With the recent collaboration between bluesign and ZDHC, several of the chemistries developed by Bolger & O’Hearn Specialty Chemicals are now listed on the official ZDHC list of sustainable, approved textiles industry chemistries.

ZDHC is a global sustainability leader at the forefront of effectively phasing out hazardous substances from the supply chains serving the textiles, apparel, leather and footwear industries. The guidance documents and tools of ZDHC, such as the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (ZDHC MRSL), the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines and the ZDHC Gateway platform have become a major industry reference for holistic sustainable chemical management.

bluesign is now the first established Level 3 Accepted Certifier for ZDHC MRSL Conformance.

Chemistries developed by Bolger & O’Hearn that are now approved by bluesign and ZDHC include Stormproof/Breathable OmniBloq – an advanced DWR technology engineered to keep apparel dry and consumers comfortable, even when exposed to pounding wind and rain – and Altopel F3, an advanced fluorine-free water repellent.

“Bolger & O’Hearn has a long-standing commitment to environmentally preferably chemistry and we are excited to be associated with the force that the ZDHC brings to the outdoor industry,” said Shawn Honeycutt, Bolger & O’Hearn Sales Manager.

The team from Bolger & O’Hearn is exhibiting at Summer Outdoor Retailer in Denver, CO, this week, to meet and discuss how its new Stormproof/Breathable OmniBloq DWR technology can help brands provide stormproof performance apparel and gear for their consumers.

According to the company, its OmniBloq’s stormproof/breathable capabilities represent an entirely new DWR category for the performance industry. “Simply put, stormproof/breathable garments have been engineered to deflect heavy, wind-driven rain, yet are lightweight and allow perspiration to evaporate,” the company explains. Applied at the factory, this technology is now ZDHC-approved.

Founded in 1969, from its traditional beginnings in the textiles industry, Bolger & O’Hearn has expanded into paper coatings, nonwovens and other non-textile manufactured products, all of which find applications in a wide range of industries. Today its product line – totalling over 2,500 products – is sold and distributed globally. Committed to a zero-carbon future, B&O currently produces its products using renewable energy. The solar voltaic array on its facilities allow it to displace more than 100,000 pounds of carbon each year.

www.bolgerohearn.com