From the Sector

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc., a leader in spider silk technology, announced the finalizing of a significant three-year collaborative agreement with a key government agency in Southeast Asia to expand the scale and security of its recombinant spider silk manufacturing platform.
 
This agreement, expected to be signed before the end of July, marks the culmination of years of relationship-building and demonstrated performance by Kraig Labs and its proprietary spider silk technologies. The agreement is designed to accelerate the Company's growth by providing access to previously unavailable rearing facilities, supporting infrastructure, and technical resources.
 
Under the terms of this collaboration, Kraig Labs will work closely with government specialists to optimize and expand spider silk production. The collaboration will unlock new production capacity, enabling Kraig Labs to significantly scale its hybridized silkworm operations.
 
Importantly, this agreement also includes provisions for the creation of parallel rearing operations, a key component in the Company’s long-term roadmap to mitigate production risk and eliminate single points of failure. By distributing parent strain and egg production across multiple independent facilities, Kraig Labs is further securing its supply chain and increasing throughput capacity to meet future demand.
 
Work under this agreement is anticipated to begin in August. This collaboration will serve as a foundational element of the Company’s expanding global spider silk manufacturing strategy, highlighting the growing confidence in the Company's pioneering biomaterials.

Mimaki Europe, a leading manufacturer of inkjet printing and cutting technologies, announces its participation in Texworld Paris, taking place from 15th-17th September at Parc des Expositions de Paris-Le Bourget (Halls 2-4). The company will demonstrate TRAPIS (Transfer Pigment System) alongside real-life customer use cases at its booth (Hall 3, Stand O204). Situated within Avantex Paris, part of Texworld Paris, this dedicated area highlights companies committed to reducing pollution and promoting circularity in the textile and fashion industry, so to create the fashion of the future. 
    
Launched last year, Mimaki’s TRAPIS solution offers printers a simple two-step process, consisting of an inkjet printer and a high-pressure calender. Significantly reducing wastewater by approximately 90% compared to conventional digital dyeing methods and cutting carbon emissions by up to 92%, TRAPIS allows manufacturers, designers or retailers to create vibrant textiles easily and sustainably. Ideal for on-demand printing for fashion and interior décor applications, it can print on a wide range of fabrics, including natural and synthetic fibres.

Ahead of Texworld Paris, Mimaki will also showcase TRAPIS at Texworld New York (22nd to 24th July), giving US-based textile professionals the opportunity to experience this innovative and sustainable printing technology firsthand. 

With its latest Joint Partner Project titled “Thermoplastic Pressure Vessel Production – Benchmarking of Design-for-Manufacturing Strategies to Optimize Material Efficiency and Cost,” AZL Aachen GmbH invites companies from across the pressure vessel and composite value chains to collaborate on the next step in sustainable high-pressure storage solutions.

Unlocking the Full Potential of Thermoplastic Composites
Thermoplastic composites are widely recognized for their potential to reduce processing times, offer alternative recycling routes, and improve design flexibility. Yet, when traditional thermoset vessel designs are simply transferred to thermoplastic manufacturing, cost and efficiency often fall short of competitiveness. The aim of this project is to rethink vessel design and production holistically – aligning thermoplastic material properties with optimized design- and manufacturing strategies to unlock their full economic and technological potential.

Collaborative Engineering for Scalable Solutions
Conducted as a Joint Partner Project, the initiative brings together companies with shared interests to co-finance and co-shape the project. The AZL Engineering Team will analyse current technologies, develop new design concepts for hydrogen and CNG vessels, and benchmark the resulting configurations in terms of weight, cost, recyclability and production KPIs. The consortium of participating companies will get access to simulation results, concept layouts, and comparative evaluations based on a unified framework.

Experience and Exchange Built In
The JPP format provides a platform not only for technical development, but also for strategic networking. Each partner can contribute input, benefit from consolidated expertise, and gain early access to the results. With more than a decade of experience managing such initiatives, AZL ensures a structured and result-driven collaboration.
The project will start on July 16th, 2025. All participants are invited to engage in an interactive Kick-off Meeting to define key priorities and present their internal perspectives. 

