Pendleton and Sustainability
History – Where we started
Pendleton is a heritage brand, with a weaving legacy that stretches back to 1863. Wool is valuable and it has always been important to make the most of this precious resource. In the early years of the mill, certain blanket programs were developed to use remnants from dye lots and the tail ends of yarn spools. Our Camp Blankets were originally made from card waste, the unspun fibers that were cleaned out of the carding machines at the end of a run. Today, these blankets are thoroughly planned and absolutely standardized, but for decades their variations in ground were based on the mix of fibers available from the carding operation.
Today – Where we are now
For more than a century of weaving in America, Pendleton has found ways to make sure that very little wool is wasted in our mills. Numerous technical innovations for reducing mill waste have been implemented over the decades, but some innovations are time-honored, like the “Weaver’s Choice” blankets in our stores. These vary from day to day, as our loom operators have creative freedom to combine yarns in stripes of their own devising to use up excess yarns from other blanket runs.
At our Woolen Mill Store in Portland, trimmings, scraps, and selvages are sold by the pound and bag for use in craft projects. Mill waste is given a second life in weavings, rugs, and other creative endeavors. We do our best to live up the example set by the generations that came before.
Tomorrow – Where we’re going
Sustainability is more than eliminating waste, and it is a key part of Pendleton’s mission. In recent news, both of Pendleton’s USA woolen mills have earned OEKO-TEX® STeP (21001295 Hohenstein HTTI) and OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (22.HUS.63569 Hohenstein HTTI) certification. These certifications were awarded after comprehensive analysis and assessment of our chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, worker health and safety, social responsibility and quality management. Each component of any OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified product has been tested against a list of over 1,000 harmful substances. You can learn more about the certification process at http://www.oeko-tex.com
These are milestones on our path to certified sustainability for all our mill products. The process for certification is long and requirements are stringent. We continue to do our utmost to meet and surpass sustainability standards.
QUESTIONS
WHAT IS OEKO-TEX?
Based in Zurich, OEKO-TEX® consists of 17 independent institutes in Europe and Japan. They have been around since 1992, and operate in 40 countries. Together they are continuously developing test methods and establishing values for the textile and leather industry. Their mission is to create trust in textiles, and they are one of the best-known labels certifying responsible manufacturing.
WHAT ABOUT PENDLETON ECO-WISE® WOOL?
In 2011, in response to customer requests for sustainable-certified fabrics, we developed Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool®. We worked with another agency at that time to certify that both product and production passed strict standard of sustainability and stewardship. The best way to explain it? If you were to bury a Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool® blanket, it would leave the earth better, not worse, for the addition. This is now true of all fabrics woven in our mills.
WHAT ABOUT COTTON PRODUCTS?
We are often asked why we don’t weave cotton products (towels, blankets, throws) in our mills. We operate woolen mills, not cotton mills. The two processes are very different. Pendleton’s cotton products carrying the OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN label are produced in responsible workplaces. Purchase them with confidence that they are traceable and tested for harmful substances. No matter where we source our products, we strive for sustainability.
ARE PENDLETON’S DYES ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
The short answer is, yes. The long answer is, our industry-standard dyestuffs and auxiliaries are specifically designed for our application. They are applied in a safe and effective manner that meets the standards for OEKO-TEX standard for green chemistry.
WHAT ABOUT THE WASHABLE WOOL TREATMENT?
To enable home laundering of the woolen fabrics used in our washable Umatilla Wool shirts and washable bed blankets, we apply a polymer resin that prevents felting without the harmful process of chlorination. We test to 5 cycles to make sure our wash-treated products meet shrinkage tolerances. Technically, this resin will last the lifetime of the garment, but like any treatment it will weaken over time. All chemical additives are approved to the OEKO-TEX standard for green chemistry and are the best available technologies for the application.