Milliken & Company Environmental History

"Environmental management is central to Milliken's quality management process"

Long before ‘sustainability’ entered the corporate lexicon, Roger Milliken understood that a living enterprise and a living earth were inextricably linked. His passion for excellence and environmental stewardship gave rise to today’s sustainable policies and daily practices.



In recent years, our industry has been seized by a recycling mania that often overlooks the larger impacts of manufacturing on the environment. Milliken has always taken a more holistic approach, believing that stewardship means more than chasing recycled content statistics.



As early as 1900, Milliken was reusing packaging and textile materials in operations and the move to conserve land and natural resources soon followed. Each year Milliken & Company plants over one million trees – approximately 90 trees for every associate it employs.



It is Milliken’s sustainable goal to reach beyond elimination, but to regeneration in all media, land, air and water. Since 1990, Milliken has reduced their environmental footprint by 85%, whilst setting new benchmarking in green manufacturing.

A History of Environmental Management

1984
Bury plant becomes the first UK textile plant to achieve BS5750 (now ISO 9002)

1990
Milliken Introduces Environmental Policy

1991
Awarded the British Quality Award

1993
European Quality Award

1994
Milliken Performance System introduced

1997
First textile plant to achieve ISO 14001 Environmental Management System