Reconomy, a leading international circular economy specialist, has published a new global strategy exploring the evolving global landscape of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, outlining how businesses can prepare for upcoming changes and detailing Reconomy’s strategic initiatives to support businesses across Europe and worldwide.

The textile industry is approaching a period of significant regulatory and operational transformation. Traditionally, one of the most resource-intensive sectors, textiles generate substantial waste and emissions throughout their lifecycle. 

New EPR legislation is driving a fundamental shift by making producers responsible for end-of-life management, including collection, reuse, recycling, and disposal. This structural change is intended to accelerate the transition towards circular business models and more sustainable production and consumption patterns.

Reconomy views this regulatory shift not as a compliance burden, but as a critical opportunity for innovation and competitive differentiation. By supporting stakeholders in turning regulatory requirements into strategic advantages, Reconomy aims to help businesses build more resilient and circular operations while meeting increasing expectations from consumers, retailers, and policymakers.

The new strategy paper, Textile EPR Strategy 2030, sets out a comprehensive five-year roadmap, providing an overview of anticipated policy timelines and evolving requirements. It also addresses key themes including eco-modulation, Digital Product Passports, and the growing need for robust data and supply chain transparency.

The document outlines Reconomy’s mission and specific initiatives over the next five years that will enable clients to navigate the complex textile EPR landscape effectively.

In the short term, during the “pre-EPR” phase, this includes helping clients understand the regulatory impact, preparing them operationally, building strong partnerships across the textile ecosystem — including with sorters, recyclers, and other key stakeholders — and investing in technology to enable advanced data management and material returns. 

In the longer term, once EPR legislation is established across all EU member states and additional global markets, Reconomy will continue to support clients with multi-jurisdictional compliance (including in regions such as North America), help them leverage product-level data insights to drive innovation and better product design, and accelerate their transition to circular business models.

The strategy follows the launch of Reconomy's Textile EPR Impact Assessment service – a new tailored service designed to help businesses prepare for the rapidly evolving landscape of textile regulations.

Lavi Aharon, Director of Reconomy’s Textile Programme and Business Development Director, said:
“Textile producers are facing an increasingly complex and fast-evolving regulatory landscape as EPR schemes roll out across the world, and especially in Europe. At the same time, they are under growing pressure to demonstrate real progress on sustainability to retailers and consumers.”

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, launched CYCLANON® XC-W e, an innovative washing-off auxiliary that improves productivity and reduces resource consumption in cellulosic dyeing while delivering outstanding color fastness, even in difficult high-electrolyte or hard water conditions.

Conventional polyacrylate or copolymer washing-off agents often struggle to fully remove unfixed dye from fabric, especially when a high concentration of salt remains on it from the dye bath or under hard water conditions. This can lead to excessive rinsing and multiple washing baths. Ineffective washing-off may result in quality rejections due to backstaining or uneven shade development.

Archroma’s trio-polymer CYCLANON® XC-W e was designed to overcome these challenges, delivering high performance, improved productivity and water and energy savings, with minimal added cost compared to conventional polymer-based products.

Wet-fastness with measurable water, energy and time savings
With easier unfixed dye removal, mills can reduce pre-rinsing and the number of washing baths to achieve shorter washing-off cycles and save time, water, energy and chemical inputs compared to conventional polyacrylate or copolymer washing-off agents:

• Up to 15% shorter process time
• Up to 20% less water used in the washing-off stage
• Up to 20% lower CO2 emissions through reduced energy consumption
• Up to 20% reduction in chemical use

Significant productivity gains for competitive advantage
These efficiency gains also translate into higher productivity. By shortening washing-off cycles and reducing rework, CYCLANON® XC-W e helps mills process more fabric with existing equipment.
•    Up to 15% increase in throughput with the same machine set up
For example, a knit production plant producing 10 metric tons (MT) of dyed fabric per day could increase daily output by 1 MT, without expanding capacity, by using CYCLANON® XC-W e to eliminate two washing baths and reduce quality rejections.

