The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative fibre and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, has announced that several of its manufacturing sites had their Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and Higg Facility Social & Labour Module (Higg FSLM) self-assessments verified by an independent third party last year and achieved scores in the top quartile.

The LYCRA Company’s manufacturing sites in Waynesboro, Virginia; Maydown, Northern Ireland; and Foshan, China, completed verification for the Higg FEM module, while its Tuas, Singapore, and Maydown sites completed verification for the Higg FSLM module.

The LYCRA Company has announced that several of its manufacturing sites achieved high scores in the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and Higg Facility Social & Labour Module (Higg FSLM) self-assessments verified by an independent third party. The Higg FEM reviews air emissions, energy use, wastewater, waste, chemical management and water usage.

Higg FEM reviews air emissions, energy use, environmental management systems, wastewater, waste, chemical management and water usage. The LYCRA Company’s six manufacturing sites have completed the self-assessment, with the three sites mentioned above securing verification. The company’s goal is to have sites representing 80 per cent of LYCRA fibre production to be Higg FEM verified by 2024.

“The LYCRA Company strives to be an industry leader for sustainability by utilising credible and independently verified data,” said Alan McElreavey, operations sustainability programme manager at The LYCRA Company. “The Higg Facilities modules are widely used within the apparel industry to assess the environmental impact of manufacturing facilities, to uncover opportunities for improvement, and to measure our progress against established baseline performance. Completing the Higg facility modules drives behaviours that become embedded in our company, enhancing our sustainability culture and creating measurable change.”

“Higg FEM is aligned with our goals in key impact areas and helps us improve our sustainability profile and operate as a good corporate citizen,” said Hector Chapa, business integration manager at The LYCRA Company. “It also supports two pillars of our Planet Agenda sustainability platform—corporate responsibility and manufacturing excellence.”

The LYCRA Company’s Tuas, Singapore and Maydown, Northern Ireland manufacturing sites also completed third-party verification of their Higg FSLM, both with scores in the top quartile. The Higg FSLM self-assessment provides insights into social progress and labour conditions at each site, including compensation and health and safety, and identifies areas for continuous improvement, the company said in a press release.

“Our upstream and downstream customers are increasingly asking suppliers like us to provide independent certifications that assess the environmental impact of their facilities, as well as social and labor practices in the workplace,” said Kok Beng Chew, Asia Pacific regional operations director. “The Higg Facility Tools are a must-have for business today because they enable us to stay on track and be a responsible spandex producer.”

The LYCRA Company is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a non-profit alliance that developed the Higg Facility Tools. The global organisation consists of over 280 stakeholders in the fashion industry.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)