From the Sector

The GoodTextiles Foundation, initiated by Dibella, has implemented a new support project in India: Each family of a small village community of organic farmers received a cow from the donations received. The herd of fifty animals helps with farming, gives milk, produces sufficient natural fertilizer and should soon provide higher crop yields and a better income.

In 2016, Dibella established the GoodTextiles Foundation with the aim of making textile value chains more sustainable. It raises funds and implements its own support projects to benefit people at all stages of the textile economy. The most recent project, "One cow for every family," has now taken the first, important intermediate step: Fifty cows arrived in the small village of Aliguda Village (Utnoor Division, Adilabad, Telangana, India) at the beginning of June 2022.

"Some of our organic cotton is grown on the farms of the village community managed by the smallholder organization Chetna Organic. During the filming of the German documentary "plan b", the farmers told us that they need more natural fertilizer to cultivate their fields ecologically and economically. The biggest wish of each family is therefore a cow. However, they cannot afford this because of the high price of the equivalent of 300 euros. That's how the idea for our next sponsorship project was born," reports Ralf Hellmann, managing director of Dibella and member of the foundation's board of directors.

In addition to the most important reason for purchase - the production of fertilizer - the cows also serve as livestock. They are harnessed in front of the plow and make the strenuous work of tilling the soil easier for the farmers. As draft animals they serve to transport heavier loads, and as milk suppliers they contribute to a family's food supply. Surplus milk that is not needed in the household also provides families with an important additional income through sale.

Beaulieu International Group invites EuroGeo7 attendees to discover geotextile solutions promoting greater sustainability for future civil engineering projects. Specialists from Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) and Beaulieu Technical Textiles (BTT) will present high-performance geosynthetics through high tenacity fibres for lightweight, nonwoven geotextiles, and a range of high durability woven geotextile solutions with an environmentally beneficial impact.

“We are delighted to sponsor EuroGeo7 and to be finally on-site, following a two-year postponement of the event. EuroGeo7 is bringing the geotextile community together to further promote and develop geosynthetics in a fast changing global economy striving for growth while reducing its carbon footprint along the supply chain, " comment from Jefrem Jennard, Sales Director Fibres, and Roy Kerckhove, Sales Director Technical Textiles. “Geotextiles provide highly versatile, durable and natural resource-saving alternatives in large infrastructure works, and offer durable protection in erosion control and waste/water management projects. We are continuously developing our fibres and finished engineering textiles with proven sustainability-enhancing benefits to progress product development and customer sustainability goals on fossil carbon reduction, while taking concrete steps to reduce our own environmental footprint.”
 
Sustainability improvement is key to the long-term strategy of Beaulieu International Group, and it is committed to supporting the geotextile industry by targeting and accelerating change and communicating the sustainable performance of its products. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are integrated into its business and are the foundations of the new Route 2030 Sustainability Roadmap.

For manufacturers of nonwoven geotextiles, BFI’s high-tenacity HT8 staple fibres enable customers to achieve nonwovens with high mechanical performance at reduced fibre weight. The HT8 high tenacity fibres are designed in a way that customers can meet the industry durability standards for a longer service lifetime, supporting more sustainable design and resource reduction over time. BTT’s woven geotextiles are amongst the most sustainable in the industry and provide a wide range of functions, including separation, filtration, reinforcement and erosion control.

BFI and BTT have conducted lifecycle assessments to calculate their activities' carbon footprint and solutions and have received external recognition for their ongoing sustainability efforts. For example, in 2022, BFI was awarded a Silver EcoVadis sustainability rating, and BFI and BTT are proud recipients of the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 2022.

• Milliken purchases spinning plant from Gildan to strengthen internal yarn production

Milliken & Company, a diversified global manufacturer innovating in the textile, chemical, floor covering and healthcare industries, recently acquired one of the Frontier yarn plants in Mayodan, North Carolina, from Gildan. This plant acquisition expands Milliken’s open-end yarn production for its protective fabrics, workwear, government and defense, industrial, and napery textile business units.

The Frontier Spinning Plant #3, which will be renamed the Two Rivers Plant as a nod to its dedicated team and the community it serves, will become a spinning hub for Milliken. Multiple Milliken textile plants throughout the Southeast will source their yarn needs from the Two Rivers Plant.

“Adding this plant to the Milliken manufacturing footprint helps us meet current production needs and offers additional capacity for future growth,” says Kevin Brown, senior vice president of global operations for Milliken’s Textile Business. “The expansion helps us create a resilient supply chain that offers consistency and surety for both our product lines and customers.”

