ifoam'96 Book of Abstracts 11th IFOAM Scientific Conference 11-15 August 1996, Copenhagen, Denmark

ECOWEB FRONT PAGE SUBJECT INDEX AUTHOR INDEX

Posters

Standards and Regulations for Textile Production. P1; 34

Institute for Organic Farming, University of Agricultural Sciences, A-1180 Vienna

The market for so called »natural textiles« is growing in Austria. More and more consumers are becoming interested in »healthy« clothing as well as in organically produced food. Green shops, mail order companies and big textile markets sell »natural textiles«. Textiles are advertised as »ecological«, »controlled«, »certified«, »natural« and even »organic«. For the consumer these products seem to be produced and processed in an ecologically sound and sustainable way. The analysis of labels, of production of raw materials, of processing of fibres and of dyeing, show, that many labels in Austria do not fulfil the necessary criteria to be called organic. The situation can be compared with the so called »grey market« or confusing labelling of organic food before 1991, since when EU-Regulation 2092/91 has set clear guidelines for production and labelling of organic produce. Raw materials for textiles, should have to be produced following the regulations for organic agriculture before they are permitted to be labelled as »ecological« or using any of the other terms noted above. Furthermore processing must fulfil strict criteria. Therefore, the activities of AKN (Arbeitskreis Naturtextil) and SKAL to develop standards, that certify producers and processors should be supported by the international organic movement. Regulations for organic textiles should be established as part of the regulation 2092/91.

Arbeitskreis Naturtextil ed. (1993 & 1995): Ökologie und Bekleidung, Deutscher Fachverlag, Frankfurt/Main.

Heger, E. (1996): Eine Frage der Perspektive. Umweltschutz in der deutschen Textilindustrie. Politische Oekologie, Nr. 45, vol. 14, 45-48.

Voss, C. (1995): Kann denn Mode oeko sein. Einkaufsleitfaden Naturtextilien. Wissenschaftsladen, Bonn.