Apparel giant HanesBrands is introducing new EcoSmart items to its line-up as it explores demand for more environmentally-friendly products and production methods.
The changes are outlined in the company’s latest annual update on its use of renewable energy, total energy and carbon emissions – which shows it has reduced energy consumption by almost 22% percent since 2007, and shifted more than 40% of its energy to renewable resources.
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The Winston-Salem, North Carolina based business, whose brands include Hanes, Champion, Maidenform, Playtex, Wonderbra and Gear for Sports, voluntarily disclosed its carbon emissions and related information for the CDP 2019 Climate Change Report – formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project.
In a questionnaire on its climate-related impacts, it says its goals for 2020 aim to improve energy use intensity by 40%, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40%, increase use of renewable energy to 40%, and achieve zero waste by diverting from landfill all non-regulated waste from company-owned operations. The targets compare with a 2007 baseline.
“During the reporting year, we achieved our renewable energy goal two years early through increased investments in biomass-fired steam generation and a combined heat and power plant,” it says.
It also explains that: “Environmental responsibility means changing the way we make products and the nature of the products we make.”
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By GlobalDataAmong its products that are low-carbon or enable a third party to avoid GHG emissions, HanesBrands’ EcoSmart line features hoodies, socks, sweats and T-shirts made in part from recycled plastic bottles or recycled cotton.
“Across HanesBrands, our EcoSmart products kept the equivalent of 172,428,637 plastic bottles from the landfill in 2018. The use of recycled polyester saved 171,215 MMBTUs when comparing to 100% virgin PET and avoided greenhouse gas emissions of 5,770 MT CO2e.”
Last year HanesBrands manufactured products from raw materials that included 1,122,779 pounds of recycled cotton fibre. “The resultant cradle to gate CO2e savings from using recycled fibres in these products was 1,235 metric tons.
“The use of recycled fibre also reduces environmental impacts for growing cotton. This results in reductions in water used for irrigation, fertiliser (energy-intensive to produce), and herbicides, and requires no additional harvesting and ginning.”
The company also says that while it believes all products made in its company-owned supply chain are environmentally friendly choices “since they are manufactured in responsibly operated facilities,” it adds “we are currently introducing new products to market to gauge consumer interest in this trend in the apparel space.”
Areas being explored, it says, include low-impact dyes, fabrics with greater recycled content, and increasingly more energy and water efficient fabric manufacturing processes.
As reported on just-style last year, HanesBrands has invested millions of dollars in new technology and staff in El Salvador, where it is manufacturing a new lingerie line under its EcoSmart brand, that is sold online and in 40 Target stores within the US. The company is also making use of renewable energy in El Salvador and its packaging is 100% recyclable.
The CDP report notes HanesBrands has also constructed onsite biomass plants at its manufacturing facilities in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, enabling it to produce process steam and electricity leading to better management of costs versus grid electricity and market fuel prices.
For the last 10 years, HanesBrands has been recognised by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star awards – and says it remains the only apparel company to earn sustained excellence honours in the programme’s 27-year history.
“Our company is intensely focused on making significant strides each year to protect the environment we share and enhance our business competitiveness,” says Mike Faircloth, group president, global supply chain, information technology and e-commerce.