Part of the SUPER SYSTEMS+ portfolio
CYCLANON® XC-W e is part of Archroma’s SUPER SYSTEMS+ portfolio and can be combined with the Blue Magic all-in-one pretreatment and NOVACRON® EC/S reactive dyes to create an end-to-end solution for high-quality dyeing of 100% cotton fabrics.

The system is categorized as an IMPACT+ solution within Archroma’s SUPER SYSTEMS+ Impact Matrix. This means it delivers the highest level of resource savings, high wash durability and beyond-compliance chemicals – as compared to standard FOUNDATION processes with ZDHC Gateway MRSL Level 3 compliance.

CYCLANON® XC-W e complies with the latest regulatory and brand requirements, including stringent MRSL and RSL standards. Registration for bluesign®, ZDHC Level 3, and GOTS 7.0 are underway.

Am 8. Juli 2025 wurde Essen zum Hotspot der internationalen Designszene. Kreative, Unternehmen und Designliebhaber aus aller Welt versammelten sich zur Preisverleihung des Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025. Ein Abend voller Emotionen, spannender Momente und beeindruckender Designs, der im ikonischen Aalto-Theater – entworfen vom finnischen Architekten Alvar Aalto – startete und mit der Designers’ Night rund ums Red Dot Design Museum auf dem UNESCO-Welterbe Zollverein endete. Zu den rund 1.300 Gästen zählten renommierte Chefdesigner weltweit bekannter Marken wie Philips, Thule, Walter Knoll, KIA, BRP, Lamborghini und viele mehr. 

Die diesjährigen Preisträgerinnen und Preisträger kamen unter anderem aus China, Kanada, Australien, Japan, Südkorea, den USA, Brasilien, Schweden, Italien und Großbritannien. Sie alle wurden für ihre außergewöhnlichen Designleistungen geehrt.

„Best of the Best“ für herausragende Gestaltung
Gemeinsam mit den Jurymitgliedern Kazuo Tanaka, Qin Li und Robin Edman überreichte Professor Zec die begehrten „Red Dot: Best of the Best“ Trophys an Gestalterinnen und Gestalter, deren Produkte durch Innovationskraft, gestalterische Präzision und funktionale Exzellenz überzeugten. Die Siegerinnen und Sieger, die ihre Trophäen persönlich auf der Bühne entgegennahmen, sorgten mit ihrer spürbaren Freude und Stolz für emotionale Höhepunkte – und machten die kreative Vielfalt hinter den Produkten für das Publikum greifbar.

BRP wird Designteam des Jahres
Mit großem Applaus wurde das BRP Design & Innovation Team als „Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2025“ gekrönt – ein Ehrentitel, der seit 1988 ausschließlich an herausragende Gestaltungsteams der internationalen Designszene vergeben wird. In den vergangenen Jahren erhielten unter anderem Apple, Ferrari, Grohe und zuletzt Thule diese besondere Anerkennung. Der Wanderpokal „Radius“, der den Namen jedes einzelnen ausgezeichneten Designteams trägt, wurde feierlich von Henrik Eriksson, Global Design Director bei Thule, an Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer bei BRP, überreicht.

Premieren im Museum und exklusive Outdoor-Ausstellung von BRP
Zur Designers‘ Night feierten drei neue Ausstellungen im Red Dot Design Museum Premiere: „Red Dot Milestones 2025–2026“ zeigt bis zum 31. Mai 2026 die 89 besten Produkte des Jahres aus allen Wettbewerbskategorien. „Design on Stage 2025–2026“ präsentiert auf fünf Museumsetagen rund 1.500 ausgezeichnete Produkte und ist ebenfalls bis zum 31. Mai 2026 zu sehen. Erstmals lädt außerdem die neue One-Minute-Design-Challenge dazu ein, den Blick zu schärfen: In der zweiten Etage fordert ein inszeniertes Kinderfahrrad von Woom die Besucherinnen und Besucher auf, sich eine Minute lang ganz auf dessen Gestaltung zu konzentrieren – die Auflösung mit überraschenden Details folgt direkt auf der Rückseite der Präsentationswand. Zudem gewährt „Adventure by Design – BRP Design & Innovation Team“ bis zum 9. September 2025 tiefe Einblicke in die kreative Welt des aktuellen Red Dot: Design Team of the Year.

