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This edition brings you a message from Frank Michel, the launch of the Dissolved Pulp Module and the Recycled Polyester Module, one new ZDHC Signatory and more!

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Within this broader context, developments such as the first full wave of CSRD reporting and the shift from planning to implementation under CSDDD underline the importance of robust chemical management, credible data, and consistent implementation - areas that have long been at the core of ZDHC’s work.

In this context, 2025 has also reinforced a fundamental aspect of ZDHC’s mission and role within the system. ZDHC’s role is not to act as a solution provider or a regulator, but to drive lasting system change by setting credible frameworks, aligning industry action, and enabling consistent, scalable implementation of sustainable chemical management for the benefit of the entire industry. As expectations from financial markets and investors increasingly focus on decision-useful, comparable sustainability information, we have therefore placed particular emphasis on strengthening how impact is measured and reported within the Roadmap to Zero Programme. The aim is to ensure that programme outcomes remain robust, credible, and meaningful in both operational and external decision-making contexts.

Marking the ten-year anniversary of the ZDHC Foundation was also a reminder of the strength of this community. The progress we have made reflects the commitment, expertise, and persistence of brands, suppliers, formulators, solution providers, and partners who engage with the Roadmap to Zero on a daily basis. Looking ahead, expanding participation, strengthening implementation quality, and continuing to build robust data foundations across regions and tiers of the supply chain will be critical to scaling our collective impact.

With this in mind, I’d like to invite you to read our year-in-review reflection. It brings together the key developments of 2025 and outlines how they are shaping our priorities as we move into 2026.

Thank you for your continued commitment, for the open dialogue, and for the work you do to advance safer chemistry and more resilient supply chains. Everything we achieve as ZDHC is built on this shared effort.

Roadmap to Zero Programme

Recycled Polyester Module and Dissolved Pulp Module Launch

Both the Recycled Polyester Module and the Dissolved Pulp Module have now been launched on the ZDHC Supplier Platform.

These are accessible to dissolved pulp and polyester recycling facilities respectively and will enable them to assess their implementation of the guidelines and transition towards more responsible chemical management practices.

Both modules are now available and will be open for submissions between January and March 2026 to report on calendar year 2025.

For more information about the Modules and how to access them please see the relevant Knowledge Base articles.

Recycled Polyester Guidelines Industry Standard Implementation Approach - New version

The Recycled Polyester Guidelines Industry Standard Implementation Approach has been updated. 

Changes made:

• A clearer “Summary of the Implementation Roadmap” was introduced to outline the differences between Year 1 (transition) and Year 2+ (verified assessment).

• Clarity was provided that verified assessments begin from the second submission period (2027).

ZDHC Wastewater and Sludge Guidelines V2 Approved Laboratories Process 

Following the publication of the ZDHC Wastewater and Sludge Guidelines V2 and the ZDHC Wastewater and Sludge Laboratory Sampling and Analysis Plan V3.0, all laboratories will soon be required to follow a new approval process. 

Please note that the implementation of Wastewater and Sludge Guidelines V2 will begin in November 2026. Testing in accordance with the newly published guidelines will not be possible before November 2026.

Upcoming Events

Roadmap to Zero Programme - Upcoming Webinars

• 30 December - MMCF Guidelines V3.0 (Chinese)
  
  

• 22 January - Suppliers to Zero V2 (English)

Catching Up: News & Highlights

Why Chemistry Is the Missing Link in Nature-Positive Finance

Nature-positive finance is gaining momentum 🌱

But in fashion and textiles, one crucial piece is still too often missing: chemistry.

Investors, brands and policymakers are making bold biodiversity commitments. Yet on the ground, in factories and supply chains, ambition doesn’t always translate into action. That gap is where risk quietly turns into reality. 

In our latest Investor Insights article signed by Lauren Zahringer and Mariella Noto, we explore:

• Why hazardous chemicals remain a material financial and nature risk

• What recent global moments like UNEA-7 and the Finance for Biodiversity Summit revealed

• Why investors need “good enough” data, not perfect data, to act now

• How the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero turns nature-positive goals into measurable results in the real economy

The takeaway is simple: capital needs a compass.

And in high-impact sectors like textiles, sustainable chemical management can provide exactly that.

ZDHC Türkiye Conference 2025 — Thank You for Joining Us!

The ZDHC Türkiye Conference 2025 has successfully concluded, and we extend our sincere thanks to all participants who joined us virtually. Your engagement and contributions helped make this year’s event a valuable gathering for the industry.

We also warmly thank our sponsor SGS for their support in making the conference possible.

For all registered participants with a valid ticket, the event recording is now available on the Virtual Environment (VE). You may access and rewatch the sessions via the event platform until 31 December 2025. 

We appreciate your participation and look forward to welcoming you again at future ZDHC events.

New ZDHC Signatories

We welcome HANIER as a new ZDHC Chemical Formulator to the ZDHC Signatory Community.  

👀 Want to know more about them and what they have to say? 

What's happening in our industry?

Cascale Forum: Colombo 2026

We’re pleased to support the Cascale Forum: Colombo, taking place 30 March – 1 April, 2026.

This year’s theme, Action by Design, Accelerating a Fairer, More Resilient Value Chain focuses on building smarter systems and stronger partnerships to accelerate climate action and decent work across the value chain.

Join 500+ manufacturers, brands, NGOs, and industry experts for hands-on workshops, Higg tool trainings, decarbonization guidance, and region-led discussions designed to support real-world implementation.

Exclusive Offer: Register using our code 15-ZDHC to receive 15% off your ticket.

From Store to Shore: A Short Film by Textile Exchange

Textile Exchange’s latest short film, From Store to Shore, traces the journey of excess clothing from the Global North to the shores of Accra, Ghana. In the heart of the city lies Kantamanto Market—one of the world’s largest secondhand markets—where tens of thousands of people have built an ecosystem of care and ingenuity rooted in reuse, upcycling, mending, and remanufacturing. Filmed in the market and along Accra’s coastline, From Store to Shore follows the daily realities of the women who work to steady the overwhelming tide of garments that now threatens their environment. 

Take a look at what we have been up to! 

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