From the Sector

Textile products made from synthetic fibres, finished fabrics or dyed materials release fibre fragments into the environment at every stage of their life cycle. With the new DIN SPEC 19296, Hohenstein has developed a standardised testing method to analyse how these fragments behave in soil under natural conditions. Until now, little was known about their environmental behaviour or potential ecological effects once released.

Holistic testing approach
DIN SPEC 19296 focuses on textile products and the fragments released through use, abrasion or disposal. Tests are conducted in standardised soil under defined climatic conditions over a period of up to 180 days.

The method combines several parameters: a respirometer system measures the oxygen consumption of microorganisms during degradation, enabling the biodegradability of textile fragments to be quantified. Plant growth tests using cress seeds assess potential effects on vegetation after degradation. In addition, earthworms are used as sensitive bioindicators to evaluate possible toxic effects. Survival rates and changes in body mass indicate whether degraded fragments or residues have a negative impact on soil organisms.
This integrated approach not only determines whether materials are biodegradable, but also whether their fragments could harm plants or soil organisms. 

Practical relevance and added value
“Textile fibres and fragments are released into the environment not only during washing, but also during everyday wear,” says Juliane Alberts, Project Manager at Hohenstein. “DIN SPEC 19296 allows us, for the first time, to assess under realistic conditions how different textile fragments behave in soil. It makes an invisible issue visible and supports the development of more sustainable textile products.”
The new DIN SPEC enables companies to compare textile products in terms of their potential environmental impact resulting from fibre release. It also provides a scientific basis for evaluating environmental claims such as “compostable”.

Jointly developed – publicly available
DIN SPEC 19296 was developed by Hohenstein in cooperation with industry partners and is publicly available. The results can help to better assess the actual environmental impacts of textile fiber loss, derive appropriate mitigation measures, and develop materials with lower environmentally harmful fiber shedding for the textile industry.

Dibella is increasing its demand for Cotton made in Africa (CmiA)–verified cotton by 9% compared to the previous year (825 tonnes), reaching a total of 900 tonnes in 2026. This underscores the company’s strategic objective to continuously support the cultivation of sustainable fibers. 

By supporting CmiA cotton, Dibella makes a measurable contribution to greater sustainability along the textile value chain. CmiA stands for more resource-efficient cotton cultivation: reliance on natural rainfall instead of irrigation, the exclusion of hazardous pesticides, and low greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the initiative strengthens the economic resilience of smallholder farms in Sub-Saharan Africa. A key impact of CmiA lies in its social effect: through training programs on efficient agriculture, occupational safety, and gender equality, incomes are stabilized and living conditions sustainably improved. In addition, education, health, and infrastructure projects in the growing regions are financed. 

“Increasing our CmiA cotton volume is far more than just a number for us,” emphasizes Michaela Gnass, CSR Manager at Dibella. “It represents tangible improvements on the ground—for farming families, for environmental standards, and for more responsible textile production. The annual increase in the use of CmiA fibers in our supply chain is part of our sustainability strategy. As a provider of contract textiles, we see it as our duty to take responsibility and not merely to source materials.” 

Dibella uses Cotton made in Africa cotton in accordance with a mass balance approach. This enables the company to efficiently integrate sustainable cotton into existing production processes while systematically increasing demand for CmiA cotton. This creates an important lever for anchoring more sustainable cultivation methods in the market over the long term. In addition to the mass balance system, Cotton made in Africa also offers full traceability from the origin of the cotton to the finished product.

LAB 102 – the blue veins of CHT – brings the Denim Industry closer to permanganate-free bleaching through new application findings within the organIQ seek platform

CHT Group announces new technical findings within its organIQ seek platform that significantly advance the transition toward permanganate-free denim bleaching. Through extensive industrial testing and application research, CHT confirms that organIQ seek can now be used with remarkable effectiveness as a substitute for potassium permanganate in spray bleach, while remaining aligned with sustainability expectations and cost realities in the European market.

The global denim sector continues to rely heavily on potassium permanganate to achieve the characteristic “used look.” Internal calculations indicate that approximately 250,000 liters of permanganate solution are consumed daily in continuous global production. Despite growing regulatory pressure and brand commitments under European sustainability frameworks, the adoption of ecological alternatives has been limited due to technical challenges such as inconsistencies in color loss, fiber sensitivity and equipment corrosion.

CHT has a long history of pioneering sustainable denim chemistry. In 2015, the company introduced organIQ BLEACH T, the first ecological alternative to potassium permanganate with near-unrestricted application performance. Although highly effective, costs prevented broad industry adoption at the time.
 
