From the Sector

Lenzing AG has once again been recognized by the global nonprofit organization CDP for its transparent reporting performance in the areas of climate change, forests, and water security. This places Lenzing among only 23 companies worldwide that made it on the “Corporate A List” across all three categories in 2025 – out of more than 22,000 companies that disclosed their environmental data. For Lenzing, this marks the fourth time the company has achieved this prestigious triple‑“A” rating.

CDP operates the world’s largest environmental database, aligns with global disclosure standards such as TCFD, and is considered the gold standard in environmental reporting. Its ratings serve as an important decision-making tool for investors and business partners and reaffirm Lenzing’s leading role in corporate sustainability.

Lenzing sets ambitious sustainability goals within the framework of its strategic pillars and in its defined core areas such as decarbonization, sustainable raw material procurement, and responsible use of water. For example, Lenzing ensures that it only sources wood and fiber pulp from sustainable sources, makes optimal use of its raw materials, continuously improves its energy efficiency, and invests in renewables.

Scientifically, color is the visual perception of light reflected by objects: some wavelengths are absorbed, others reflected, and our brain interprets them as color. Yet its role goes far beyond science, it is deeply connected to emotions. It is precisely this emotional dimension that Iluna Group explores. 

For the Spring/Summer 2027 collection, the brand chose to focus on the three primary colors — Yellow, Blue, and Red — as symbols of origin, energy, and identity: 

• Yellow: the light that opens the day, fresh and clean, an energy that sparks the right idea and guides you toward who you choose to be. It translates into luminous transparencies and romantic details, a contemporary ray that captures the eye without overwhelming it.  
• Blue: depth, breath, and mental space—a slow rhythm that invites listening and reflection. It becomes a soft, almost liquid texture, essential and modern, capable of instilling balance Yellow and calm without dimming vitality.  
• Red: impulse and presence, the courage to reveal oneself without filters. It vibrates through dynamic structures and sensual florals, creating space and inviting the wearer to live every moment with contemporary intensity.  

The collection is a true journey through the colors of the soul, where every lace and every shade becomes a new story on the skin of those who wear it.
But if color becomes identity, the unique expertise and creativity of Iluna Group allow lace to break free from its boundaries, from its limitations and seasonality, carrying it directly toward the company’s vision. 

In this context, lace is no longer just a technical and recognizable product: in the hands of ILUNA Group, it transforms, elevates itself, and transcends its traditional limits. Here, expertise becomes essential, knowledge and creativity merge to generate unexpected visual and tactile effects, redefining the very identity of lace. 

• Pre-dyed viscose for multicolor yarns capable of creating refined Moiré effects for all over applications, designed for a versatile use ranging from fashion to lingerie, up to interpretations dedicated to beachwear.  
• Material experimentation aimed at creating flocking made with Silk, cotton and linen, where texture and surface engage in a natural, sensorial dialogue.   

 Since 2018 Iluna Group has been GRS certified for its sustainable Green Label range. A collection that proposes a new responsible approach towards the environment and people, combining innovation, aesthetics, and quality at 360°. From the polymer to the finished lace, Iluna is able to guarantee full control and total traceability of the entire production chain, measuring the company’s sustainability growth through the Higgs Index. 

The CHT Group has been awarded the Gold Medal in the latest EcoVadis sustainability rating, recognizing the newly aligned, more focused groupwide ESG performance.

The CHT Group is a globally active foundation-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer headquartered in Tübingen, Germany. They offer sustainable chemical solutions for numerous industries and have an international presence with around 2,500 employees and 26 production sites. In the financial year 2024, the CHT Group generated a group turnover of 614 million Euro.

The portfolio includes Textile Solutions (dyes and auxiliaries for the entire textile value chain), Industrial Solutions (specialty silicones, paper and pulp technologies, washing solutions, care ingredients), and Functional Chemicals (chemical additives for paints, coatings, construction, adhesives, leather, chemical producers, agrochemicals, mining, and release agents).

EcoVadis is the Benchmark for sustainability ratings in the chemical industry and one of the world’s most trusted providers of business sustainability ratings, assessing more than 150,000 companies globally each year. Its methodology is aligned with leading international standards and evaluates performance across four key assessment themes:

• Environment
• Labor and Human Rights
• Ethics
• Sustainable Procurement 

Compared to previous ratings, CHT’s overall score has improved and now stands at 81 out of 100 points, thanks to strong progress across all four assessment themes. This achievement places the group among the top 5 % of all companies assessed in 2025 worldwide.

