A Decade of Progress — A Future Built on Collaboration and Purpose
Imagine a world where every product is made without harming our planet, where clean water flows freely, biodiversity thrives and communities prosper. This is the vision we're building together through the ZDHC Foundation.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we reflect on our achievements and reimagine how meaningful progress can address the interconnected environmental challenges our world faces today. Ten years ago, ZDHC began with a bold and focused mission: eliminating hazardous chemicals from the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industries.
Launching our Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) was more than a technical achievement. It was a rallying point - a shared commitment by brands, suppliers, and chemical companies to redefine how products are made. Over the past decade, the ZDHC MRSL has grown into an industry-defining framework, widely adopted and rigorously implemented across thousands of manufacturing facilities. It continues to evolve with science and with the world around it.
Over the past decade, ZDHC has evolved into something more powerful: a trusted, collaborative platform anchored in science that drives global transformation.Today, we stand at a turning point. Global supply chains face unprecedented pressure, regulatory demands are intensifying, and sustainability performance drives investment decisions. In this context, our mission has never been more relevant or urgent. Our path forward is clear: we're taking ZDHC's proven approach both deeper across our core industries and broader into new sectors. From the Supplier to Zero programme to our regional Implementation Hubs, we focus on enabling action and making sustainability easier. At the same time, we are broadening our perspective. The environmental risks of chemical use do not stop at the textile sector, nor will we. The next phase of our work is to position the ZDHC MRSL as a cross-sectoral manufacturing substance framework that can bring alignment to adjacent sectors such as electronics, packaging, automotive, home textiles and beyond.
These sectors are ready for transformation and ZDHC provides the proven, convening platform they need to accelerate progress. As a mission-led organisation with a decade-long track record of eliminating hazardous chemicals at scale, ZDHC offers tested frameworks, global implementation expertise and trusted governance. By facilitating alignment and creating shared value, we avoid duplication of effort and maximise impact, allowing the industry to invest once, but wisely.
This approach is not just strategic - it's necessary. Environmental challenges are deeply interconnected - we cannot address climate change, water pollution and biodiversity in isolation. Solutions must work together, not compete against each other. We must recognise these ecological interdependencies to prevent unintended trade-offs undermining positive outcomes. ZDHC's Nature Strategy, introduced in this report, is our response to this challenge. It connects our chemical management expertise with broader ecosystem resilience and climate action, addressing environmental degradation at the source.
Our work contributes meaningfully to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular:
- SDG 6 – Ensuring access to clean water and sanitation through upstream interventions
- SDG 12 – Enabling responsible consumption and production via safer chemical processes
- SDG 13 – Supporting climate action by preventing non-carbon pollutants
- SDG 14 – Protecting marine ecosystems from chemical runoff
- SDG 15 – Safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems on land
- SDG 17 – Creating effective partnerships to drive collective impact
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analysts and investors increasingly recognise the value of this work. Chemical safety, pollution prevention and waste reduction are now material topics in the eyes of capital markets. ZDHC is uniquely positioned to provide the clarity, data and assurance that stakeholders request. Going forward, one of our strategic priorities is to educate ESG analysts on the depth and significance of sustainable chemical management and ensure our community receives due recognition for its progress.
Data drives everything we do. It is the foundation of transparency, accountability and continuous improvement, turning ambitious goals into proven results. Looking towards 2030, our mission stays the same and is crystal clear: ZDHC will continue serving as the global platform for practical, tangible and measurable change, creating a future where better chemistry protects life, land, air and water.
Thank you for walking this path with us. Let us now shape the next chapter - together.
Frank Michel Chief Executive Officer
ZDHC Foundation
Our Shared Journey
Ten years ago, the ZDHC Foundation was formally established with a bold vision: eliminate hazardous chemicals from the global fashion supply chains - not after the damage is done, but at the point of use. This approach, rooted in the tenets of Green Chemistry, was a dramatic change in thinking about how to eliminate the most hazardous chemicals in the fashion industry. Changing from a final product approach that ignored the potential impacts on workers and communities where products were made to banning those chemicals in the processes used for manufacturing using the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL).
This approach has since become a global benchmark. But, if the ZDHC MRSL was the force that carved out the path, the road ahead now demands we accelerate our pace and commitment.We are entering a new era - one that demands radical transparency and impact-driven accountability. Full disclosure is no longer optional; it is the foundation of sustainable chemistry. Without visibility into the chemical substances used, product testing results and market trends for chemicals we are attempting to control, we cannot measure progress - nor can we claim it.
