Kingpins partners with ZDHC for new sustainability standards

By

Robin Driver

Published
Apr 8, 2019

Having implemented a first round of mandatory social responsibility standards for its exhibitors in February, denim trade show Kingpins Show’s organizers announced on Monday that it is collaborating with The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation on a further set of environmentally focused regulations.

 
The new standards will focus on sustainable chemical management and will apply to denim mills and laundries wishing to exhibit at Kingpins’ Amsterdam show from 2020.
 
The show’s organizers explained that they are introducing the regulations as they believe that applying a unified approach to certification and evaluation tests of chemical substances throughout the denim supply chain will not only increase transparency in the industry and improve communication but also reduce costs.

“The expanded collaboration with Kingpins enables a most effective uptake and impact of chemical management practices and innovations across the denim industry”, said Christina Raab, ZDHC global implementation director, in a release. “We are excited about the visionary move by the Kingpins Show to set exhibition requirements along global industry standards. This bold step will further drive the adoption and implementation of ZDHC as a harmonised and forefront approach to environmental performance in the denim supply chain.”
 
The ZDHC Foundation currently works with some 125 contributors from around the globe and seeks to drive the adoption of sustainable chemistry in the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industries, by both pushing innovation and encouraging best practice at all levels of these sectors.
 
As part of the collaboration with Kingpins, the foundation will run a booth at the denim trade show’s next Amsterdam event from April 10 through 11, providing information about new developments, technologies and tools in the field of sustainable chemical management.

Similarly to the social standards introduced earlier this year, the new sustainability regulations are currently only being implemented at Kingpins' twice-yearly Amsterdam shows, although plans for their expansion to the trade fair's other global events do exist. 

Kingpins also organizes a biannual show in New York and annual shows in Hong Kong and China.