You may have seen bluesign® on the tag of some of your favorite outdoor gear, but what is it? We’re breaking down what bluesign® means, why ENO became a system partner, and why you should invest in goods that are bluesign® APPROVED.

What is bluesign®? 

bluesign® is a sustainability standard. It looks at a product's entire supply chain and ensures that there is a minimal negative impact on people and the planet. 

Through on-site assessments, input stream management, and chemical inventory verification, the bluesign® team uses a holistic approach together with their system partners, including brands, manufacturers, and chemical suppliers, to develop unique solutions to improve environmental performance, working conditions, and resource consumption to create the highest level of safety for people, planet and consumers.

By encouraging social responsibility, environmentally aware and safe production, conservation of natural resources, and a high level of product safety, the bluesign® SYSTEM represents a substantial part of corporate responsibility.

What does bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER mean?

bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNERS are brands, chemical suppliers, factories, and any other parties and organizations involved throughout the manufacturing process that are focused on reducing their impact on people and the environment. Partners are required to set measurable and actionable goals leading to a reduction in impact on people and the planet.

Becoming a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER is designed for brands who truly understand the power of reducing environmental impact. System partners like ENO may use bluesign® trademarks to communicate their commitment to sustainability with suppliers, supply chain partners, and consumers.

Other benefits of being a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER:

• Guarantees the safe use of textile and related products by removing hazardous chemicals before they enter the supply chain
• Provides a comprehensive and continuously verified safe chemical list for all textile applications to avoid regrettable substitutions when changing hazardous chemicals in production
• Performs a comprehensive risk analysis based on on-site visits for textile and chemical companies aimed at continuous improvement.
• Provides a rating for textile companies to demonstrate their achievement on sustainable development
• Provides custom roadmaps for chemical and textile companies for more sustainable production methods designed to save natural resources and provide effective management
• Provides a transparent digital gateway to select consumer-friendly and more sustainable textiles for brands
• Is currently recognized as the only exhaustive solution for textile chemical management
• On-site assessments are required to become a system partner and re-assessments are done every 2-3 years; exclusion criteria exist

What is sustainable chemistry? 

Sustainable chemistry is a holistic concept that strives to remediate and/or minimize negative impacts and enhance positive impacts on the environment, economy, and society (including the protection of human rights), throughout the life cycle of a chemical product. 

Sustainable chemicals are designed for the circular economy, accelerate the use of sustainable feedstocks, increase resource efficiency in downstream applications, and contribute to the longevity of consumer products while avoiding inherent properties that are harmful to human health and the environment. 

• bluesign® makes sure safe chemicals are used from the very first stage of textile production, and throughout the entire textile supply chain, through the Input Stream Management system
• bluesign® is built on a chemical inventory and management database from over 20 years of research
• bluesign® experts help partners navigate their chemical usage and offer trusted transparency for brands and consumers

What is bluesign® APPROVED fabric?

bluesign® APPROVED fabric is material that is certified by bluesign® as meeting all strict safety and environmental requirements of bluesign® CRITERIA. This criteria, the highest level of consumer safety, ensures that the material is produced with a minimal impact on people and the environment, and is made from approved chemical products and raw materials.

Why did ENO decide to become a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER?

ENO initially began working with bluesign® in 2018 to conduct the rigorous bluesign® Brand Assessment. The assessment covered a wide range of topics including ENO’s vision for sustainability, our supply chain management and compliance, materials and product compliance, chemicals management, brand reporting and communications, supplier occupational health and safety, social responsibility, and beyond. From that point, a Gap Analysis was conducted to identify areas of priority and opportunities for continuous improvement.  

In 2020, ENO officially became a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER. At that time, we completed an updated Brand Assessment and conducted a refined Gap Analysis. For the past 5 years, ENO has been following a road map to continuously improve all facets of our product impact and sustainability efforts.

To put it simply

bluesign® helps ensure goods are made with people and the planet in mind. As a hammock company, we need to do our part to protect the world around us so we can recreate for generations to come. This is just the beginning of our sustainability journey, and we are excited to continue to refine and improve our product creation process. To learn more visit the bluesign® website.