Ahead of this year’s ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition in Singapore from October 28-31, industry leading companies Archroma, BW Converting and Monforts will take part in a webtalk with German association VDMA on September 18th.

The three companies will share insights from recent trials conducted at the Monforts Advanced Technology Center in Germany, where a Baldwin TexCoat™ G4 spray unit has been integrated into a Montex stenter to apply Archroma’s latest waterborne chemicals. The collaborative effort aims to maximise resource efficiency and throughput in textile finishing. In addition, the partners will unveil details of a new, cutting-edge line concept set to debut at ITMA Asia in Singapore.

Installed in 2024 at the Monforts Advanced Technology Center in Mönchengladbach, the full-width Baldwin TexCoat G4 unit has enabled extensive real-world testing of advanced finishing formulations. The system’s integration into the Montex stenter has provided a valuable platform for evaluating performance, precision, and sustainability across a wide range of application scenarios.

“This work now enables us to guide manufacturers through the transition from standard impregnation processes to spray application systems, which have the potential to reduce water and energy consumption as less water is needed to transport the chemicals to the textile surface,” explains Michael Schuhmann, Global Marketing Segment Manager for Technical Textiles at Archroma Textile Effects. “Our latest addition to this range of options is a patent-pending, highly wash durable hydrophilic softener which enhances the longevity of the treated fabrics and will be commercially available soon.”

Commercial success
BW Converting is already seeing commercial success with the Baldwin TexCoat G4 system in the field. In Pakistan, for example, its integration into Montex stenters using Archroma chemistry has proven to be a highly effective line concept for bed sheet production.

“We have helped our customers double their stenter output, while also significantly enhancing the hand feel of the finished fabrics,” says Rick Stanford, Vice President of Business Development for Textiles at BW Converting.

Independent testing by Fashion for Good, a global platform for sustainable textile innovation, compared TexCoat G4 spray application with traditional pad-based finishing, using a Monforts stenter and Archroma formulations. The results confirmed that combining advanced equipment design, process expertise, and tailored chemistry can significantly reduce energy and water consumption while improving capacity utilisation for textile mills.

Monforts has long focused on developing optimised processes paired with energy-efficient machine layouts. Building on the success of their recent collaboration, the three partners are now working on a similar resource-saving concept, combining Monforts’ Thermex continuous dyeing range with the new Baldwin TexChroma spray dyeing system and Archroma dyestuffs.

“We are committed to continuing to work together with a focus on bringing transformative change to the dyeing and finishing space,” says Monforts Technologist Saskia Kuhlen.

The VDMA webtalk, Driving Innovation in Sustainable Textile Finishing and Beyond, will take place from 14.00 – 15.30 CET on September 18th and invitations will be published a week in advance via the VDMA LinkedIn channel.

Source Fashion opens Tuesday, 8th July, at Olympia London, welcoming buyers, retailers, and sourcing professionals from around the world. Running until 10th July 2025, the show will host over 250 makers and manufacturers from over 22 key sourcing regions, including UK, Portugal, Morocco, India, Nepal, Italy, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Türkiye, France, and China, to name just a few.
 
With leading retailers and brands such as AllSaints, Burberry, Frasers, French Connection, Gymshark, Harrods, JD Sports, John Lewis, JoJo Maman Bebe, Killstar, Lyle & Scott, Next, Paul Smith, Primark, River Island, Selfridges, Tottenham Hotspur, Victoria Beckham, Zalando, and more, already pre-registered, Source Fashion is set to be a must-attend event for businesses looking to source responsibly and discover innovative solutions to industry challenges. 
 
