Client says:
RESET has developed a service tailor-made for our project, target audience and budget. Their commitment to NRDC’s goals, strong understanding of the marketplace and robust on-the-ground technical skills make them an innovative and reliable partner in our ongoing work on supply chain sustainability issues.
Linda Greer, Director, Health and Environment Program, NRDC.
Challenge:
NRDC, one of the most influential US NGOs is focused on working with international brands and suppliers to improve the environmental performance of their supply chains.
NRDC’s Responsible Sourcing Initiative (RSI) supported by a number of major brands including H&M, Levis, Target, Walmart and Gap, is focused on demonstrating a range of common technical best practice measures for dye mills in the textile supply chain in China.
NRDC was seeking a technical partner to carry out technical assessments in Chinese dye mills and to support the engagement of brands and suppliers.
Solution
RESET worked with NRDC to design a ‘Rapid Assessment’ methodology that could be deployed quickly across a portfolio of mills, and provide robust technical insights into the energy and water saving opportunities and in particular evaluate the potential for NRDC’s ’10 best practices’ – a suite of cost effective and easily implementable opportunities that are common to many facilities.
RESET then deployed this approach across nearly 20 dye mills in China and helped NRDC build a detailed database of the energy and water saving opportunities, and the return on investment of these measures.
High value technical approaches include improved metering, insulation, steam system and compressed air system maintenance programs, waste heat and water recycling projects. Significant savings are commonly found with paybacks under 12 - 18 months.
RESET continues to work with NRDC and the participating brands on supporting individual mills to implement the recommendations of the project.