At ZDHC we are building the systems to make radical transparency possible, through the ZDHC Gateway Platform and our leadership programmes for brands, suppliers and chemical formulators. But tools alone are not enough. The truth is this: chemical pollution plays a silent but significant role in the degradation of ecosystems. And while ZDHC does not claim to restore nature, we do accept the moral responsibility to do no further harm.
That responsibility begins with eliminating hazardous inputs. It expands through our new Nature Strategy: a holistic commitment that includes water stewardship, biodiversity protection, circularity and decarbonisation. These pillars form the heart of our 2030 Impact Strategy. We pursue them not as separate goals, but as interdependent priorities that demand systems thinking, science and shared action.
Our ethical position is firm: there is no acceptable level of pollution in the making of clothes. Achieving zero discharge of hazardous chemistry is not just a technical target, it is a matter of environmental justice and intergenerational equity.
In a world flooded with green claims, real trust must be built on data, not declarations. A recent WWF and Globescan survey found that only 25% of the global public believes companies are honest about their environmental impact. This is a wake-up call. Transparency, accountability and independently verified progress must become the new baseline - not the exception.
Ten years in, we know this is not the end but a critical juncture. This report is a moment to pause, reflect and recommit. To celebrate the global community of changemakers who have ined us and to recognise how much work still lies ahead.
As we look forward, we invite you to stand with us. To insist on a system of sustainable emical management that is radically transparent, scientifically grounded and morally resolute.
Because the future of fashion - and of the planet - depends on it.
Scott Echols Chief Impact Officer
ZDHC Foundation
We changed the conversation around chemical safety in fashion. Now we are changing the industry itself.
The ZDHC Foundation was established in 2015 on a revolutionary idea: rather than testing for hazardous chemicals after production, why not prevent them from entering production altogether? This upstream approach through our Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) and Roadmap To Zero Programme has transformed how the global fashion industry can manage chemicals, protect workers and safeguard our shared environment.
Our Nature Strategy marks our next evolution - connecting the dots between chemical management, water stewardship, biodiversity protection and climate action. Chemistry sits at the heart of these interconnected challenges. Moreover, having transparent data about what's in our products is the very foundation for meaningful environmental progress and credible sustainability claims.
Current Challenges
While our progress is significant, data transparency remains insufficient, with only 12% of registered suppliers submitting full chemical inventories. We need deeper engagement across the supply chain and better visibility into chemical use to drive meaningful change.
Our goal by 2030 is ambitious but clear: 100% of chemical formulations in our community and 70% across the global industry should conform to the ZDHC MRSL. This is not just an environmental target, it's a business imperative that reduces risk, improves efficiency and builds consumer trust for everyone involved.
Chemical management is not a standalone issue. It is the very foundation for addressing water stewardship, climate action, biodiversity and worker health. Through our data-driven approach and collaborative partnerships, we're not just setting standards, we're catalysing the systemic transformation needed to protect life, land, air and water.
Safer Chemistry, Healthier Planet: A Joint Study between ZDHC and Quantis
ZDHC has partnered with sustainability consultancy Quantis to assess how safer chemical use and improved production practices reduce harm to both nature and people. Using models based on the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) framework, the analysis focused on five key impact areas, including freshwater eco toxicity and human health toxicity (non-cancer), to measure the benefits of ZDHC-aligned chemical substitution, wastewater treatment and air emissions control.
Three Ways We Measured Impact
To understand how ZDHC-aligned practices improve freshwater quality, Quantisapplied three methods in the first study:
- Case Studies on Chemical Substitution
We examined how switching out toxic chemicals for safer alternatives reduced the impact on aquatic life. - Wastewater Impact Assessment
We analysed how different wastewater treatment levels – Foundational, Progressive and Aspirational – affected pollution levels in discharged water. - Air Emissions Assessment
We assessed how reducing VOC emissions also benefits freshwater ecosystems via indirect pollution pathways (e.g. atmospheric deposition).
What the Data Show: Real Reductions in Freshwater Toxicity
Replacing Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEOs) in Wetting Agents
NPEOs, a type of non-ionic surfactant, breaksurfactant break down intononylphenol, a pollutant that harms aquatic organisms and doesn’t break down easily.
