The corporate drive to replace hazardous chemicals in textile products and supply chains with safer alternatives are increasing. To facilitate this drive, chemicals expert NGO ChemSec launched the Marketplace this spring – a web-based platform where chemical companies can advertise its safer alternatives towards downstream users and brands.

Recently a growing number of large chemical suppliers in the textile sector have joined the Marketplace initiative. Huntsman, DyStar and Chemours are all advertising alternatives that fulfills industry standards like GOTS, Bluesign and the ZDHC mRSL and that can replace well-known problematic chemicals like PFCs and various chrome dyes.

“I can instantly spot a number of potential game-changers among the new Marketplace ads, as several of them present alternatives to “politically hot” chemicals – all of which pose serious threats to human health and the environment. And since many textile brands have understood the urgency related to substitution of these chemicals, we encourage all producers of alternatives to create ads on the Marketplace”, says Dr. Anna Lennquist, Senior Toxicologist and Marketplace Project Manager at ChemSec.

Franz Gruener, Global Marketing Manager at Huntsman Textile Effects, made the following statement about Huntsman’s sustainability commitment and ChemSec’s Marketplace. 

“At Huntsman Textile Effects,operating responsibly is important to ensure a long-term sustainable future for our business, associates and investors. Product stewardship applies throughout the product life cycle, from design and development to recycling, reuse and disposal. 

ChemSec’s Marketplace is an excellent platform to communicate and offer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in the industry. The opportunity to share our newest developments helps us to reach potential customers who realize the need to implement chemical legislation in their day-to-day operations to serve their clients in a compliant manner. “

About the Marketplace

The Marketplace is a business-to-business platform, announced by the nonprofit ChemSec (International Chemicals Secretariat) in the spring of 2017, as a new way to advertise safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals. The Marketplace resembles other user-created content websites. Just like eBay, craigslist or Airbnb, you create your own ads – showing everybody that you either have an alternative to sell or that you are looking to buy one.