After more than a decade of focused research conducted by the specialists at LAB102, the blue veins of CHT can now confirm a major advancement within its organIQ seek ecosystem. While organIQ seek has been known for its versatility and ecological profile, its performance level now brings the industry significantly closer to truly permanganate-free bleaching. The technology has reached a stage where it performs incredibly well as a permanganate substitute in spray bleach, delivering consistent fading effects, excellent color removal and reliable process stability – without the environmental drawbacks traditionally associated with KMnO₄. Furthermore, the same chemistry remains fully compatible with water-based bleaching, nebulization (fogging) and foam applications, including sharp contrast effects such as the classic salt-andpepper finish.

“Since the introduction of organIQ BLEACH T, our objective has been to offer ecological solutions that meet the technical realities of industrial denim finishing. The confirmed capabilities of organIQ seek in spray bleach applications represent a meaningful step toward reducing and ultimately replacing permanganate use - both technically and economically. This is an important development for the denim industry in Europe and worldwide.” says Thomas Aplas, Head of LAB102.

These new findings fit naturally within the existing organIQ seek platform and support the growing demand for safer and more responsible chemistry in the EU textile sector. They also align with emerging European regulatory frameworks, including the EU Green Deal, the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and increasing brand commitments to phase out hazardous substances.

Borealis announces a EUR 49 million strategic investment to scale up production of Borstar® Nextension polypropylene (PP) at its manufacturing site in Burghausen, Germany. This will expand commercial production of next-generation single-site polypropylene (ssPP) grades that deliver enhanced purity, processability, and performance - supporting customers in key sectors including packaging, healthcare, mobility, and fibers, to meet evolving market and regulatory demands.  
 
Enabling the shift to circular design with monomaterials  
The investment will support the transition to high-performance monomaterial PP solutions. By integrating a tailored combination of performance properties into a single PP material, Borstar Nextension technology facilitates material substitution in complex multilayer structures – supporting design for circularity, reducing weight, and improving overall performance. 
 
Meeting recyclability requirements 
In packaging, this innovation enables brand owners and converters to comply with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), including the target of achieving 100% recyclable packaging by 2030. A growing portfolio of Borstar Nextension PP grades is already demonstrating these benefits in flexible packaging applications, combining improved processability with superior sustainability and a step change in purity, clarity and sealing performance. 
 
Driving customer growth and sustainability 
“By scaling up Borstar Nextension PP production, we empower our customers to stay ahead in a rapidly changing regulatory and market landscape. It’s another example of our commitment to increase the availability of innovative, recyclable polymer materials suitable for a wide range of applications across multiple industries,” says Craig Arnold, Borealis EVP Polyolefins, Circular Economy Solutions and Base Chemicals. 

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals focused on sustainable solutions, is excited to announce its debut participation in Denimsandjeans Egypt, taking place on January 19–20, 2026 at the InterContinental Citystars Cairo. 

In its first year at the show, Archroma will showcase its low-impact denim solutions, designed to help brands and mills advance sustainability without compromising aesthetics, quality or performance. 

“With Egypt emerging as a strategic denim sourcing market, there is a clear opportunity to accelerate more sustainable production. Archroma’s innovations are designed to support this growth with scalable, low impact solutions,” commented Dhirendra Gautam, Vice President, Commercial, Archroma. 

Visitors to the Archroma stand will discover a portfolio of innovative and award-winning solutions, including: 

• DENIM HALO - Archroma’s revolutionary award-winning denim pretreatment and dyeing process that gives brands and mills a simple way to produce highly sought-after distressed denim looks. It draws on a unique new chemistry, DIRSOL® RD, and a broad portfolio of textile dyes based on decades of advanced research to produce laser-friendly denim with outstanding contrast on intense black and indigo shades. 
• DIRESUL® EVOLUTION BLACK - Archroma’s cleanest sulfur black dyestuff. Manufactured using fewer resources, it has an overall impact reduction of 57% during dye synthesis compared to standard Sulfur Black 1 liquid. 
• DENISOL® PURE INDIGO 30 LIQ - An aniline-free pre-reduced indigo that creates authentic denim colors with the same performance and efficiency as conventional indigo dye, but in a way that can reduce the risk of pollution. Furthermore, it is produced in an aniline-free** process to help enable cleaner denim production. 
• EarthColors® - A patented Archroma technology that creates high-performance biowaste-based dyes from non-edible food and agricultural waste, leaving the edible part available for consumption. EarthColors® dyes help reduce the industry’s overall impact on the water footprint. Since they upcycle waste from other industries, they also help contribute to a circular economy.