- Freshwater toxicity decreased by 51% when switching to fatty alcohol ethoxylates.
- There was a modest 21% increase in climate impact due to dosage and production footprint.
Why it matters: Surfactants like NPEOs are among the most common sources of aquatic toxicity in wet processing. Substituting safer ingredients is a major win for rivers and lakes.
Improving Wastewater Treatment
Using the World Apparel and Footwear Life Cycle Assessment Database (WALDB) database, we modeled toxicity levels in wastewater under ZDHC's three treatment tiers:
- Progressive Level facilities decreased freshwater ecotoxicity by 65% compared to Foundational.
- Aspirational Level facilities decreased freshwater ecotoxicity by 86%.
Why it matters: The biggest improvements came from reducing heavy metals – especially lead, cadmium and chromium – substances that are toxic to fish and invertebrates at extremely low levels.
Targeted Copper Removal in India
A facility using a copper-based dye implemented a new treatment process:
- Freshwater ecotoxicity decreased by 13%
Why it matters: Even when a dye is technically compliant, the metal content can overwhelm local water bodies. Targeted removal methods, like alkaline precipitation, make a measurable difference.
Chlorinated Phenol Dye Substitution in China
A dye contaminated with PCP and TeCP, two highly toxic substances, was replaced.
- Freshwater ecotoxicity decreased by 8%.
Why it matters: A single ingredient switch made a meaningful difference in a facility where all other parameters were compliant. Small changes can yield big results.
Reducing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions in Factories
Air pollutants don’t stay in the air. Many VOCs end up in water through rain or dry deposition. After abatement system installation:
- At a coating facility in Vietnam, freshwater ecotoxicity decreased by 91%.
- At a tanning facility in India, freshwater ecotoxicity decreased by 64%.
Why it matters: Even air emissions can harm freshwater ecosystems. Cleaner air means healthier water.
Looking Ahead
While these case studies focused on heavy metals and a few chemical types, the impacts are clear and they’re measurable. As we expand to include more substances on the ZDHC MRSL, we will continue building the science behind safer chemistry to protect aquatic ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.
Download the Impact Report of read the full data and methods in the Quantis Technical Annex.
Impact Report 2025
Sustainable Chemical Management
ZDHC
MRSL
ZDHC Impact Report 2025
A Future Built on Collaboration and Purpose
Imagine a world where every product is made without harming our planet, where clean water flows freely, biodiversity thrives and communities prosper. This is the vision we’re building together through the ZDHC Foundation.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we reflect on our achievements and reimagine how meaningful progress can address the interconnected environmental challenges our world faces today. Ten years ago, ZDHC began with a bold and focused mission: eliminating hazardous chemicals from the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industries. Launching our Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) was more than a technical achievement. It was a rallying point - a shared commitment by brands, suppliers, and chemical companies to redefine how products are made.
Over the past decade, the ZDHC MRSL has grown into an industry-defining framework, widely adopted and rigorously implemented across thousands of manufacturing facilities. It continues to evolve with science and with the world around it
Frank Michel Chief Executive Officer
ZDHC Foundation
A Future Built on Collaboration and Purpose
Imagine a world where every product is made without harming our planet, where clean water flows freely, biodiversity thrives and communities prosper. This is the vision we’re building together through the ZDHC Foundation.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we reflect on our achievements and reimagine how meaningful progress can address the interconnected environmental challenges our world faces today. Ten years ago, ZDHC began with a bold and focused mission: eliminating hazardous chemicals from the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industries. Launching our Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) was more than a technical achievement. It was a rallying point - a shared commitment by brands, suppliers, and chemical companies to redefine how products are made.
Over the past decade, the ZDHC MRSL has grown into an industry-defining framework, widely adopted and rigorously implemented across thousands of manufacturing facilities. It continues to evolve with science and with the world around it
Frank Michel Chief Executive Officer
ZDHC Foundation
ZDHC 2025 Impact Report: A Natural Capital Approach
As the cost of inaction exceeds the cost of change, it’s clear that sustainability has moved from a nice-to-have future ambition to a foundational part of how companies understand risk, resilience, and long-term value. And ZDHC’s own 2025 framing reflects the crucial stance that natural capital is far from an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) abstraction but a measurable, reportable risk lens.
