{"id":12121,"date":"2018-06-18T13:36:32","date_gmt":"2018-06-18T17:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.tx.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=12121"},"modified":"2024-05-06T10:25:08","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T14:25:08","slug":"sustainability-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/2018\/06\/sustainability-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainability School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
By Cameron Walker and Jitong Li<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the spring of 2018, graduate students taught by <\/span>Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management<\/span><\/a> professor <\/span>Dr. Karen K. Leonas<\/span><\/a> partnered with industry leaders from <\/span>American & Efird<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>The Sustainability Consortium<\/span><\/a> to work on pressing sustainability concerns in the textile field. Through two separate projects, graduate students in TTM 591 sought solutions to problems in the areas of dyes and chemicals, packaging sustainability, recycling and wastewater. They learned along the way that although these challenges are complex and industry-wide, small groups of enthusiastic minds can make great strides toward change. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWorking with industry partners such as A&E, who are leaders in the area of sustainability, provides the students with an opportunity to work with industry professionals in addressing real industry challenges,\u201d said Leonas. \u201cThese opportunities and experiences are important and prepare our students to be industry ready upon graduation in their journey to become future industry leaders.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n American & Efird<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n American & Efird (A&E), one of the largest manufacturers of sewing and embroidery threads in the world, asked Leonas\u2019 students for help with the following challenges: developing an evaluation tool — a scorecard — through which the company can score packaging using sustainability metrics, assessing their current method for reviewing dyes and chemicals against customers\u2019 restricted substances list, and improving the separation and collection of recyclable items.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jimmy Summers, vice president of environmental health and safety and sustainability at American & Efird, introduced students to the project through an in-class presentation at the beginning of the semester. The class then took a field trip to tour the Mount Holly, NC, plant, where students met members of the management staff — many of whom are Wolfpack alumni.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n “A&E is committed to operating its business in a sustainable way because it is the right and ethical thing to do,\u201d said Summers. \u201cWe were very excited to host Dr. Leonas and her graduate Sustainability class this past semester as they visited our Mt. Holly facility and completed sustainability related projects for us.”<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve been given the Earth and its resources to enjoy, which requires taking care of it for future generations to be able to enjoy as much as we do.” – Textile Engineering graduate student Julia Kempf<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Master of Textiles<\/span><\/a> student Julia Kinney worked on the recycling project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough this project, I learned that being zero-waste-to-landfill is a great goal but doesn\u2019t necessarily mean the entire operation is environmentally friendly,\u201d said Kinney. \u201cI was, however, really encouraged to see that A&E wants to be zero-waste-to-landfill as well as cut down on the amount of trash going to the incinerator because of its effects on air quality and the overall carbon footprint of the company. The project as a whole showed me just how big of a word sustainability is; sustainability is important to me because I want to be an educated consumer and designer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Graduate student Xinyi Sun (<\/span>Master of Textiles<\/span>) also worked on the recycling project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSustainability is a must for companies nowadays,\u201d said Sun. \u201cIt\u2019s important to me since everyone is supposed to do their part to preserve the environment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lilah Halbkat, working toward her <\/span>Master of Science in Textiles<\/span><\/a>, volunteered for the packaging project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was very interesting to be able to tour the facility and see how the company handles their packaging and inventory systems,\u201d said Halbkat. \u201cI feel that the company is making great strides toward sustainability, which I feel is extremely important in the textile industry. (It) is important to me due to the huge impact our industry has on the planet and on every single person who interacts with clothing or textiles. Billions of people are involved in our industry in some way, shape or form, and it is imperative that we take responsibility for how we affect them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Master of Science in Textile Engineering<\/a> student Julia Kempf learned much during her work on the project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough the course and the project I\u2019ve learned that sustainability is multifaceted and complex,\u201d said Kempf. \u201cChange starts with education and using the scorecard will show A&E where improvements can be made…We\u2019ve been given the Earth and its resources to enjoy, which requires taking care of it for future generations to be able to enjoy as much as