Universal Fibers® Announces C2C Certified Material Health Certificate™ for Thrive® matter
In a significant development for sustainable material innovation, Universal Fibers, Inc., part of Universal Fiber Systems, LLC and a global leader in the production of high-quality, solution-dyed synthetic filament-based fibers, announced that its Thrive® nylon 6 fiber has been awarded the Cradle to Cradle Certified Material Health Certificate™ at both Silver and Gold levels. This achievement, verified by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, marks the first instance of any fiber receiving this certificate under the Institute’s rigorous new Version 4 standard, making Thrive® nylon 6 fiber a part of an elite group of only 74 products across various industries to have secured the Version 4 certification to date.
As described in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® (C2C Certified®) Product Standard Version 4.0, Material Health certification indicates that “Chemicals and materials used in the product are selected to prioritize the protection of human health and the environment, generating a positive impact on the quality of materials available for future use and cycling.”
To meet these levels of certification, 100% of the materials that comprise Thrive® matter nylon 6 fiber have been assessed and found to be optimized for material health both in terms of optimal substances it does contain, undesirable substances it does not contain, and its emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This assessment also serve as the foundation for a material health optimization strategy to further improve material health over time.
Anna Plumb, VP of Universal Fibers Sales and Marketing for Europe celebrates “Now our customers who select Thrive® matter nylon 6 can proceed with assurance that their products can in turn pursue C2C Certified certification. And they can be proud to have made the best environmental impact possible in their choice of fiber.”
The C2C Certified Material Health Certificate™ offers a solution to growing industry and consumer interest in knowing more about the chemicals used in products across their supply chains and avoiding chemicals of concern. By using the rigorous, globally recognized material health assessment methodology of the C2C Certified Product Standard, the Material Health Certificate provides manufacturers with a trusted means of assessing, optimizing, and verifying their product chemistries for safety and the environment. The material health evaluation of Thrive® matter was executed by third-party C2C accredited assessor WAP Sustainability.
“We enthusiastically embrace the C2C Certified standard,” says M. Ranae Anderson, Global Sustainability Leader for Universal Fibers, “It is another of the many ways we work to hold ourselves accountable for the impact our fibers have both upstream—influencing the supply chains that feed us—and downstream through our customers’ products that help people thrive.”
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Universal Fibers on their first C2C Certified Material Health Certificate for Thrive® matter,” said William Paddock, Co-Founder & Managing Director of WAP Sustainability. “We know how many of Universal Fibers’ customers are committed to C2C, and by obtaining a Material Health Certificate, they are communicating their commitment to transparency and extending industry leadership in Cradle to Cradle Design™.”