Duraflex Group (China),  is the first trims bluesign System Partner.  The company  produces trims and fasteners  and supplies buckles or trims to the outdoor industry, the fashion industry, marine sports, and other sectors.

One of the main benefits of working with bluesign is the ease with which the company can assess its supply chain.

In a six-year period, Duraflex, in partnership with Bluesign, has certified four of their factories that encompass all the major material inputs used in trims production. 

At Duraflex’s Shenzhen, China factory, energy use has been reduced by 60%, water use by about 20% and waste by about 40%.

Next Duraflex will work to get certification for their electroplating factory.  

Trims can have a strong impact on the usability of an item but are often not given any attention because they only comprise a small percentage of the final product, said bluesign in a statement.  However, since trims are produced on a massive scale to support the demands of our global economy, they can have a massive impact on the environment as they are ushered upstream throughout the manufacturing process.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that an estimated thirteen million workers in the U.S. alone are potentially exposed to chemicals that can enter the body through dermal (skin) absorption — the transport of a chemical from the outer surface of the skin and into the body — and can cause systemic toxicity and occupational skin diseases. Chemical agents cause this not only through direct contact, but also aerosol, immersion, and accidental splashes. Bluesign is looking to partner with companies to eliminate the hazards that can cause these occupational hazards to better protect supply chain workers.