we do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sustainability Consortium<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a global nonprofit organization comprised of manufacturers, service providers, retailers, suppliers, academics, civil society organizations, governmental agencies and more who are working to develop more sustainable consumer goods. Leonas is co-chair of the organization\u2019s <\/span>Clothing, Footwear and Textiles<\/span><\/a> committee, which identified wastewater management as a key issue at its 2017 summit; the committee designated a task force to work on the problem, called the Wastewater Challenge Project, including members from <\/span>Wrangler<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>HanesBrands<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Fruit of the Loom<\/span><\/a> and others. Six students from TTM 591 assisted the task force on the project. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was thoroughly impressed with the contributions of the project team from <\/span>NC State<\/span><\/a> to our wastewater project,\u201d said Philip Henson, senior manager of energy and environmental sustainability at HanesBrands. \u201cThe Wastewater Challenge project is in its infancy stage and has the potential to reshape the treatment of textile water discharge in areas of the world that are most impacted by poor treatment practices and direct wastewater discharge. The team was given the difficult task of researching the landscape of current treatment practices and synthesizing tons of data for presentation to an audience of industry experts. I was proud of the NC State team for their involvement in the project; they met the challenge and delivered a very professional presentation at The Sustainability Consortium\u2019s 2018 Summit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Students met with Leonas frequently to share information and set goals. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe opportunity for our students to participate in the development of the TSC WasteWater Toolkit, Phase 1, allowed them to use their research skills and textile knowledge in the investigation of the state of the industry; related standards, regulations and certifications; state-of-the-art technology used on wastewater treatment and other related world issues,\u201d said Leonas. \u201cThey worked closely with industry thought leaders in this area.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n During these meetings, they communicated with Dr. Sarah Lewis, <\/span>senior director of innovation with The Sustainability Consortium. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDr. Leonas and her team were excellent to work with,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cThey created an initial landscape analysis for our project in improving wastewater treatment in the textiles industry, examining the regions where textiles clusters exist, the types of regulations and standards in place in those regions, the types of training materials available to various audiences in the textiles industry, as well as the initiatives that are actively working to address this issue. As a result of their work, we\u2019ve been able to build out a more in-depth plan for the project that will enable the group to further investigate the factors that lead to wastewater treatment and non-treatment in the industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Students also met in person with Roian Atwood, task force member and director of sustainability for Wrangler Jeanswear, and several group members traveled to the 2018 TSC summit in Chicago in early May.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis project is massive,\u201d said Kinney. \u201cI am learning so much about water in general, but also about the ways in which different companies, countries and global regions treat wastewater from textile plants. You might think there is one solution or standard but that is so far from the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Master of Textiles student Mariah Parker volunteered for the wastewater project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFrom my research on the TSC project, I discovered some of the inconsistencies in the standards, regulations and certifications in the textile and apparel industry,\u201d said Parker. \u201cThis discovery taught me about the importance of collaboration within the textile industry, especially with sustainability…What we do with our clothes today determines our quality of life in the future.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Master of Science in Textiles student Jacqueline Sewell also worked on the TSC project; she was struck by the enormity of the challenge of treating wastewater.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is great global disparity in wastewater treatment and there is no platform to go to which will educate a person on why to treat wastewater, the benefits of treating (it), the investment and return, the equipment need…as well as the expertise and a general how-to guide on how to treat wastewater,\u201d said Sewell. \u201cWhile the situation is a negative one, I feel optimistic about my future role in the industry. This project and class has impacted and changed my views greatly and I now feel equipped to make an impact on the sustainability of the textile industry in my professional career.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n By Cameron Walker and Jitong Li<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the spring of 2018, graduate students taught by <\/span>Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management<\/span><\/a> professor <\/span>Dr. Karen K. Leonas<\/span><\/a> partnered with industry leaders from <\/span>American & Efird<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>The Sustainability Consortium<\/span><\/a> to work on pressing sustainability concerns in the textile field. Through two separate projects, graduate students in TTM 591 sought solutions to problems in the areas of dyes and chemicals, packaging sustainability, recycling and wastewater. They learned along the way that although these challenges are complex and industry-wide, small groups of enthusiastic minds can make great strides toward change. