From Monday, July 11, until Tuesday, July 12 2011, more than 180 international bluesign system partners met at the second bluesign® conference in St.Gallen, Switzerland to discuss and exchange views on the topic “Responsible Business inspires and connects".

Overview of the second bluesign® conference

Speakers of the second bluesign® conference

System Partners of the second bluesign® conference

bluesign Challenge of the second bluesign® conference

Sustainability is one of the key subjects moving the textile industry. Establishing new standards for a successful and sustainable textile industry, bluesign technologies ag and their bluesign standard have been able to register widespread popularity and great growth regarding the number of its partners and its global reach. Only two years after the first bluesign conference, the time was overdue to meet again to share the latest news, exchange experiences and discuss how processes can be optimised further for a truly responsible business.

The second bluesign conference took place just before OutDoor in Friedrichshafen, one of the largest tradeshows in the outdoor sporting goods business. The proximity in time and distance allowed a good number of bluesign system partners to combine the conference with their visit to OutDoor or vice versa.

"Best of" pictures of the second bluesign® conference

The system partners were first offered two in-depth lectures on the topics "Sustainability across the Entire Supply Chain" and "Best Available Technology in Practice" with the possibility to discuss the subjects right afterwards. Bluesign technologies ag decided to create a different forum than usual for these discussions and invited all their partners to participate in the “bluesign active challenge”. During several physical activities, the attendees were asked to work in teams and manage pre-set tasks, raising the level of solidarity for deeper conversations and more intensive networking.

For the bluesign active challenge, the system partners were divided into five groups, each one of them a mix of chemical partners, textile manufacturers, brands and retailers, which had to manage a total of five tasks. The five groups as well as the five tasks resembled the five columns of the bluesign standard – Resource productivity, Consumer safety, Air emission, Water emission and Occupational health & safety – and were designed respectively. The challenges included building a water pipe, sawing a log, white-water rafting and more. It turned out to be a great experience for everybody, literally spanning bridges between the partners, broadening minds and contributing to a better understanding between the different sectors of the industry.

After the successful and enriching bluesign active challenge, the entire group went to the “Dreilindenbad”, a public bath usually reserved for women, for an aperitif above the roofs of St.Gallen. The views were breathtaking, especially when an approaching thunderstorm created an almost mystic atmosphere. The following BBQ brought all the attendees a little closer together, especially after Italian bluesign staff member Ricardo Doppio decided to get out his guitar to entertain the group until late at night…

The next day, the team of bluesign technologies and all the system partners were able to talk about more news and developments and answer all questions still open after the main day and its lectures and the active challenge.

In conclusion, the second bluesign conference gathered an unparalleled amount of concentrated knowledge. It was informative, entertaining and challenging at the same time. Bluesign technologies ag would like to thank everybody who attended the conference for their commitment, energy and participation.

We are looking forward to meet you at the third bluesign conference…

During the first bluesign® conference in July 2009 in St.Gallen various stakeholders of the entire textile supply chain discussed together how the textile chain must take responsibility. Trust and safety are required. Suppliers and manufacturers should provide safety seamlessly with Best Available Technology to their customers, just like a climbing rope. And retailers/brands should be able to trust in this, so they can hook their karabiner to that climbinig rope of safety.

Many interviews were conducted with the participants of the first bluesign® conference. Watch them here and learn, how the future of the textile industry will look like.

Interviews from the first bluesign® conference

How can the bluesign® standard help you?

What actions have become necessary to fulfill the expectations of your clients?

What do you expect to take home from the first bluesign® conference?

How will the textile supply chain look in the near future?

Simonetta Carbonaro talks about the next generation