Page 46 - Sustainability Report 2019

RATTI FOR RESPONSIBILITY
CHAPTER 4 | Ratti’s environmental commitment
The natural colours used
in printing derive from animal
and vegetable extracts used
in the food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industry, following
a process that envisages
an ad hoc formulation
for each extract.
The new ecosustainable fabrics added by Ratti in 2019 regard the viscose range with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification.
This guarantees the provenance of fibres from responsibly managed forests. The various proposals include a version with Ecovero, a cellulose fibre that involves the total recycling of solvents during the production phases. With regard to nylon type there is QNOVA, which is nylon recycled from spinning scraps and is GRS (Global Recycle Standard) certified, and Evo, a high-tech yarn that is bio-based and produced from caster-oil plant seeds.
Dyes and chemicals,
the new frontier of sustainability
For all its fabric products, Ratti is committed to reducing the quantity of substances used, through ad hoc research projects and the implementation of cutting-edge experimental projects which challenge standards of production in the textile sector.
As far as fabric ennoblement processes are concerned, the most significant development for Ratti’s 2019 offer
is natural dyes: a natural yarn dye used to create yarn- dyed woollen articles, together with natural printing dyes used to create articles in printed silk.
The yarn dye used in the range of yarn-dyed woollen articles is completely natural, of vegetable origin, and is made following eco-compatible processes, paying attention to the management of chemical products. The advantages of this natural dyeing process are, first and foremost, its biodegradability, its low toxicity and the absence of allergic skin reactions. The yarns produced
are available in an original and wide-ranging colour card, which ranges from sandalwood to blueberry, touching the tonality of turmeric and liquorice, presenting, at
the same time, good characteristics of resistance and robustness to washing and to light exposure.
The natural colours used in printing derive from animal and vegetable extracts used in the food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industry, following a process that envisages an ad hoc formulation for each extract. It is silk, the base on which all tests have been carried out which have produced good results in terms of appearance and uniformity of tone.
In addition, 2019 saw the elimination of the EDTA sequestering agent, a chelating compound known for its low biodegradability which can lead to it accumulating in wastewater. In order to achieve continuous improvement in the management of chemical products and dyes, 2019
also saw the implementation of software used to manage compliance with the Manufacturing Restricted Substance
List of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals.
This was achieved by adding to the management system a section dedicated to this information, as well as to security and technical profiles, and all the other ecotoxicological information for the supplier (see also the box “ZDHC, the international programme for eliminating harmful chemical substances”).
Careful management
of discharges
With regard to the quality of wastewater, Ratti SpA monitors its parameters,
carrying out three-monthly analyses of the water, in addition to the twice-yearly analyses required by the Autorizzazione Unica Ambientale (single environmental authorisation).
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