Why Material IQ

Removing barriers to information sharing

Material IQ aims to level the playing field for material health data by:

  • Significantly reducing data acquisition costs
  • Providing valuable information via a consistent evaluation methodology
  • Acting as a marketplace for material alternatives
  • Incentivizing suppliers to be more transparent

Demand for Greater Transparency

Manufacturers who want to know more about the chemicals contained in their products resort to sending their suppliers a Restricted Substances List (RSL) to identify regulated chemicals or potential "chemicals of concern".

Complex communication

Modern-day supply chains are global and complex with multiple tiers of suppliers, making it very difficult for manufacturers, brand owners and component suppliers to obtain the information they need to adequately characterize their products.

Lack of a common language

Information requests typically begin with the brand owners and filter their way up through the supply chain. This approach is costly and inefficient because suppliers don’t always possess the chemical level information that brand owners are seeking. Only when information requests reach all upstream suppliers can products be characterized at the chemical level.

A centralized platform

Material IQ is designed to facilitate more effective communication of chemical and material level data between all stakeholders in a product value chain.

As a centralized platform, upstream suppliers are able to share information in a standardized and meaningful way, while downstream manufacturers benefit from the convenience of accessing material data in one cost effective tool.

Simplifying complex information

For Suppliers:

Upstream manufacturers of chemical, mixture, material and simple component products

  • Reducing data acquisition costs
  • Providing a standardized, consistent evaluation methodology
  • Acting as a marketplace for material alternatives
  • Incentivizing suppliers

For Manufacturers:

Downstream producers of components, sub-assemblies, assemblies and finished products

  • Reducing data acquisition costs
  • Providing a standardized, consistent evaluation methodology
  • Acting as a marketplace for material alternatives
  • Incentivizing suppliers to be more transparent

For Product Specifiers:

Federal, state and corporate purchasing agents, engineers and designers

  • Inexpensive resource for identifying potential hazards associated with purchased or manufactured products.
  • Verify that finished products comply with standards and ecolabels
  • Interface that simplifies complex toxicity information

Third Party Labels

Standards and ecolabels & RSLs

  • Verify that all materials in finished products meet third party toxicity requirements
  • Enhances the efficiency and efficacy of third party labels

Shape the future of your business

Join the pilot

GreenBlue is looking for manufacturers to participate in pilot projects to explore how Material IQ can help them design and manufacture more sustainable products.

Contact

James Ewell
Director Sustainable Materials
434-817-1424 x328
james.ewell@greenblue.org