Water Management

The demand for improved water management in textile and leather production is growing as global brands and industry initiatives push for enhanced sustainability across supply chains. This includes accurate measurement and tracking of water consumption, adopting water-saving technologies, and investments in water recycling and reuse, whether partial or complete. However, current industry benchmarks for water consumption are often generalised and fail to account for specific operational processes within textile and leather production. As a result, setting precise water reduction targets remains ambiguous and, where applied, measurement practices lack alignment and consistency. 

ZDHC is taking the lead in defining water usage targets for textile and leather wet processes to address this challenge. In collaboration with an Experts Group from the ZDHC Committed Community, we will integrate industry benchmarks, criteria, and procedures to verify water consumption from wet processing facilities. The Experts Group will verify and validate Inditex’s Care For Water (CFW) benchmarks and calculation methodology, ensuring a robust and credible approach

The  aim is to harmonise water efficiency norms across the textile and leather value chain.  ZDHC will integrate (foundational and progressive) water use targets , aligning with Inditex's CFW methodology, ensuring effective implementation by suppliers. With ‘Aspirational’ benchmarks added in at a later date.

After updating ZDHC water requirements, the implementation plan will have a one-year transition period for suppliers to monitor and report their water use and reduction targets against these benchmarks.

ZDHC is committed to scaling up this initiative and will be working with other like-minded  organisations with factory programmes, to create industry alignment.

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