Corporate Environmental Responsibility
Delta Apparel has established a variety of environmental responsibility initiatives intended to create a more sustainable future for our business, its stakeholders, and the planet.
We monitor and track our consumption levels of energy and water as well as our levels of greenhouse gas emissions, wastewater, and other waste streams at our manufacturing facilities. Through our various sustainability initiatives, we aim to economically:
- Decrease energy usage
- Decrease water consumption
- Decrease wastewater production
- Increase wastewater quality
- Avert waste from landfills
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Improve environmental practices with respect to chemical and other material usage within our supply chain
Some of our current initiatives include:
- Ink recycling, including the development of a proprietary recycling process
- Incorporating biodegradable inks into our digital printing processes
- Incorporating water re-usage technology into our textile dyeing processes
- Heat recovery systems
- Lighting efficiency improvements emphasizing daylighting and high-efficiency systems
- Waste recycling and re-usage
- Reductions in water consumption and wastewater production
- Chemical usage minimization and increasing usage of environmentally friendly inks and dyes
Water Conservation Technology in Textile Dyeing Processes
The dyeing process within our textile operations requires significant amounts of water. We have implemented proprietary technology designed to significantly reduce our usage of this precious natural resource throughout some of our major dyeing processes. The technology allows water from dye baths to be re-used, which decreases our water intake, as well as the amount of salt and chemicals used in the process, all without sacrificing product quality. The technology also ensures a degree of reproducibility and more efficient fabric equalization than the conventional dyeing process.
Green Valley Industrial Park
Our textile operations, Ceiba Textiles, are located within the Green Valley Industrial Park near San Pedro Sula, Honduras, one of the largest industrial parks in Central America.
The Green Valley Industrial Park is certified under the ISO-14001 Environmental Management System, which is widely-considered the world's "gold standard" for environmental management. Among the sustainability initiatives upon which the Green Valley Industrial Park focuses are the following:
- Monitoring, controlling, and reducing water consumption
- Improving wastewater quality
- Monitoring, controlling, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Find out more: http://greenvalleyindustrialpark.com/~gv/csr/
100% Biodegradable Ink Usage in Digital Printing
Our DTG2Go business is a clear leader in the direct-to-garment digital print market. Our digital printing processes utilize biodegradable ink technology that is water-based, 100% non-hazardous, toxin-free, and adheres to the strictest human health and environmental standards. The ink technology is certified for use on apparel by the following organizations:
- Oeko-Tex 100 safety applications for infant wear
- Global Organic Textile (GOTS-3V) Residues Standard List (RSL)
- American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)
The Delta Apparel, Inc. Environmental Sustainability Policy incorporates our goals and standards for all of our operations and can be viewed here.
Branded Conservation Initiatives
Delta Apparel is proud to support various environmental causes and organizations through our branded conservation initiatives.
Campeche Sea Turtle Project
Delta Campeche employees participated in the Campeche Turtle Project to help save the critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle by cleaning the plastic waste from beaches in Seybaplaya where the turtles come to lay their eggs for six months per year. On average, a sea turtle lays around 100 eggs; however, only 1 percent of the hatchlings actually makes its way out into the ocean and survives, making it critical to remove any obstacles that would prevent the hatchling from reaching the water. The beach cleanup resulted in one full trash bag for approximately every five yards of beach.
For more information visit: https://plasticoceans.org/campeche-turtle-project/
Salt Life® Gives Back
Salt Life® is an authentic, aspirational and lifestyle brand that embraces those who love the ocean and everything associated with living the "Salt Life". Salt Life is passionate about the ocean and protecting it for years to come. Salt Life has joined with organizations that strive to protect the ocean and its wildlife through conservation efforts, protection and preservation enforcement, reef creation and sustainability programs. Through these global efforts, we are ensuring that future generations will Live the Salt Life!
Roatan Marine Park
Salt Life fundamentally respects the ocean and understands the importance and priority of protecting and preserving the ocean and its ecosystems for future generations to explore and enjoy. To further advance our sustainability efforts, Salt Life has teamed with the Roatan Marine Park to preserve and protect the waters and reefs in Roatan, Honduras, which comprise the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea and the second-largest worldwide. Through education, conservation, and law enforcement, the Roatan Marine Park is striving to promote a healthy and sustainable marine environment that can provide fisheries and tourism without harming the delicate marine ecosystem. One hundred percent of the net profits from a t-shirt specifically developed by Salt Life for the Roatan Marine Park are donated to the parks' efforts to protect and preserve the reef system.
For more information visit: www.roatanmarinepark.com
UR - United Row
Jenny and Anna, best friends known together as Team United Row, are preparing for a record setting row across the Pacific Ocean. Jenny from the US and Anna from the UK, are united with each other and their cause. The pair will be competing in The World's Toughest Row, rowing 2800 miles from Monterey Bay, California to Kauai, Hawaii on June 12th 2024.
For more information visit: https://unitedrow.org/
National Pediatric Cancer Foundation
The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation formed the Sunshine Project, an innovative collaboration with one goal: to bring together the nation’s top doctors and researchers to find a faster cure for pediatric cancer.
Since its inception, the NPCF has donated over $30 million to research and has funded over 28 project initiatives.
For more information visit: https://nationalpcf.org/
Mote Marine Lab
Mote has grown to encompass more than 6 campuses and 20 research and conservation programs that span the spectrum of marine science: innovative coral restoration efforts to bring Florida's Coral Reef back to life; sustainable aquaculture systems designed to alleviate growing pressures on wild fish populations; red tide research that works to inform the public and mitigate the adverse effects of red tide with novel technologies; marine animal science, conservation and rehabilitation programs dedicated to the protection of animals such as sea turtles, manatees and dolphins; and much more.
For more information visit: https://mote.org/