Exhibitor Highlights
Returning this season, Amplebox Ltd is a Leicester-based womenswear manufacturer with over 30 years' experience delivering fast-turnaround outerwear to major UK and European retailers. Specialising in design-to-delivery solutions, the company has sharpened its focus on sustainability and ethical production.
 
Deni Mai, based in Istanbul with design offices in London and LA, brings premium denim and knitwear across womenswear, menswear, and childrenswear. Known for flexible minimums, quick lead times, and sustainable techniques like laser finishing, they offer full-service production tailored to today’s market demands.
 
Glovika, a rising Nigerian label from Abuja, showcases bold, bespoke garments that fuse contemporary style with vibrant African textiles. Their presence underscores the global momentum behind African fashion and the demand for culturally rich, responsibly made collections.
 
Exhibiting as part of the Made in Ethiopia initiative, a delegation of Ethiopian manufacturers will showcase the country’s growing strength in sustainable apparel production. Supported by the Sustainable Industrial Clusters project (backed by the British and German governments), the pavilion highlights Ethiopia’s capacity as a reliable sourcing destination, with over 100,000 workers in the sector and a focus on ethical manufacturing within its industrial parks. With duty-free access to the UK under the EBA agreement, Ethiopian producers are poised to connect with international buyers seeking scalable, responsible solutions.
 
From Insight to Impact: Exploring Trends, Innovation, and Ideas on the Source Stage
Visitors can immerse themselves in the latest trends and insights shaping responsible fashion with the Source Catwalk Show, presented three times daily. This season, the catwalk puts pre-loved garments centre stage through a new partnership with leading circular fashion platform Reskinned. Curated by the Source Fashion team, the show features womenswear looks built from exhibitor collections and pre-loved pieces, highlighting how resale, reuse, and repurposing can deliver trend-led, high-impact style. The result is a bold, visual statement that proves pre-loved fashion is not only sustainable, but undeniably stylish.
 
Source Fashion’s thought-leading content programme returns this July with a sharp focus on how to thrive in a volatile world. Running across two stages over three days, the agenda tackles the real challenges facing fashion businesses today, from supply chain resilience and ethical sourcing to pricing pressures and changing consumer behaviour. Back by popular demand, the Source Debates Stage delivers bold, provocative conversations designed to spark honest reflection and collective problem-solving. 
 
Key Speaker Highlights 

• Finding clarity from chaos – leading with purpose. Fireside chat, Lynda Petherick, Chief Information Officer, New Look and Non-Executive Director, British Fashion Council shares honest reflections on steering teams through disruption.
• Leading and collaborating through geopolitical and economic upheaval. Hash Ladha, Former CEO, Jigsaw delves into how strong internal alignment, cross-functional communication, and strategic supplier partnerships can build resilience and help businesses navigate global instability with confidence.
• The new ‘New’ - is pre-loved the future of fashion? Fashion Director and renowned sustainability advocate Bay Garnett explores whether the explosion of second-hand marketplaces and rental platforms represents a lasting shift or passing trend.
• When will consumers really pay more – are they ready? Panel with Anna Berry, Co-Founder and Director, Retail 100, Berni Yates, Knowledge Exchange Lead, CSM and Mark Sumner, Textiles Lead, WRAP
• Rethinking the rules - what would a smarter fashion system look like? Mark Sumner, Textiles Programme Lead – WRAP on Source Debates Stage to reimagine fashion’s supply chain from the ground up

Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly looking for recycling solutions for end-of-life vehicles to meet sustainability targets and comply with new regulations that are accelerating the automotive industry’s transition toward a circular economy. In response, Autoneum has developed the N-Join1 carpet. This innovative, monomaterial carpet system, made from recycled materials, eliminates the need for latex and adhesives, thereby offering an eco-friendly solution for vehicle interiors.

The N-Join1 employs a unique process that joins the carpet surface together with the substrate in a single step. The substrate can be made from various materials including Autoneum’s Pure technology components made of 100 percent polyester, making N-Join1 easier to recycle without limiting customers’ design freedom. 

