security to the greatest extent is the most important issue that we should consider.