In 2025, mandatory reporting under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and recommendations by the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) pushed businesses to account for their environmental dependencies and impacts. For financial stakeholders, nature-related risks go beyond carbon exposure or climate targets. In textile and leather supply chains, it can appear as physical risk when degraded watersheds, polluted rivers, or stressed ecosystems disrupt production; as transition risk when regulation tightens around chemicals, wastewater, traceability, product design, or disclosure; and as liability or reputational risk when harmful substances are found in products, processes, or surrounding environments.
In practice, chemical pollution in supply chains is now, quite literally, a balance sheet issue. PFAS liabilities, stranded assets tied to non-conformant chemistry, and regulatory penalties from the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability are real costs, in real time, for companies that waited for perfect data before acting.
ZDHC’s Role Within Natural Capital Protection
Natural capital is the living foundation for both economies and communities. In the textile, apparel, footwear and leather sectors, it shows up in very practical ways: the water used in dyeing and finishing, the rivers receiving treated wastewater, the soil and climate conditions behind natural fibres, the biodiversity that keeps ecosystems functioning, and the clean air surrounding factories and homes. When these systems are depleted or degraded, we feel the impact directly. Manufacturers may face less reliable or more contaminated water, communities may lose access to healthy rivers and safe local environments, and supply chains face unstable raw material quality, higher costs, or greater disruption. In financial terms, nature degradation turns shared environmental systems into operational risk. In human terms, it affects the places where people live, work, grow food, and raise families.
In “Managing nature risks: From understanding to action” (2023), PwC estimates that 55% of global GDP (around 54 trillion Euros) is moderately or highly dependent on nature. Fashion requires water-intensive manufacturing and chemical-heavy wet processing: long before a garment reaches a store, textiles are washed, bleached, dyed, printed, finished, rinsed, and treated to achieve colour, softness, durability, water resistance, wrinkle resistance, or other performance qualities. Many of these steps depend on large volumes of water and a complex mix of chemical inputs. Water is the medium that carries dyes, auxiliaries, detergents, salts, solvents, finishing agents, and residues through the production process. That is why ZDHC has always focused upstream, preventing hazardous chemistry from entering production before the harm is visible.
ZDHC helps turn natural capital protection into practical action across the value chain.
Through the ZDHC MRSL and the Sustainable Chemical Management Framework, ZDHC sets a clear direction for credible, science-based chemical management. Through the Roadmap to Zero Programme, that direction becomes actionable, helping brands, suppliers, chemical formulators and machine manufacturers control chemical risk at source. More than a restricted substances list, ZDHC provides a shared system that enables safer chemical input selection, stronger day-to-day management, and more consistent monitoring of wastewater and air emissions. For ZDHC, prevention is the most effective, credible and cost-efficient way to protect natural capital.
The business case is clear: chemical pollution in supply chains is increasingly understood as a real business risk, linked to liability, water stress, stranded assets, regulatory pressure and reputational damage. What doesn't appear on the balance sheet today can still return later as a crisis. The MRSL serves as a risk firewall, helping prevent downstream liability. That is also why ZDHC’s aim is evolving from voluntary sustainability to resilience, readiness, and system design.
Measurement Problem in the Sustainability Market
ESG labels, Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) classifications, and natural capital approaches can influence perceptions and capital flows without necessarily changing what happens inside factories, chemical inventories, or wastewater systems. ZDHC warns against confusing financial classification with real-world environmental improvement — this distinction is essential. ZDHC can use nature capital as a useful translation tool for investors, boards and regulators, but it should not treat it as the definition of success. Success must be defined by physical and observable improvement: hazardous substances removed, pollution reduced, water better protected, ecosystems under less pressure, and workers and communities exposed to less harm.
That is also why the Quantis assessment matters. In 2025, the ZDHC-Quantis report found that proactive upstream chemical management through the ZDHC MRSL, Wastewater Guidelines, and Air Emissions Guidelines can substantially reduce nature-related impacts in case-based and modelled scenarios. Reported reductions include up to 95 percent in human toxicity, up to 86 percent in freshwater ecotoxicity in wastewater conformance scenarios,and up to 96 percent across selected nature-related indicators, depending on the case.
A precautionary note is called for: these are case-specific results, not industry-wide averages, and should not be used as blanket claims without location-specific, verified data. That guardrail is part of what makes the ZDHC approach more credible for financial stakeholders, regulators, brands, and civil society: supporting sustainable chemical management and measurable risk reduction while staying honest about what the evidence can and cannot prove.
