THE WOODLANDS, Texas—Huntsman Corp., an international chemical manufacturer, has secured third-party qualification, or bluesign status, for its Irogran thermoplastic polyurethane line.
The products—a total of 10 separate TPUs are within the Irogran portfolio—are manufactured by Huntsman Polyurethanes, one of the main business units for Huntsman Corp.
"Bluesign is a hallmark of quality that is actively changing the impact that textiles have on the planet, for good," said Anja Weismann, global materials and industry sustainability senior lead, global platform elastomers at Huntsman Polyurethanes. "Wherever you go in the world, bluesign is recognized as a stamp of trust and transparency.
"We are delighted our polyurethanes business has qualified so many products, building on our existing status as a bluesign system partner. At Huntsman we have long recognized the need for responsible and sustainable manufacturing across all markets in which we operate."
The bluesign-approved status means the line of products, which serves the textile and apparel industries, has met "strict eco- and toxicological criteria."
Specifically, the Irogran products offer processing, performance and comfort enhancements for underwear, sportswear and outdoor clothing.
For textile and apparel manufacturers, this third-party endorsement "can significantly reduce the amount of time and money they need to spend on researching products and testing samples to confirm their environmental credentials," Huntsman said in a July 1 release.
"As one of the most respected sustainability solutions providers that chemical companies, brands and their supply chain partners can work with globally, bluesign conducts strict on-site assessments of chemical manufacturers, examining the effectiveness of their product stewardship systems and conducting a rigorous assessment of their chemical products to ensure they are non-hazardous and produced sustainably," said Michael Sabo, head of chemical services at bluesign.
Huntsman said it is eyeing qualification of other lines for textile and apparel applications.
Huntsman Polyurethanes became a validated bluesign system partner in 2022.
