Macquarie Green Solutions

Macquarie Green Solutions is an Eco-friendly range of textiles produced to the most stringent environmental criteria, offering exceptional performance and durability as well as a wide range of beautiful designs and rich colours. Macquarie's textile solutions are designed for office, education, Government, healthcare, transport and residential environments.

The Macquarie Green Solutions range has undergone extensive testing to ensure there is a minimal environmental impact. The results determine which textiles are acceptable for inclusion in the Green Solutions range, and only those that boast extraordinary environmental benefits are included. From the raw materials used, the production methods employed and characteristics of the finished product, Macquarie Green Solutions are a conscious choice to preserve our environment and secure our future.

All Macquarie Green Solutions textiles are uniquely identifiable by the distinct green logo that certifies their compliance with the following stringent criteria:

Macquarie GREEN SOLUTIONS
Strictly controlled use of phosphates to comply with the minimal discharge requirements of The Greenhouse Challenge DO NOT use any heavy metals or formaldehyde in chemical processing
Use only detergents which are a minimum of 95% biodegradable DO NOT use any carcinogenic, mutagenic or any other dyes that are toxic to reproduction
Use only low level or sodium free chemicals DO NOT carry out bleaching processes releasing AOX emissions
Conform to AELA conditions for metal contained within products as listed under AELA 19-2004 par 3.6.2 DO NOT use any pigments in our processing
Process all trade waste water to achieve less than 25g/Kg COD* DO NOT use chromium during dying
Use only wool selected from those suppliers who can satisfy our selection criteria product specification requirements DO NOT use any metal complex dyes based on copper, chromium or nickel.
Focused use of rapidly renewable materials, which are also readily biodegradable at the end of their natural life cycle DO NOT use any potentially sensitizing dyes as listed by AELA
* Measurement of COD is expressed as an annual average. Macquarie has exceeded
the requirements for the past two years with every random waste water sample test
producing a far lower result than the recommended levels.
Macquarie's manufacturing procedures do not just meet but exceed the minimum requirements for environmentally responsible textile production. An advantage of the level of control Macquarie has with Green Solutions Textiles is that it has exclusive control over the selection of raw wool, conversion to yarn, weaving, processing and/or dyeing, right through to the marketing of the finished product.

The objectives of the Eco-labelling programme are to:
  1. Provide market incentives through the supply chain to reduce environmental impact of products sold in Australia.
  2. Provide a clear, credible and independent guide to consumers and purchasing officers taking account environmental impacts in their purchasing decisions.
  3. Encourage consumers and purchasing officers to purchase products that have lower environmental impact.
  4. Provide guidance to companies seeking to reduce their environmental impact.


Macquarie also maintains strong and close relationships with the international textile community, which not only provides it with knowledge sharing opportunities, but also directly involves it in the research and development of advanced environmental techniques that optimize ecological sustainability.

Macquarie is very proud to be a pioneer in research efforts to synergise ecological issues and economic urgency well before it was politically important or legislatively necessary.

The location of Macquarie's textile mill in Albury was chosen in 1992 to meet criteria of reduced water consumption and greenhouse emissions. Macquarie is an inaugural member of the Australian Government-sponsored Greenhouse Challenge Programme and is the only textile business that is actively involved in this initiative. As an inaugural member of the programme, Macquarie successfully meets a number of ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets and is continuing to commit to further reductions. Macquarie also works closely with organisations such as the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial research Organisation) as part of its ongoing commitment to improve, refine and evolve its policies and practices.

In all that Macquarie does, its goal is to exceed benchmark standards, affording its clients and partners the best possible textile solutions available.

Preserve our environment and secure our future.

Environmental Choice

Macquarie is uniquely able to manage the total production processes of its Green Solutions textile range. Furthermore, at the end of their useable life cycle, Macquarie's Product Stewardship programme allows it to accept back for recycling any of the Green Solutions range of textiles.

Wool has long been the premium textile fibre for commercial environments. Not only does wool offer inherent flame retardancy, exceptional durability and performance, maintaining its appearance year after year, it also has a luxurious handle. More recently, extensive research has found that wool uniquely has the ability to absorb Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) thereby significantly improving indoor air quality.

Importantly, wool is also rapidly renewable and biodegradable, having significantly less environmental impact than many comparable synthetic furnishing textiles.

Copies of Macquarie's environmental product declarations are available on request and may enhance environmental tenders.

"Leave the world better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life of the environment, make amends if you do."
Paul Hawken 'The Ecology of Commerce' 1993