SHANGHAI – The lyocell facility of Sateri in Rizhao, Shandong Province, has been awarded Sustainable Textile Production (STeP) certification for responsible production, making it the first lyocell producer in China to be certified to the rigorous standards set by independent Swiss-based certification organisation Oeko-Tex.
Sateri’s facility has also obtained the highest ranking of level three in the certification assessment scoring for exemplary implementation of best manufacturing practices.
Together with its earlier achievement of the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certification, Sateri’s lyocell products are qualified to carry the Made In Green by Oeko-Tex product label.
STeP by Oeko-Tex certification comprises three levels describing the extent to which a company has achieved sustainable production and working conditions in factories in the textile industry. The areas of assessment include chemicals management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management, as well as occupational health and safety.
“In addition to having all our five viscose mills Oeko-Tex STeP certified as well as compliant with the emission limits set out in the European Union Best Available Techniques Reference Document (EU-BAT BREF) on polymers, we now have our first lyocell facility awarded with this certification,” said president Allen Zhang. “This not only reflects Sateri’s relentless pursuit of responsible manufacturing excellence, but marks an important step towards sustainable value chain management. Sateri will continue to work with upstream and downstream partners to realise the sustainable development of our entire industrial chain.”
Sateri’s Rizhao plant commenced operations in May 2020, with an annual output of 20,000 tonnes of lyocell fibre. The same site houses a 5,000 ton lyocell pilot production line. In March 2021, the group announced plans to expand its overall lyocell annual production capacity in China to 500,000 tons by 2025.