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWorking with industry partners such as A&E, who are leaders in the area of sustainability, provides the students with an opportunity to work with industry professionals in addressing real industry challenges,\u201d said Leonas. \u201cThese opportunities and experiences are important and prepare our students to be industry ready upon graduation in their journey to become future industry leaders.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n American & Efird<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n American & Efird (A&E), one of the largest manufacturers of sewing and embroidery threads in the world, asked Leonas\u2019 students for help with the following challenges: developing an evaluation tool -- a scorecard -- through which the company can score packaging using sustainability metrics, assessing their current method for reviewing dyes and chemicals against customers\u2019 restricted substances list, and improving the separation and collection of recyclable items.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jimmy Summers, vice president of environmental health and safety and sustainability at American & Efird, introduced students to the project through an in-class presentation at the beginning of the semester. The class then took a field trip to tour the Mount Holly, NC, plant, where students met members of the management staff -- many of whom are Wolfpack alumni.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \"A&E is committed to operating its business in a sustainable way because it is the right and ethical thing to do,\u201d said Summers. \u201cWe were very excited to host Dr. Leonas and her graduate Sustainability class this past semester as they visited our Mt. Holly facility and completed sustainability related projects for us.\"<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve been given the Earth and its resources to enjoy, which requires taking care of it for future generations to be able to enjoy as much as we do.\" - Textile Engineering graduate student Julia Kempf<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Master of Textiles<\/span><\/a> student Julia Kinney worked on the recycling project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough this project, I learned that being zero-waste-to-landfill is a great goal but doesn\u2019t necessarily mean the entire operation is environmentally friendly,\u201d said Kinney. \u201cI was, however, really encouraged to see that A&E wants to be zero-waste-to-landfill as well as cut down on the amount of trash going to the incinerator because of its effects on air quality and the overall carbon footprint of the company. The project as a whole showed me just how big of a word sustainability is; sustainability is important to me because I want to be an educated consumer and designer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Graduate student Xinyi Sun (<\/span>Master of Textiles<\/span>) also worked on the recycling project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSustainability is a must for companies nowadays,\u201d said Sun. \u201cIt\u2019s important to me since everyone is supposed to do their part to preserve the environment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lilah Halbkat, working toward her <\/span>Master of Science in Textiles<\/span><\/a>, volunteered for the packaging project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was very interesting to be able to tour the facility and see how the company handles their packaging and inventory systems,\u201d said Halbkat. \u201cI feel that the company is making great strides toward sustainability, which I feel is extremely important in the textile industry. (It) is important to me due to the huge impact our industry has on the planet and on every single person who interacts with clothing or textiles. Billions of people are involved in our industry in some way, shape or form, and it is imperative that we take responsibility for how we affect them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Master of Science in Textile Engineering<\/a> student Julia Kempf learned much during her work on the project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough the course and the project I\u2019ve learned that sustainability is multifaceted and complex,\u201d said Kempf. \u201cChange starts with education and using the scorecard will show A&E where improvements can be made...We\u2019ve been given the Earth and its resources to enjoy, which requires taking care of it for future generations to be able to enjoy as much as we do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sustainability Consortium<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a global nonprofit organization comprised of manufacturers, service providers, retailers, suppliers, academics, civil society organizations, governmental agencies and more who are working to develop more sustainable consumer goods. Leonas is co-chair of the organization\u2019s <\/span>Clothing, Footwear and Textiles<\/span><\/a> committee, which identified wastewater management as a key issue at its 2017 summit; the committee designated a task force to work on the problem, called the Wastewater Challenge Project, including members from <\/span>Wrangler<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>HanesBrands<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Fruit of the Loom<\/span><\/a> and others. Six students from TTM 591 assisted the task force on the project. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n