ZDHC does not need to claim that it restores nature on its own, and it should not rely on vague market language to prove relevance.Its strength is different. ZDHC offers a science-based, hazard-focused, industry-tested system that turns sustainable chemical management into something practical, scalable, and increasingly decision-useful for brands, suppliers, regulators, and financial stakeholders. In that sense, ZDHC’s role is evolving from standard-setter to systems architect: connecting chemical requirements, implementation tools, data and evidence into an approach that helps the industry reduce risk while protecting life, land, air and water.
The natural capital framework helps industries to see how chemical choices shape environmental risk, operational resilience and long-term value.If fashion wants credible progress on water, biodiversity, climate, circularity, and health, it has to start with what enters the process. Better chemistry is the foundation.
This report presents progress, evidence and direction. However, it does not treat modelled results as universal claims. The Quantis study itself states that its figures are based on specific case studies and scenarios, and that public claims should be grounded in critically verified, facility-level, and location-specific data.
Who we are
We want 100% of chemical formulations used in the ZDHC Community and 70% of chemical formulations used in the global industry to conform to the ZDHC MRSL by 2030.
Our mission is to lead our global value chains to achieve the highest standards for sustainable chemical management, driving resource efficiency and circularity.
Our vision is to create a world where better chemistry leads to the protection of life, land, air and water.
2025 At-a-Glance
By the close of 2025, the ZDHC community had grown not just in numbers, but in reach and ambition.Perhaps most tellingly, 2025 marked the moment the ZDHC community stepped beyond fashion altogether, welcoming its first signatory from outside the textile sector. That shift is not a footnote — it's a signal of where chemical management standards are heading next.
Signatory Numbers
Staff Numbers
ZDHC Locations Map
In the 2025 report, ZDHC’s impact stories and year-on-year data are structured by Four Pillars of Impact. Together, they connect operational practice to natural capital and show how changes inside facilities, across supply chains, and in the wider social context can shape environmental, social, and economic outcomes.
Across all four pillars, the report moves from activity to evidence, from evidence to risk reduction, and from risk reduction to real-world resilience. The aim is to show that progress is possible when sustainability is made an integral part of textile production. ZDHC’s work begins with chemistry, but its relevance extends to helping the industry build the practical infrastructure needed to protect natural capital, strengthening confidence, and supporting safer outcomes for people and ecosystems.
This pillar looks at how participation in the Roadmap to Zero is expanding. It follows the progression of the programme across regions, trainings, events, signatories, friends, external users, and Academy participation.
This pillar examines how ZDHC is helping shift the industry’s operating system. It also examines how sustainable chemical management is becoming part of resilience planning, particularly regarding PFAS exposure and water stress, and how these can be linked to risk assessment, insurance, and investment decisions.
This pillar focuses on ecosystems. It traces the pathway from chemical inputs to environmental outcomes, showing how better control at the source can help reduce pressure on water systems, air quality, soil health, and biodiversity.
This pillar explores the human dimension of natural capital. It examines health and safety programmes, gender-specific chemical risks, and human health insights.
Brands to Zero
Brands play a pivotal role in transforming how our industry implements sustainable chemical management. The heart of this effort is the ZDHC MRSL and further guidelines, which form the Brand Roadmap to Zero. But the guidelines alone are not enough. The real impact comes when brands actively implement the principles of Sustainable Chemical Management across their supply chains and follow the joint Brand Roadmap to Zero. Each brand amplifies the words and actions of the others to create impact. The Brands to Zero (BtZ) annual assessment provides clear milestones for this joint roadmap and holds Signatory Brands accountable for joint implementation. It helps brands turn sustainability commitments into real-world due diligence results – tracking progress, identifying gaps and building trust through transparency. We call this action that creates impact.
The Brands to Zero assessment focuses on the brands effort and impact on two levels:
Corporate Level
Brand’s performance with regard to relevant commitments made, setting them into practices and supply chain engagement. Based on the OECD Guidance, goals and strategies set, implementation plans, enabled staff and responsible business practice or decision-making are evaluated here, as well as standard operating procedures.