The premiere of the large Premium Group event cosmos in Berlin was with a number of visitors of 70% compared to before Corona a great success. The new combination of B2B and D2C, entertainment and edutainment, fashion and culture provided a lot of exchange, new input, ideas, contacts and 360 degree inspiration.

In focus: content & communication
With the conferences FASHIONTECH, CONSCIOUS CLUB Conference and The Ground Talks, the Premium Group Team put an additional focus on communication and edutainment. Important topics such as diversity, wellbeing, metaverse and sustainability were discussed and relevant lessons learned for the market, brands and consumers.

“Restart was a statement!”
“It's been quite a rodeo ride putting together two B2B trade shows, one D2C festival, three conferences, parties, dinners and receptions for so many different audiences and all while the pandemic continues in full swing – barring the rain and flight chaos. I would have wished that even more visitors would have come, but overall the restart was much better than expected. It was definitely an announcement." Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner Premium Group

New togetherness, new exchange, new ideas
With the premiere of the festival for style & culture, The Ground, young consumers and Berlin communities from GenZ and GenY were part of the Premium Group event cosmos for the first time. Almost 6000 fashion enthusiasts and trade visitors came together at The Ground. Exciting conversations, interactive fire moments and cool shows created a special vibe in and around the Palais am Funkturm. The focus was on young target groups wearing, feeling and thinking. How brands can reach young customers, communicate with them and build trust and much more.

New community through 'Larger than Life Ball'
On Saturday, the day with the most visitors at The Ground, the spectacular ballroom event, the Larger than Life Ball, curated by The House of Gorgeous Gucci in the summer garden of the Palais, caused enthusiasm. Numerous stars and friends of the international LGBTQ+ scene from New York, Rio de Janeiro and Berlin celebrated a colourful open-air party for over 5 hours with cool music and live MC, sensational outfits, plateau heels and wild vogueing and dance competitions on a water catwalk.

Must have PEACE charity initiative
The must-have PEACE merch collection initiated because of the Ukraine war in favour of Be An Angel e.v. was very well received. The sale of limited-edition clothing and accessories from Carry, Closed, Drykorn, Eastpak, Lala Berlin, Lee, Le Specs, MCM, Merz b. Swans and Wranglers as well as generous donations from Boss, among others, brought in a total of almost 15,000 euros. The remaining stocks are promoted and sold via influencer accounts.

January 2023: Happy Birthday, PREMIUM!
The next Premium Group event cosmos will take place from Tuesday, January 17th to Thursday, January 19th, 2023 with a B2B focus again at the Berlin exhibition centre. The focus is on a big anniversary: the PREMIUM will be 20 years old! After the successful kick-off, the CONSCIOUS CLUB Conference will also be further developed for the next round.

The Berlin Fashion Week and Premium Group events will take place at the same time again from 2023.

Facts

• Premium Group event cosmos
• 2 trade shows: PREMIUM and SEEK
• 1 festival: The Ground
• 3 conferences: FASHIONTECH, CONSCIOUS CLUB Conference, The Ground Talks
• More than 800 participating brands
• 45,000 sqm total area
• 50 talks & panels with 85 speakers
• Newcomer brands: 230 at PREMIUM, 134 at SEEK

On the occasion of the 90^th year since its birth, Bemberg™ invests in the artistic spirit of Daniele Basso to create a work of art able to convey the values that characterize its fiber from the "craftsmanship elegance" through an innovative language.

According to the creative and strategic vision of the Italian artist - known for the symbolic works in sustainable steel developed for major companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Andrea Bocelli, Ferrari Rossocorsa and Mila Schon - sculptures can become a concrete expression of the entrepreneurial dream, of the culture and values of excellence that companies express in their own unique history and that they represent for the Community and the Territory that hosts them.

All of this is reflected in the work commissioned by Bemberg™, where the history of the Japanese brand takes concrete shape in a blue spiral, able to express both the company's adaptive nature to contemporary times through energy and proactivity, and its ability to build a new, harmonious visual identity. Moreover, the intertwining of the threads emphasizes the synergies and collaborations that lead Bemberg™ to constantly move towards new opportunities.

The piece will be donated to the mayor of Gallarate, where the headquarters of Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia currently reside.

The European Pultrusion Technology Association (EPTA) has published a report from its latest conference, which focuses on advances in sustainability and recycling.

More than 130 professionals from the global pultrusion community gathered at the 16th World Pultrusion Conference in Paris on 5-6 May 2022. Organised by EPTA in collaboration with the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), the event featured 25 international speakers sharing insight on market trends, developments in materials, processing and simulation technologies, and innovative pultruded applications in key markets such as building and infrastructure, transportation and wind energy.

