Providing accurate chemical information to customers

By law, chemical suppliers must provide customers in the U.S. textile industry Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to inform them of chemical composition and safety requirements for handling and use. However, textile companies often need to request information not included in the MSDS, which arrives in various formats and stages of completeness. The National Textile Association (NTA) has developed a Voluntary Product Environmental Profile (VPEP) that helps suppliers provide complete and consistent information about chemicals (such as dyes or coatings) from the customers’ perspective. The VPEP also provides documentation that the supplier has complied with the law and the customer is informed about the chemicals. Users can download a printable paper form and NTA is working on a software version that allows users to store, edit, share information electronically and search product databases for chemical information.