Supply Chain Level
Brands’ general approach to each of the ZDHC’s guidelines, platforms and solutions, brands’ adoption practices and how they monitor the implementation scale of ZDHC in their supply chain. Furthermore, this segment evaluates the follow-up and corrective action practices that brands have in place if the suppliers do not meet the expectations and the level of supply chain engagement achieved.
Brands to Zero Assessment Champion Level 2025
First year Champions
The Supply Side
Before a single supplier can switch to safer chemistry, that chemistry has to exist, be findable, and be trusted. That is what the ZDHC Gateway delivers, and the 2025 numbers show the supply side moving at the speed the 2030 goal needs
81,445
81,445
81,445
81,445
A +27% year-on-year increase, and +105% since 2022
These figures show a structural shift: chemical formulators are no longer treating ZDHC conformance as an export-market nicety. With 3,712 registered formulators in 2025, 61.2% of them now actively publishing, it is becoming the way they design and document their core catalogues.
For a facility manager in Bangladesh, Türkiye, Vietnam, or Brazil who wants to switch to safer inputs, they now have nearly 167,000 options across detergents, dyes, auxiliaries, finishes, and the full chemistry of wet processing. “I couldn’t find a compliant alternative is becoming much harder to defend.
If this trajectory holds, the main barrier to the 2030 goal will no longer be the availability of safer chemistry. It will be uptake: whether those alternatives are selected by procurement teams, approved by brands, tested on production lines, trusted by facility managers, and used consistently in everyday manufacturing
In natural capital terms, ZDHC has built the infrastructure to enable the industry stop drawing down its chemical natural capital account. The next four years are about making sure the industry actually uses that infrastructure, at the volumes and consistency that nature, communities and balance sheets all require.That sharpens the operational priorities for 2026–2030 to four:
Deepen Leader Programme adoption
Each Supplier to Zero Level 2 facility is, on average, a meaningful conformance gain. Scaling Supplier to Zero and launching Formulators to Zero are key parts of the near-term progress
Expand into domestic markets and adjacent sectors
The 70% industry target is global by definition. Brazil, Türkiye, India, and China’s domestic markets, plus adjacent sectors such as workwear and upholstery and furniture textile are where the threshold will be set.
Strengthen data and assurance
A credible 2030 number requires credible 2030 data. That means tighter InCheck reporting coverage, broader ClearStream wastewater coverage, and continued alignment with the Quantis blueprint so that conformance translates into CSRD-, CSDDD-, and TNFD-aligned disclosures.
Translate chemistry into financial language
MRSL conformance is increasingly seen by investors, insurers, and regulators as a nature-related risk signal. The clearer the translation, the faster the conformance gap will close, because the business case will move in lockstep with the environmental one.
A Collective Call to Action
The four priorities above are not ZDHC's to deliver alone. They never were. ZDHC is not a regulator, a certifier, or a brand: we are the shared infrastructure for sustainable chemical management. The 2030 goal is what the system could deliver if every stakeholder uses that infrastructure for what it was built to do.
Peer organisations across our sector are arriving at versions of the same conclusion this year: incremental, voluntary, awareness-led progress is no longer enough on its own to meet 2030 environmental commitments. We share that view. The difference is that ZDHC's ask is specific, evidence-anchored, and tied to indicators already on the page. Here is what each part of our community can do in 2026 with the tools and data already at their disposal.
Action Steps for Our Signatory Brands
You are the reason our brand-led organisation exists. The 2025 data shows that the largest available lever in the system is not new guidelines; it is the consistency with which existing ones are cascaded across your supply chain.
- Make ZDHC MRSL conformance your default sourcing requirement, not a sustainability preference. Every brand that treats the MRSL as a baseline rather than an aspiration moves us measurably closer to the 70% industry threshold.
- Use Brands to Zero to make your work visible. The assessment is built so progress can be compared, assessed and improved year over year. Hidden progress does not move markets.
- Sponsor and finance supplier progression up the Supplier to Zero pathway. The jump from 235 to 329 Level 2 facilities in a single year happened because specific brands decided it should. The next jump will happen the same way.
- Treat InCheck and ClearStream reporting as a due diligence asset for CSRD, CSDDD, and TNFD purposes, not as a compliance chore. The data you already collect through ZDHC can carry weight in your statutory disclosures.
Action Steps for Policymakers And Regulators
You are the reason our brand-led organisation exists. The 2025 data shows that the largest available lever in the system is not new guidelines; it is the consistency with which existing ones are cascaded across your supply chain.
