Textile giant Arvind Ltd has joined the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals across its supply chains by 2020. Arvind is the first Indian company to join such a move.

Another company to join the programme is TÜV Rheinland, a global provider of technical, safety, and certification services with its headquarters based in Cologne, Germany.

‘We are happy to join the ZDHC programme and are committed to the elimination of hazardous chemicals from the textile and footwear value-chain,” Abhishek Bansal, chief sustainability manager at Arvind, said.

The ZDHC programme is a collaboration of leading textile and footwear brands working to implement safer chemistry practices to protect consumers, workers and the environment.

Both the companies commit to working collaboratively on this task through active engagement with other brands, retailers and stakeholders, by joining the programme.