The new carpet system offers multiple benefits for vehicle manufacturers. As with other Autoneum interior floor products, N-Join1 is designed to ensure driving comfort with optimal noise protection in the passenger cabin. This innovation can be used together with the Di-Light carpet, which offers an attractive appearance even in highly curved carpet areas due to its uniform surface finish. 

Additionally, its monomaterial construction enables waste-free production and full recycling at the vehicle’s end-of-life. By eliminating the use of latex, which is water and energy-intensive, N-Join1 reduces resource usage and ensures cleaner production, supporting the automotive industry’s move towards more sustainable practices. 

Overall, the new carpet system achieves a significant reduction in the carbon footprint when com-pared to traditional carpet systems of equal weight. The greatest contribution comes from the end-of-life recycling potential enabled by the monomaterial system. 

N-Join1 is suitable for a wide range of vehicles, including both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). It is currently available in Europe and North America.

In a constantly evolving fashion landscape, where aesthetics meets awareness and luxury evolves beyond simple beauty, where materials are called to embody wellbeing, responsibility and versatility, Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei stands as a rare material: precious in its origin, essential to the experience.

Rare because it is produced exclusively by Asahi Kasei in Japan through a highly specialized, and closed-loop process. Rare because it originates from cotton linters — a natural derived pre-consumer material — and accounts for only 0.02% of global fiber production. Rare because it offers a one-of-a-kind aesthetic, sensorial and functional identity, recognized and valued by designers and brands worldwide.

But Bemberg™ is not simply rare — IT IS A FIBER TO LIVE. Its true value unfolds through experience: worn, touched, and explored across diverse lifestyles and when the occasion arises. With its silky softness, fluid drape, luminous appearance, moisture management and skin-friendly comfort, Bemberg™ offers an unparalleled sense of wellbeing to the wearer — ensuring freshness in summer, warmth in winter (especially when blended with other fibers), and a constant feeling of ease, elegance and comfort. This is why Bemberg™ represents not only a technical fiber, but a true partner for those who seek comfort in motion, sophistication in simplicity, and responsible elegance in every moment.

Born 94 years ago in Japan by Asahi Kasei, Bemberg™ has evolved far beyond its origins, becoming a versatile material for multiple categories and hybrid wardrobes: from high-end outerwear to intimate apparel, from fluid knitwear to athleisure and lifestyle collections. Whether in luxury tailoring, couture surfaces, performance wear or modern ceremonial dressing, Bemberg™ elevates each garment through its distinctive touch and graceful adaptability. It is a fiber that opens new creative doors, allowing designers to build collections where design, innovation and responsibility coexist harmoniously. As fashion enters a new era of fluid silhouettes, sensorial materials, and conscious luxury, Bemberg™ offers an exclusive creative platform for brands that seek not just beauty, but meaning and elevated values.

In addition, Bemberg™ carries a prestigious heritage rooted in circular economy values. Produced exclusively in Japan from cotton linters — a natural, pre-consumer material — Bemberg™ embodies a unique form of RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION. Regenerated cellulose obtained from the manufacturing process of cottonseed oil through a closed-loop process ensures transparency and traceability, delivering certified sustainability credentials, including RCS, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, ISO 14001, and biodegradability certification (OK biodegradable MARINE certification by TÜV Austria).

At the heart of Bemberg™’s journey is a collaborative network of European partners: spinners, weavers, knitters, and finishers. Partnerships that are essential to ACTIVATE the values and the potential of the fiber, transforming it into high-end fabrics that respond to the needs of a contemporary, conscious and sophisticated wardrobe. Bemberg™ IS NOT SIMPLY  meant to be WORN, but  to be  LIVED.  

At Milano Unica, Première Vision, A Fabric Affair NYC and Feel The Yarn, Bemberg™ partners present their latest developments for Fall/Winter 2026-2027 — a collective journey where smart fiber, design, and craftsmanship converge to redefine the future of premium fashion.