- Make ZDHC MRSL conformance your default sourcing requirement, not a sustainability preference. Every brand that treats the MRSL as a baseline rather than an aspiration moves us measurably closer to the 70% industry threshold.
- Use Brands to Zero to make your work visible. The assessment is built so progress can be compared, assessed and improved year over year. Hidden progress does not move markets.
- Sponsor and finance supplier progression up the Supplier to Zero pathway. The jump from 235 to 329 Level 2 facilities in a single year happened because specific brands decided it should. The next jump will happen the same way.
- Treat InCheck and ClearStream reporting as a due diligence asset for CSRD, CSDDD, and TNFD purposes, not as a compliance chore. The data you already collect through ZDHC can carry weight in your statutory disclosures.
Brands to Zero Assessment Champion Level 2025
First year Champions
Executive Summary
We changed the conversation around chemical safety in fashion. Now we are changing the industry itself.
The ZDHC Foundation was established in 2015 on a revolutionary idea: rather than testing for hazardous chemicals after production, why not prevent them from entering production altogether? This upstream approach through our Manufacturing Restricted Substances List(MRSL) and Roadmap To Zero Programme has transformed how the global fashion industry can manage chemicals, protect workers and safeguard our shared environment.
Our Nature Strategy marks our next evolution – connecting the dots between chemical management, water stewardship, biodiversity protection and climate action. Chemistry sits at the heart of these interconnected challenges. Moreover, having transparent data about what’s in our products is the very foundation for meaningful environmental progress and credible sustainability claims.
Our History
2011
The Journey Begins
We formed the ZDHC Group with six initial brands to eliminate the use and discharge of hazardous chemicals in fashion in response to Greenpeace’s “Detox My Fashion” campaign and its “DirtyLaundry” report.
2012
Foundations for Change
Our first full year focused on building infrastructure and partnerships to support systemic change. We completed benchmarking at 19 supplier sites, launched the first Chemical Inventory, initiated APEO phase-out work, and published research on alternatives to PFC-based water repellents. The first Annual Report was released.
2013
Building the Roadmap
We released the Joint Roadmap Version 2.0, refining our strategy into seven core work streams. Key milestones included developing the first Environmental Audit Protocol, expanding stakeholder engagement, and finalising a sector-wide chemical hazard screening framework.
2016
Breaking New Ground
Regional expansion flourished with our new Shanghai office, while we grew to 50 contributor sand 6 staff. A significant milestone was reached with the release of our first Wastewater Guidelines V1.0.
2015
Forging Ahead
The ZDHC Foundation was established as a non-profit in Amsterdam with 21 contributors and 4 staff. The first ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) V1.0 was released, setting a new standard for worker and environmental safety.
2014
Tools into Action
A landmark year with the launch of ZDHC MRSL V1.0, pilot testing of the Environmental Audit Protocol, expanded supplier training across Asia, and new collaborations with SAC, OIA, and LWG to drive global alignment on chemical management.
2017
Accelerating Growth
Our first strategy and growth plan launched, expanding ZDHC’s reach and deepening impact. Key achievements included releasing the ZDHC MRSL Conformance Guidance, soft-launching the ZDHC Gateway, approving initial wastewater lab sand introducing ZDHC Academy training. We expanded to 75 contributors and 11 staff.
2018
Crossing Borders
We extended our presence to South Asia and Europe, growing to 122 contributors and 16 staff. Key initiatives included establishing the Brands to Zero Programme, launching the ZDHC Gateway’s InCheck, began development on MMCF Guidelines and initiating the DMFa project. A notable achievement was reaching 100 contributors.
2019
Measuring Progress
Our first annual Impact Report revealed tangible progress as we grew to 157 contributors and 23 staff. The launch of the Roadmap to Zero Programme marked a pivotal shift, enabling our ongoing mission to eliminate hazardous chemicals across the global fashion value chain.
2022
Phasing Out Toxic Chemicals
We launched our impactful Detox Fashion Radar and released ZDHC MRSL V3.0. Not only that, but 96.9% of PFAS listed on the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines V2.1 was eliminated.
2021
Sharing Knowledge
We released the comprehensive the ZDHC Chemical Management System(CMS) Technical Industry Guide. Implementation projects launched in partnership with IDH in Vietnam and Ethiopia, extending our practical impact to new regions.