‘Bio-pultrusion’:  
Composites based on natural fibres offer a number of benefits, including low density and high specific strength, vibration damping, and heat insulation. The German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing pultrusion processes using bio-based resins and natural fibres. Projects include the BioMat Pavilion at the University of Stuttgart, a lightweight structure which combines ‘bamboo-like’ natural fibre-based pultruded profiles with a tensile membrane.

Applications for recycled carbon fibre (rCF):
The use of rCF in composite components has the potential to reduce their cost and carbon footprint. However, it is currently used to a limited extent since manufacturers are uncertain about the technical performance of available rCF products, how to process them, and the actual benefits achievable. Fraunhofer IGCV is partnering with the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA) in the MAI ÖkoCaP project to investigate the technical, ecological and economic benefits of using rCF in different industrial applications. The results will be made available in a web-based app.

Circularity and recycling:
The European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) is drafting a circularity roadmap for the composites industry. It has collaborated with the European Cement Association (CEMBUREAU) on a position paper for the EU Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) which outlines the benefits of co-processing end-of-life composites in cement manufacturing, a recycling solution that is compliant with the EU’s Waste Framework Directive and in commercial operation in Germany. Initial studies have indicated that co-processing with composites has the potential to reduce the global warming impact of cement manufacture by up to 16%. Technologies to allow recovery of fibre and/or resin from composites are in development but a better understanding of the life cycle assessment (LCA) impact of these processes is essential. EuCIA’s ‘circularity waterfall,’ a proposed priority system for composites circularity, highlights the continued need for co-processing.

Sustainability along the value chain:
Sustainability is essential for the long-term viability of businesses. Resin manufacturer AOC’s actions to improve sustainability include programmes to reduce energy, waste and greenhouse gas emissions from operations, the development of ‘greener’ and low VOC emission resins, ensuring compliance with chemicals legislation such as REACH, and involvement in EuCIA’s waste management initiatives. Its sustainable resins portfolio includes styrene-free and low-styrene formulations and products manufactured using bio-based raw materials and recycled PET.

From 7 - 9 July, the who's who of the fashion industry and the entire fashion ecosystem will finally meet again in person at the events of the Premium Group at Messe Berlin! For business and exchange, for new experiences and impulses, for new brands and above all for one thing: for a new togetherness!

As usual, the trade shows PREMIUM and SEEK as well as the conference format FASHIONTECH are reserved for business professionals - who can find inspiration on site entirely. With the new D2C festival ‘The Ground – Celebration of Style & Culture’, young consumers and fashion enthusiasts from GenZ and GenY as well as the international community living in Berlin are invited to the exhibition grounds for the first time.

More than fashion: 360-degree inspiration at The Ground Festival
At The Ground, industry professionals meet young enthusiasts to inspire each other and discover new worlds. The Ground presents a completely new mix of topics, brands and partners around beauty, music, sport, play, soul and talks. Fashion is the connecting element of The Ground and runs through all areas. Creative and interactive brand presentations meet pre-loved and vintage store pop-ups, inspiring panel talks, sports and mental health workshops and live performances.

In the name of peace and unity: The Ground Festival opened by #FashionUnites Parade
On 7 July, the first The Ground Festival will open with a colourful parade through the capital. Together with the PLATTE.Berlin community, The Ground is organising a parade under the motto #FashionUnites starting at noon from the Victory Column through the west to the festival location of the Berlin exhibition centre. Accompanied by a Berlin DJ, everyone is invited to take part in the parade and can register here and thus also receive free access to The Ground on the first day of the festival.

High-profile charity campaign: The Ground launches 'MUST-HAVE PEACE Merch Collection'
Due to the ongoing war situation in Ukraine, the makers behind The Ground have launched a charity campaign: the MUST-HAVE PEACE Merch Collection. In this exclusive collaboration, players and brands such as Closed, Drykorn, Eastpak, Lala Berlin, Lee and others design one piece of merch each (denim jackets, shirts, shorts, bags) that can be bought during The Ground Festival.

New hub for sustainability: the SEEK Conscious Club
SEEK has always been a magnet for brands and people who have a common vision, tackle things and get them on the road. With the new SEEK Conscious Club, there will be a separate exhibition area focusing on sustainability - more than 80 sustainable brands are joining the club already.

New brand worlds at PREMIUM
This July, PREMIUM will be divided into three sections for the first time: High, Icon and Volume. High is the new home for brands that operate in the market above the premium segment. These include Lala Berlin, Nove, Helene Galwas and Jane Kønig. Icon covers the classic premium segment from Strellson and Seidensticker to Mos Mosh and Denham to Young Poets Society and Fabienne Chapot, and Volume is the new area for commercially successful brands that approach premium from the middle of the market. Here you will find brands like Gerry Weber, Mexx, Pierre Cardin or Miracle of Denim.

