The Lycra Company, a global leader in developing innovative fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and hygiene industries, announced today that several of its manufacturing sites have completed their Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and Higg Facility Social & Labor Module over the past year (Higg FSLM) self-assessments, verified by independent third parties, with upper quartile results.
The Lycra Company’s manufacturing sites in Waynesboro, Virginia, Maydown, Northern Ireland, and Foshan, China have completed verification of the Higg FEM module, while the Tuas, Singapore, and Maydown sites are undergoing verification of the Higg FSLM module backed up. A copy of the verified reports for Higg FEM and Higg FSLM can be requested at [email protected].
Higg FEM reviews air emissions, energy use, environmental management systems, effluent, waste, chemical management and water use. The six manufacturing sites of The Lycra Company have completed the self-assessment, with the three above sites receiving verification. The company’s goal is to have eighty percent of LYCRA® fiber production verified according to Higg FEM by 2024.
The Lycra Company strives to be an industry leader in sustainability by using reliable and independently verified data. The Higg Facilities Modules are widely used in the apparel industry to assess the environmental impact of manufacturing facilities, uncover opportunities for improvement and measure our progress against established baseline performance. Completion of the Higg Facilities Module drives behaviors that will become ingrained within our organization, enhance our sustainability culture and drive measurable change.
Higg FEM aligns with our goals in key areas, helping us improve our sustainability profile and act as a good corporate citizen. In addition, it supports two pillars of our Planet Agenda sustainability platform – corporate responsibility and manufacturing excellence.
The Lycra Company’s manufacturing sites in Tuas, Singapore and Maydown, Northern Ireland, have also completed third-party verification of their Higg FSLM, with top quartile results. The Higg FSLM Self-Assessment provides insight into social progress and working conditions at each site, including pay and health and safety, and identifies areas for continuous improvement.
Increasingly, our upstream and downstream customers are demanding independent certifications from suppliers like us that assess the environmental impact of their manufacturing facilities and social and labor practices in the workplace. The Higg Facility Tools are a must-have for today’s business because they allow us to keep track and be a responsible elastane producer.
The Lycra Company is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a non-profit alliance that developed the Higg Facility Tools. The global organization consists of over 280 players in the fashion industry.