2020
Clearing The Way
We evolved from a finite 2020 goal to an infinite Roadmap to Zero programme. Significant achievements included releasing the Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) Guidelines V1.0 and launching our first online training sessions through the ZDHC Academy
2023
From Growth to Impact
We grew to 364 Signatories and over 50 staff and introduced the ZDHC 2030 Impact Strategy as our second strategy to address the discharge of harmful chemicals from the production of clothing and footwear.
2024
Connecting Continents
Our regional presence expanded to include Türkiye and Brazil, now spanning five key regions globally. We hosted over 150 events, engaging more than 17000 stakeholders across 10 languages, considerably broadening our international reach and impact.
Numbers at a Glance
2
5
The Roadmap to 2030
The ZDHC Nature Approach
At ZDHC, we’ve developed a Nature Strategy that connects the dots between water stewardship, biodiversity protection, climate action and circularity. These challenges are interconnected and our solutions must be too.
No brand, supplier, or organisation can solve the fashion industry’s environmental challenges alone. But together, we can create change. That’s why ZDHC focuses on collective action: safer chemistry, smarter water use, circular business models and decarbonisation. When aligned, these strategies safeguard both people and the planet.
Chemistry sits at the heart of it all. If we don’t have clear, transparent data on where products are made, how they’re processed and which chemicals are used, we can’t credibly claim progress. Transparency is not just about disclosure –it’s about knowing enough to make better decisions, reduce risk and deliver on sustainability promises.
"Get to know your supply chain, where your materials are coming from and what chemicals are being used on your products. That’s the place to start for anyone."
Scott Echols
Chief Impact Officer
ZDHC Foundation
Why Chemistry Matters for Nature
Our Nature Strategy starts at the source – by eliminating harmful chemicals before they enter production. This approach enables the industry to:
- Prevent ecosystem damage and support local environmental resilience
- Protect species and habitats by reducing toxic discharges
- Safeguard water quality and aquatic life
- Minimise harm in manufacturing communities
- Avoid circulating harmful substances through recycling systems
Chemical management and climate action are inseparable. The substances wechoose, and how transparently we manage them, set the stage for every othersustainability effort. That’s why ZDHC is investing in holistic, systems-based solutionsto transform how fashion is made
Turning Action into Impact
Action and recognition should never be confused with making real progress towards a sustainable future. To lead meaningful change, the industry needs more than ambition, it needs evidence. That’s why ZDHC has refined its impact framework to better demonstrate how our collective work translates into tangible environmental, social and business outcomes.
Aligned with our Impact 2030 Strategy, this framework organises data into four connected pillars to clearly separate action and recognition from systemic and environmental impacts:
Activity-Based Impact
Scaling and adoption across our community.
Nature Impact
Captures measurable environmental improvements
Transformation Impact
Reflects long-term, systemic change
Social & Health Impact
Highlights benefits to people and communities
The Power of Interconnection
These four dimensions don’t operate in isolation. They form an interconnected ecosystem, where progress in one area drives change in others. For example, eliminating hazardous chemicals reduces water pollution, protects biodiversity and improves worker health. Circular strategies reduce both waste and carbon emissions. Transparency is what ties it all together, because you can’t manage what you can’t measure.
By embedding traceability into platforms like the ZDHC Gateway and reporting tools like InCheck and ClearStream, ZDHC provides the industry with the visibility needed to make smarter choices, reduce risk and build consumer trust.
Why Chemistry Still Matters Most
The fashion industry’s environmental footprint begins and can be dramatically reduced, at the chemical level. Our ZDHC MRSL continues to be a game-changer, enabling brands and suppliers to prevent pollution before it happens. This upstream focus underpins our holistic approach, allowing targeted actions to ripple across water, climate, circularity and community health.
Our Committed Community is now using this approach to drive progress on global sustainability goals – not through isolated efforts, but through coordinated, transparent and data-driven strategies
How Clean Chemistry Protects the Environment
ZDHC partnered with sustainability consultancy Quantis to assess how safer chemical use and improved production practices reduce harm to both nature and people. Using models based on the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) framework, the analysis focused on five key impact areas, including fresh water eco toxicity and human health toxicity (non-cancer), to measure the benefits of ZDHC-aligned chemical substitution, wastewater treatment and air emissions control.
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