Nilit, a producer of high-quality nylon 6.6 for apparel and owner of the Sensil sustainable brand, published its sustainability report covering 2017-2020.
The report, “Making Nylon Sustainable,” details the company’s achievements to improve its environmental footprint and its plans to positively influence the textile and apparel industry to choose more sustainable products and use them in more responsible ways.
“Sustainability is a core value at Nilit,” Ilan Melamed, general manager of the company, said. “We are dedicated to providing the most consumer-relevant, highest quality and most sustainable premium nylon 6.6 products to the apparel market. To attain this goal, we continually invest in operations and product development, leveraging our partnerships throughout the supply chain. Making Nylon Sustainable captures our vision and our commitment to environmental and social responsibility, and we are very pleased to make this public statement.”
The sustainability report covers how through collaboration with brands, retailers, customers, employees and vendors, Nilit has developed the largest portfolio of sustainable premium nylon 6.6 products under its Senssil consumer brand. The Sensil portfolio includes performance products that directly address the apparel industry’s most pressing environmental issues, such as water and energy consumption, waste reduction, use of recycled inputs and impact to ecosystems.
Nilit’s sustainability achievements in its facilities around the world include innovations in clean energy cogeneration that reduced CO2 by 40 percent and eliminated emissions of toxic gases. In addition, the Nilit Total Product Sustainability program ensures that all Nilit products meet stringent criteria for responsible production.
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The company also introduced QR Codes in all Sensil hangtags. Produced with FSC paper and distributed on certified garments from brands worldwide, these hangtags guarantee authenticity and provide more information to consumers about the technologies and benefits of premium nylon.
“Our industry’s journey toward sustainability relies on creativity, commitment, and partnership,” Melamed said. “Our vision is to be the world’s most innovative and sustainable nylon producer, creating solutions that transform businesses, as well as lives. By publishing this report, we openly share this idea with all our stakeholders and invite our industry colleagues to join us in this crucial endeavor.”
The company, founded in Israel in 1974, has four vertically integrated manufacturing facilities and global offices serving its customer base in EMEA, Asia, LATAM and North America. Located in Israel, China, the United States and Brazil, the plants preserve water through recycling, new cooling and filtration recovery procedures, and reverse osmosis, while working to lessen water use in production, according to the report.
The facilities focus on efficient use of energy to fuel production, with an emphasis on clean energy sources, energy recycling and other innovative approaches, such as onsite co-generation, to minimize dependence on non-renewable sources.
“Recycling and repurposing effluents and reducing emissions will lessen our burden on the environment and shrink our carbon footprint,” Nilit said in the report. “With zero process waste as the immediate goal, we will minimize pollution and waste by reducing, recycling, reusing and repurposing. We will select and manage our material and chemical inputs carefully, emphasizing those that are clean, recycled, recyclable and non- toxic to employees, customers and the environment.”
Nilit said product lifespan is vital to its core mission. The company’s research and development efforts are aimed at adding additional performance attributes such as the high-elasticity functionality that will make fabrics more sustainable, reducing elements such as elastin to make the fabrics recyclable.
“All our performance, fashion and well-being products are incredibly strong and long-lasting, with embedded properties within the yarn, such as Sensil Innergy infused with revitalizing minerals; Sensil BodyFresh, with a silver-based additive that prevents the bacteria growth, and Sensil Breeze refreshing properties,” Nilit said. “Premium quality, easy-care, long-lasting products can help reverse the escalating rate of clothing disposal.”
Nilit is also developing technologies for mechanical recycling to provide recycled yarn from post-consumer nylon waste, and for biodegradable nylon.