ASICS announced a strategic partnership with Swiss Bluesign Technologies as the first Japanese brand to accelerate the use of sustainable materials and chemicals in its products.
This strategic partnership enables ASICS to utilize industry-leading Bluesign assessment tools for chemical management throughout its supply chain.
The Bluesign system provides ASICS with two valuable tools, the Bluefinder and Blueguide. With Bluefinder, suppliers can access a database of chemicals that have received Bluesign approval following a thorough analysis of hazards and risks, enabling them to effectively manage the chemicals they use and ensure sustainability. Blueguide supports ASICS with the selection of sustainable materials by providing access to a database of Bluesign approved fabrics, accessories and trims which are produced with safe chemicals at verified factories. These tools will be applied throughout the ASICS global supply chain.
Joji Yoshimoto, General Manager of the CSR Sustainability Department at ASICS, says, “ASICS is determined to further improve the sustainability of our products and supply chain by focusing on sustainable, high-quality and safe materials.”
ASICS has set sustainability targets it aims to achieve by 2020. One of the targets is to expand its supply chain management scope to include Tier 2 suppliers including material and trim suppliers. Joining Bluesign allows ASICS to work towards achieving these targets in a very efficient way, focusing on all issues related to Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) and chemical management in particular. Bluesign offers a very reliable framework for supplier certification that can ensure that EHS issues including chemicals are managed properly.