Beginning January 2026, the production at Asahi Kasei’s Nobeoka facility – Bemberg™’s only production site – will gradually resume, marking a new chapter following the partial shutdown caused by the April 2022 incident. 

This progress is the result of significant investments and continuous work to reinforce safety measures, restore full operational capacity, and establish long term stability. As production progressively increases, Asahi Kasei renews its initiatives to support the market with reliability, efficiency, and confidence. 

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our customers, partners, and employees for their patience and continued trust throughout this period,” stated Kaoru Hashimoto (Bemberg™ Senior General Manager). “Restoring production is a crucial milestone, and together with our stakeholders we remain committed to contributing to the development of a responsible and future-oriented business.”

Globally, 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, while the fashion industry remains one of the most water-intensive sectors, with a single pair of jeans requiring around 9,000 litres of water across cotton cultivation, dyeing and finishing. Against this backdrop, drip by drip, the non-profit organisation tackling the water crisis caused by textile production, today announces that it has brought in Eco Age to support the next phase of its work: elevating water justice within the global fashion conversation and accelerating progress towards its goal of providing one million people with access to clean water.

Founded in 2018, drip by drip works at the intersection of water, textiles and social impact. Through industry education, community water projects and grassroots engagement, the organisation addresses the man-made water crisis created by textile production, focusing on practical solutions that improve health, resilience and livelihoods in textile-producing regions.

As part of this collaboration, drip by drip has appointed Eco Age as its strategic marketing, PR and communications agency. Eco Age will support drip by drip in connecting its on-the-ground impact with global industry platforms, helping ensure water justice is supported throughout the whole ecosystem, from brands and suppliers to standards bodies and media, as both urgent and solvable.

Since their founding, drip by drip has implemented 114 community water projects across Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Ethiopia, impacting more than 280,000 people in the Global South. Water justice has direct and measurable consequences for communities in these regions, where fashion supply chains place sustained pressure on local water systems. By strengthening how this work is communicated and shared, the collaboration aims to mobilise broader industry engagement around existing solutions rather than abstract commitments.

“Our ambition is clear: to reach one million people with access to clean water,” said Amira Jehia, Executive Director of drip by drip. “To do that, the work needs to travel further. Eco Age understands how to bring deep issues into the mainstream fashion conversation without losing integrity or impact.”

Eco Age’s work sits at the intersection of sustainability strategy, storytelling and industry convening. Its experience working across fashion supply chains and media ecosystems enables initiatives like drip by drip to reach the audiences capable of accelerating change.

“We’re proud to support drip by drip with the experience and industry reach needed to help their impact scale,” said John Higginson, CEO of Eco Age. “drip by drip is already delivering results. Our role is to help ensure their impact is understood, shared and supported across the fashion ecosystem, so it can reach the people and communities it is intended to serve.”
Together, drip by drip and Eco Age will work to ensure water justice becomes an integral, practical and achievable part of fashion sustainability discussions, translating awareness into action and outcomes for communities.

The 10th edition of Techtextil India 2025 concluded recently at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, with strong buyer turnout, primarily from Western India, reaching 9144 visitors across 235 Indian cities and 45 countries. Over three days, the trade fair brought together leading domestic and international brands, technology providers, institutional buyers and policymakers, reinforcing India’s ambition to emerge as a global hub for value-added technical textiles. The show hosted 216 exhibitors, featuring over 300 brands and showcased cutting-edge solutions across 12 application areas, keeping the show floor busy throughout the three days. 

As a key knowledge and sourcing platform, the fair drew decision makers from sectors such as mobility, healthcare, construction, filtration, protection and sportswear, helping bridge the gap between fibre producers, converters, brand owners and end users. Strategic support from leading industry associations and state textile departments further amplified the show’s role in driving investment and collaboration in India’s technical textiles ecosystem.

Guest of Honour, Honourable Smt R Lalitha, IAS, Director of Textiles, Directorate of Textiles, Government of Tamil Nadu, shared: “Techtextil India 2025 weaves together leading innovators, policymakers and companies to frame appropriate policies for the growing industry. I believe that man-made fibres is the sunrise sector of the future. Concepts like sustainability and circularity will give rise to better technology that could help speed up research and development in India.”

