bluesign Helps Companies Save Resources & Establish Smarter Monitoring Systems: Barbara Oswald
Barbara Oswald, COO of Bluesign Technologies AG, was deeply impressed by the scale of Bharat Tex exhibition and diversity of India’s textile industry. “For me, it’s quite an honour to be here and see the immense capabilities of Indian textiles,” she stated.
bluesign plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with sustainability standards throughout the textile value chain. The company’s work begins with chemical suppliers, assessing not just the products but also the companies themselves. This ensures that only approved raw materials enter the production process, preventing harmful substances from affecting the final product. “Our core philosophy is input stream management, checking inputs right from the beginning so that the finished product meets the highest standards,” Oswald explained.
The company collaborates with over 100 global brands, predominantly in the outdoor sports sector, but is now expanding its focus to fashion and denim. Brands that work with Bluesign-certified suppliers often streamline their compliance processes, sometimes even eliminating redundant tests. “Even non-bluesign brands recognize our certification and may accept our assessment instead of conducting their own RSL testing,” she noted.
One of the most pressing concerns in the industry is whether sustainability certification increases costs for suppliers and, ultimately, consumers. Oswald acknowledged that there is a yearly fee, but emphasized that bluesign helps manufacturers reduce costs by optimizing resource use and implementing intelligent testing. “We help them save resources and establish smarter monitoring systems, ensuring they test only what’s necessary,” she said.
Bluesign’s certification also encompasses waste management, emissions and resource efficiency, aligning with principles of circularity. “Since we work from the chemical supplier level to the brand, our entire system inherently promotes circularity,” Oswald pointed out.
Compliance remains a major challenge for the textile industry, with an overwhelming number of certification schemes and brand-specific requirements. bluesign actively collaborates with other programmes to minimize the burden on manufacturers. “We support our customers by offering a free-of-charge HIGG verification and integrating other compliance measures to reduce redundant audits,” she added.
Reflecting on Bluesign’s participation at Bharat Tex, Oswald expressed satisfaction with the engagement and interest from industry stakeholders. “We’ve had great conversations and a strong response from customers,” she said, looking forward to further discussions in the remaining days of the exhibition.
