Glossary

A pesticide is a chemical substance, biological agent (such as a virus or bacteria), antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any animal species that is considered harmful to agricultural plants. Is is different from how herbicides work in that it targets animals such as insects, in particular and not plants.

A substance the use of which in any aspect or organic production or handling is prohibited or not provided for in the obligatory standard or the regulations.

A recyclable material can be reused at a similar level of quality and if it is technically possible to recycle the material and there is at least one commercial recycling facility.

A regulation is a legal norm intended to shape conduct that is a by-product of imperfection. A regulation may be used to prescribe or proscribe conduct ("command-and-control" regulation), to calibrate incentives ("incentive" regulation), or to change preferences ("preferences shaping" regulation").

Renewable resources are often described as 'repeatable materials' which grow and can be replanted. In textiles animal fibres such as wool are considered renewable.

In the context of this guide, the term sustainable implies using resources, including design and energy, with maximum efficiency, at a rate that does not compromise the needs of future generations. It is a term also applied to communities and systems.

A synthetic substance is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process or by a process that chemically changes a substance extracted from naturally occurring plant, animal, or mineral sources.

Testing refers to an official or validated analytical procedure that detects, identifies and measures the presence of chemical substances, metabolites, or degradations products in or on raw or processed agricultural products.

The term VOC refers to Volatile Organic Compounds, which become vapourised at room temperature. EXamples of such compounds used in textiles include formaldehyde, organo-chlorines and phenols.

Excessive water consumption in any part of production and manufacture of textiles will often have adverse environmental consequences.