Echoing the government’s thrust on sustainability, conference sessions and special features at Techtextil India 2025 spotlighted topics such as circular supply chains, advanced recycling, bio-based materials and resource-efficient manufacturing. These discussions aligned with India’s broader vision to boost textile and apparel exports through high-value, environmentally responsible products and technologies.

For fibre and material innovators, Techtextil India 2025 served as a high-quality business and feedback platform. Mr Shyamlal Patnaik, Joint President – Global Head Speciality Business at Birla Cellulose believed: “Techtextil India is a great platform to interact with our customers. It helps us understand customer requirements, connecting us globally and strengthening our presence domestically. It also helps us to showcase our new products before genuine buyers.” 

On the first day of Techtextil India, Brawntex Industries Pvt Ltd announced its partnership with Kurabo Industries Ltd, a Japanese brand known for its fire-retardant fabrics. Sharing details about the new partnership and the overall expo experience, Mr Nitesh Mittal, Founder & CEO, Brawntex Industries Pvt Ltd said: “We will be representing Kurabo in India for military and industrial workwear such as oil & gas, iron & steel. We have been participating in Techtextil India for the past 7 editions. The show has been amazing as the crowd here is targeting the business needs and the footfall has been great. We could meet our partners, customers and some new ones as well. I can summarise it by saying the expo has been incredible.”

Another exhibitor, part of the Germany Pavilion, Mr Umashankar Mahapatra, Managing Director, Pulcra Chemicals, displayed sustainable chemicals for textile processing, speciality additives for man-made fibre and natural fibre industry. He stated: “This was a really effective show for us as we could connect with customers who are willing to invest in the technical textile industry. We received enquiries from the traditional market of Surat who are looking to venture into the technical textile sector. For any new business to start, the show offers right raw material – fibre, machinery and speciality chemicals. It is a very effective show that is connecting the dots.” 

Product launches and demonstrations spanned high-performance fibres, speciality yarns, functional fabrics, nonwoven solutions, coating and finishing technologies, testing equipment and process automation, reflecting the industry’s rapid move toward value-added, engineered textiles. Many exhibitors used the platform to unveil India-specific solutions tailored to mobility, infrastructure, medical, hygiene and protective applications.

Innovative products such as special fabrics for firefighter suits, crop covers, vehicle seats and airbags, bags, woven sacks/bags, parachute and clothing for special needs like defence and steel industry. Besides these, innovation in knitting technology based on various applications also drew visitor interest. 

The show had a dedicated Sporttech Pavilion in a collaboration with Concepts N Strategies. It delivered three power-packed panel discussions that drew exceptionally high footfall and dynamic participation from global buyers, sourcing leaders, and performance-textile innovators and highlighted India’s accelerating shift toward premium, scalable activewear manufacturing.

Similarly, the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) powered conference surfaced advanced solutions for crop protection, coastal protection wear, the use of natural fibres with smart materials, and reinforcing better utility. Another conference in collaboration with the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) also held intriguing discussions on establishing circular supply chains with key topics such as PET waste to yarn, AI-based waste sorting, recycling technologies, automation and traceability of waste value chain. 

The show not only showcased advances across various categories in the world of technical textiles but also served as a platform that displayed technical textiles manufactured utilising waste, upcycling of waste into yarn, post-consumer waste for yarns and fabrics, lifestyle products from waste and more. A visitor, Ms Samidha Mayee, Manager-Brand Marketing & Sales Planning, Archroma, explaining the diverse range of products at Techtextil India said: “Techtextil India is a vast show drawing huge crowd and is an all-inclusive and comprehensive exhibition. I was happy to see everything right from the fibre, yarns, fabrics, manufacturing, processing and even the recycling of the polyester fibres.”

Unveiling the visitor experience, Mr Ashish Arya, Sales and Marketing Leader-Medtech, Thermaissance described: “It was a memorable experience for me. I have learnt how the entire processing, manufacturing and other capabilities are being employed for fabric making, especially the recycling process. The best part was the innovative products being displayed and the rapid pace of new product development. The entire setup of the event was good, including the ambience and footfall.” 

The next edition of Techtextil India will continue to build on this momentum, offering a powerful marketplace and knowledge forum for stakeholders across the value chain.