Materials
Considered Materials
Consciously sourcing materials that minimise the environmental impact is of significant importance to Ziah.
Our pieces are made in high quality fabrics which last a lifetime of wear, both in and out of the water. Our swimwear is non-toxic for the wearer as well as our environment.
- Amni Soul Eco Biodegradable Polyamide.
Lasting a lifetime of wear, when disposed of, our biodegradable fabrication decomposes 10 times faster in landfills and 20 times faster in the ocean.
Polyamide yarn with accelerated decomposition in landfills and oceans.
Amni Soul Eco®, the world's first polyamide yarn with additives to accelerate its decomposition in landfills, has now been improved to also reduce the environmental impact of microplastics generated in laundry that end up in marine environments.
Its improved formula allows its decomposition to be up to 10 times* faster in landfills and about 20 times** faster in the oceans, reducing the accumulation of textile waste on the planet and reducing the environmental impact of the textile chain.
Amni Soul Eco branded fibres are designed to decompose in around five years when disposed of in well-controlled landfills (ten times faster than regular Polyamide), as demonstrated by laboratory biodegradation tests in accordance with ASTM D5511 - Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-Digestion Conditions (equivalent to ISO 15985).
As the biodegradation process kicks in, they break down into organic matter (biomass) and biogas that can be exploited to cogenerate electricity and thus become new environmental resources. This accelerated decomposition in landfills helps reducing impacts from micro plastics in laundry which end up in marine environments.
Amni Soul Eco Polyamide is also certified by the Oeko-Tex® 100 Standard that ensures that no harmful substances are used in the production and dye process, providing certification for responsible fabrics.
Amni Soul Eco® has been concerned with the impact it is leaving on the planet. Thus, Solvay's textile yarn production chain was designed to minimize its environmental footprint from the birth of the yarn's raw material in Paulínia (SP) to its production in Santo André (SP):
- Local supply chain.
- Closed water cycle.
- Produced in Brazil, where more than 80% of the energy matrix is from renewable sources.
- Greenhouse gas abatement unit among the 10 largest projects of its kind in the world.
- ISO 14000, one of the world's most rigorous management systems for Responsible Care.
- Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) certification for biodiversity protection (fauna and flora).
- Oekotex® certified. It has no toxic components in its formulation
- ECONYL®
ECONYL® is made through a revolutionary process of recovering fishing nets and other nylon waste from oceans and landfills that then get regenerated into its original, pure nylon form.
Using recycled material, not only reduces waste and pollution in the environment but also cuts down the need for raw materials & crude oil used in the production of nylon.
The positive impacts of using ECONYL® are not just limited to the revolutionary process of waste regeneration but also the impact of removing the raw material from our oceans through partnership with Healthy Seas. Ghost fishing nets are an environmental catastrophe but Healthy Seas volunteers’ are responsible for recovering discarded nets from our oceans that would otherwise cause injury and death to marine animals.
It is this environmental stewardship that has awarded ECONYL® the EU Ecolabel for environmental excellence. EU Ecolabel products and services meet high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle and promote a circular economy.
ECONYL® is certified by the Oeko-Tex® 100 Standard that ensures that no harmful substances are used in the production and dye process.Materials or products that hold Standard 100 Oeko-tex certification are tested to be free of over 100 harmful substances, certified as a responsible fabric.
- GOTS Certified Organic Cotton
While conventional cotton is grown using pesticides and chemicals which degrade the soil and reduce the fertility of the land, organic agriculture in contrast has a positive, restorative effect.
Through chemical-free farming practices, growers can enrich the land creating healthy, carbon-rich soils which require less water, relying mainly on rainwater instead. Pesticide run off and other forms of contamination associated with it, are also avoided. Crop rotation encourages biodiversity and natural pest control which benefits surrounding flora and fauna.
The social and economic benefits are also clear as organic cotton farmers are not reliant on costly pesticides. They can yield healthy crops with less water which often benefits communities in developing nations as they are safe from water and food contamination.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a far-reaching certification which ensures best practice from seed to final product.
The standard sets requirements concerning worker rights and social conditions as outlined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and includes, but is not limited to, fair remuneration and assessment of a living wage.
GOTS certification also ensures better practices for fibre processing and dyeing. Enforcing the use of GOTS approved colourants, auxiliaries and fabric mills must also demonstrate environment management, including wastewater treatment.
- Fabric Factory Rationing of Water
The rational use of water has always been one of our fabric factory’s main concerns, as in addition to being the precious liquid of life, it is not always available to everyone. So at that point, we set ourselves the challenge of finding a solution.
The water used by our fabric factory’s for dyeing and printing its fabrics has been reused. We do not use potable water. This was thanks to a partnership with SABESP (São Paulo State Sanitation Company), ensuring that the water in its production process is always treated after use, later returning to the process in a continuous, closed-circuit system.