After decades of industry investment in restricting known hazardous chemicals in apparel and footwear manufacturing, a new analysis takes the next step: measuring the chemistry known to be used across the supply chain and mapping the transition to safer chemistry over time.

ChemFORWARD is pleased to announce the launch of a portfolio of safer alternatives to dimethylformamide. Clothing and shoe manufacturers including Nike have been eager for a less toxic replacement to the inexpensive, abundant and effective chemical, which has been used for decades to produce synthetic leather. ChemFORWARD has assembled complete chemical hazard assessments for 10 solvents that can be used instead of DMF.