LATHAM, N.Y. (8-December 2014) – PrimaLoft, Inc., the world leader in providing comfort solutions with high-performance insulations and fabrics, announced it has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and will use the group’s sustainability measurement tool, the Higg Index, to drive environmental responsibility across its supply chain.
With its membership in the SAC, PrimaLoft joins more than 140 global brands, retailers and manufacturers, as well as government, non-profit environmental organizations, and academic institutions, which are collectively committed to improving supply chain sustainability in the apparel and footwear industries.
In its relationship with the SAC, PrimaLoft will contribute both data and resources to support the Higg Index, which gauges environmental sustainability and drives supply chain decision-making to better efficiency and sustainability impact. The Higg Index is an open source, indicator-based tool that allows suppliers, manufacturers, brands and retailers to evaluate materials, products, facilities and processes based on environmental and product design choices.
“Ensuring that our products and business practices are as eco-friendly as possible is very important to us, so we work every day to instill this sustainable assurance and expectation with our 700 brand partners globally and to the end consumer,” said Mike Joyce, president and CEO of PrimaLoft. “We are pleased to be joining the SAC, and are confident it will have a positive impact on product sustainability over time, while becoming a model for how industries can collaborate in making a positive impact on value chain performance.”
“We welcome the addition of PrimaLoft to the Coalition, and look forward to their participation in this industry-wide effort in sustainability, “ said Coalition Executive Director Jason Kibbey. “Having PrimaLoft as part of the Coalition widens the scope of our impact within the apparel industry and accelerates the change we’re making towards responsible industry actions.”
There are currently more than 140 members of the SAC, the majority of which are global brands and retailers including: adidas, C&A, Gap, H&M, JC Penney, Kohl’s, Levi’s, L.L. Bean, Macy’s, Nike, Nordstrom, Puma, REI, Target, and VF Corporation. More information on SAC, the complete Higg Index, and a full list of members can be found at www.apparelcoalition.org.
About PrimaLoft, Inc.
PrimaLoft, Inc., a materials science company based in Latham, New York with offices in Germany and Italy, is the world leader in research and innovative development of comfort solutions with high performance insulations and fabrics. The PrimaLoft® brand, a registered trademark of PrimaLoft, Inc., delivers feel-good products that are used in the top global outdoor and fashion brands, home furnishings, work wear, hunting and military applications. PrimaLoft® insulation was originally developed for the U.S. army as a water-resistant, synthetic alternative to down. Today, the brand is recognized as a benchmark in the outdoor industry for providing unsurpassed comfort in any condition, ultimately empowering users to stay in the moment. PrimaLoft, Inc. is active in sustainable textile production through partnerships with the bluesign® system, the International OEKO-TEX® Association and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index. For more information, please visit primaloft.com, and follow PrimaLoft on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PrimaLoft®, Feel the Performance™
About the Sustainable Apparel Coalition:
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition, representing more than one-third of the global apparel and footwear industries, was formed by sustainability leaders and leading environmental and social organizations to address current social and environmental challenges. Recognizing that improved supply chain practices are both a business imperative and an opportunity, the Coalition seeks to lead a shared vision of industry supply chain sustainability through the creation and use of the Higg Index. In measuring and evaluating apparel and footwear product sustainability performance through the Higg Index, the Coalition aims to spotlight priorities for action and opportunities for technological innovation.