The Content Stage program
The stage program will reflect all relevant topics of the fashion ecosystem as part of the new Premium Group cosmos.

• It starts on the first day of the fair, Thursday 7 July, with the popular FASHIONTECH conference.
• On 8 July, the SEEK Conscious Club will host an extensive stage program on the subject of sustainability in all its facets for the first time.
• On Saturday, 9 July, the stage will become the entertainment spotlight for The Ground visitors.

• adidas x Parley’s global impact initiative, Run for the Oceans, returns for its fifth year, uniting sporting communities across the planet
• More activities than ever will be eligible for Run for the Oceans, with the introduction of tennis, wheelchair movement, football and more
• People across the world can take part by signing-up to the challenge from today and logging activity between May 23 – June 8

As we approach World Oceans Day on June 8, adidas and its longstanding partner Parley for the Oceans are once again encouraging the global sporting community to turn activity into action and Run for the Oceans in 2022.

For the first time, new activities have been introduced to the challenge, making this the most inclusive Run for the Oceans yet. People from all parts of the global sporting community are invited to hit the streets, the tennis court and the football field, and unite to help protect the oceans from plastic waste. For every 10 minutes of running from select activities, such as running, tennis or football*, recorded by participants via the adidas Runtastic app, Joyrun, Codoon, Yeudongquan or Strava, Parley will clean up the equivalent weight of one plastic bottle from beaches, remote islands, and coastlines before it reaches the ocean (up to a maximum of 250,000kg).

Launching between May 23 – June 8, the event returns for its fifth year, with the ambition of mobilising a generation to help end plastic waste. Research shows that the world is at a tipping point, with it predicted that oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050.

Since the beginning of the partnership in 2015, adidas has made more than 50 million pairs of shoes with Parley Ocean Plastic and close to 18 million pairs in 2021 alone - this includes plastic waste intercepted from beaches and coastal communities, preventing it from polluting the oceans.

For 2022, adidas x Parley have announced the launch of Adizero X Parley and Ultraboost 22 X Parley . With a carbon footprint of just 3.5kg per pair, the Adizero X Parley is the first time adidas and Parley have combined to launch a lower footprint concept, a milestone for the partnership delivered through innovation and with no compromise on shoe performance.  

From raw material interception, processing, packaging, all the way to the end of product life, adidas calculate and communicate its carbon footprint, conforming to an internationally recognized standard: ISO 14067. The footprint results made available provide full transparency on the complete lifecycle of the product.

ISKO did not miss the opportunity to be a driver for change as the community of fashion leaders gathered at the event “Drapers Sustainable Fashion 2022” on April 21st, in London. Specifically, ISKO’s presence at the event took place through a stand dedicated to the company’s commitment to the development of new processes for better industry practices, and through the participation of ISKO’s head of sustainability, Ebru Ozkucuk Guler, in the panel “Leading the way: exploring denim’s approach to responsible and sustainable manufacturing”.

The company’s technology R-TWO™50+ played a great role in showing how the innovative soul of the company matches its sustainable one. R-TWO™50+ is the driving force behind ISKO’s efforts to reduce the industry’s impact on the planet. The fabrics are made with a minimum of 50% pre- and post-consumer recycled blend that is entirely Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified. This results in less use of natural resources and a reduced carbon and water footprint of up to 45% and 65% respectively.
Held at main Stage, the panel was a chance to delve into the great strides that the industry has taken to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint through ground-breaking technology, with the speakers stating that “sustainability strategies are essential for the health not only of the planet but also of the industry itself.”

OETI - Institute for Ecology, Technology and Innovation’ offers as a worldwide accredited and notified centre of excellence testing and certification services. The company specialises in textiles, leather, personal protective equipment (PPE), floor coverings and interior furnishing materials. It also assesses indoor air quality.  As a founding member of the OEKO-TEX® community (1992) and official OEKO-TEX® testing institute, OETI also comprises the entire OEKO-TEX® product portfolio.

Between its own international branches and the branches of OETI’s Swiss parent company TESTEX AG, OETI’s network of locations spans several continents. Recently, two more branches have been added in India and Bangladesh: Headquartered in Coimbatore/Tamil Nadu, OETI India is managed by Vignesh Amalraj, who has decades of experience in the textile and apparel industry for testing, inspection, certification, auditing, product safety, training and sustainability management. The second location was recently opened in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The responsible Country Manager, Mohiuddin Sheek, is an expert in the areas of testing, auditing, certification, product safety, training, consulting and business development.