From the Sector

For the third time, the GoodTextiles Foundation is realising a WASH community project together with Cotton made in Africa (CmiA). In cooperation with the CmiA-verified cotton company Sofitex, hand-operated pumps were installed in two villages in Burkina Faso/Africa to improve the drinking water supply. The three partners have also trained the villagers in the use of water, particularly with regard to disease prevention, hygiene and healthcare.

For the people in the villages of Sidi and Moukouma, daily life was a challenge: they had to walk between four and ten kilometres to get access to clean drinking water. They were often forced to resort to unsafe water sources such as rivers, which resulted in significant hygiene and health problems.

Following a comprehensive assessment of water scarcity at the project sites, two boreholes were drilled and hand-operated pumps installed. These are located in communal areas that are freely accessible to all and free of any private property and rights. Now the 3,000 inhabitants of both villages have unrestricted access to clean drinking water at all times - a real lifeline for the communities.

A water management committee was set up in each village. In the WASH training sessions, the participants were familiarised with the tasks and functions of the water committee. In addition, the villagers were given a better understanding of WASH practices and principles. They were also taught how to promote hygiene at the water points to ensure water quality. Finally, they were given the necessary maintenance tools for their work.

A total of 115 committed people, including 61 men and 54 women, took part in the training courses. They will now act as multipliers for WASH initiatives, water, sanitation and hygiene measures in their communities and pass on their knowledge. Each committee also received a toolkit for the maintenance of boreholes - so that this project is not just short-term help, but a sustainable improvement in living conditions.

The GoodTextiles Foundation is supporting the project with around €17,000.00.

The Top Employers Institute has recognized Autoneum as a Top Employer 2024 in Switzerland. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organization’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through their policies and people practices. This year, the automotive supplier's Human Resources (HR) department at its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, took part in the comprehensive survey of the Top Employers Insti-tute for the first time and achieved an outstanding result.

The institute has been auditing companies worldwide for over 30 years. The certification program, which is based on an international standard, makes HR measures and their impact on employee conditions objectively measurable. To achieve this, the Top Employers Institute certifies organizations based on the participation and the results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more.

The program has certified and recognized over 2 300 Top Employers in 121 countries/regions across five continents.

Portuguese textile entrepreneur, Mario Jorge Machado, has been elected President of EURATEX during its General Assembly on 14 June. The Assembly also nominated Alberto Paccanelli as Honorary President.

Mario Jorge Machado has an extensive career in textiles. Mario is currently a shareholder and director of "Adalberto Textile Solutions, S.A.", where he applies advanced management practices to boost competitiveness and innovation. He has been president of the Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal (ATP) since 2019, and he stands out for his strategic leadership in the textile and clothing sector, promoting innovation and sustainability. He represents ATP on the Board of CIP - Confederação Empresarial de Portugal and chairs CIP's strategic council for the environment and sustainability.

With a degree in Production Polymer Engineering from the University of Minho, his expertise ranges from continuous process improvement to the development of B2B commercial teams and B2C business models. His vision encompasses operational excellence and the implementation of sustainable practices, contributing to the evolution of the textile industry.

The Assembly also nominated Alberto Paccanelli as Honorary President, recognising over a decade of commitment to EURATEX and the European textile industry.

EURATEX General Assembly also elected 4 other members of the Presidency Team: Michael Kamm (ZWILLING Gruppe, Germany), Barbara Cimmino (Yamamay, Italy), Grégory Marchant (UTT, France) and Ismail Kolunsag (Cross Tekstil, Turkey). During the Assembly, EURATEX also welcomed new memberships from CEMATEX and Forschungskuratorium Textil e. V., and a partnership with Reju. (France).

The Lectra Group company announced a new collaboration between TextileGenesis, the textile traceability platform and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). It will enable the implementation, via the TextileGenesis platform, of new solutions to ensure the traceability of cellulose fibers from responsibly managed forests.

In fashion, many textiles such as viscose, lyocell and modal use man-made cellulose fibers. These fibers are themselves made from wood pulp, the production of which can contribute to deforestation.

Founded in 1994, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) is an international NGO whose mission is to promote responsible forest management worldwide. In particular, the organization offers certification for products and raw materials which have been obtained from wood grown in responsibly managed forests, and comes from supply chains where social rights of workers, communities and indigenous peoples have been safeguarded.

Amit Gautam, founder and CEO of TextileGenesis, explains: "We've already been working with Man Made Cellulosic Fiber Producers for several years to facilitate, thanks to our blockchain-inspired technology, the traceability of fibers manufactured by the most virtuous producers, and we've integrated their analysis criteria into our platform. By also becoming an FSC® partner today, we're taking things a step further. This new collaboration will support companies in the traceability of FSC certified fibers and support the administration and data management of FSC Chain of Custody certification. All players in the value chain will benefit from increased transparency and much more reliable upstream data. Fashion brands will be able to demonstrate much more easily that their garments use textiles made from responsibly sourced man-made cellulose fibers."

Fabian Farkas, FSC International Chief Commercial Director, adds: “We are seeing a rapid increase in interest in FSC certification from the textile industry, marking a very positive trend. Through this collaboration with TextileGenesis, we aim to simplify the administrative part of FSC certification for companies within the textile supply chain by automating many required data processes. Our goal is to empower brands to identify opportunities for seamless progress in meeting their FSC procurement policies.”

Following the signature in October 2023 of a memorandum of understanding with the International Cotton Association (ICA) and the launch last January of two consortiums with footwear and leather players, and more recently the announcement of its partnership with the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), the initiator of The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS), TextileGenesis confirms, with this new collaboration with the FSC®, its central place in the ecosystem of players mobilizing for more sustainable and responsible fashion.

The Schneider Group officially launches Authentico® by Schneider Group, a brand that stands for a transparent, verified, traceable, ethical and high-quality wool supply chain. It aims to be recognised as a global brand that enables the fashion industry, together with end-consumers, to choose new levels of premium quality comprising fully traceable and responsible wool, in compliance with a carefully structured approach that verifies, traces and brands the sourcing and manufacturing processes throughout the whole supply chain. Authentico® is based on the Schneider Group global certified network.

To achieve these goals, the Schneider Group has created the Authentico® Verification System, a simple and reliable way to provide criteria and guidelines for all Authentico® supply chain partners including:

• Authentico® Integrity Scheme, best practices for growers’ implementation at farm level. Animal welfare is at the heart of the Authentico® Integrity scheme, together with being mulesing-free, in accordance with The Five Domains. But the scheme goes further and encompasses also land and pasture management and social responsibility. The wool is sourced from carefully selected and highly committed growers, who apply best practices and choose to subscribe to the dedicated Authentico® platform. The selected fibres are processed into tops in the Schneider Group’s own mills located on several continents, which are directly operated and fully certified.
• Authentico® Brand Guidelines, for all other supply chain players (from spinners, weavers and knitters to garment makers, brands and retailers), that include precise criteria set by the Schneider Group to ensure alignment with Authentico® brand values.

In addition, the Schneider Group incorporates the traceability platform TextileGenesis™ within its Authentico® Verification System, to digitally track all incoming and outgoing wool.

The group has developed a marketing & communication plan to support its Authentico® brand. Upcoming events where Authentico® will be featured are: Pitti Filati in June, Milano Unica in July, the Natural Fibre Connect (NFC) in Biella in mid-September and the Textile Exchange Conference at the end of October in Pasadena.

The Fashion for Good Museum publishes its legacy document. The report was prompted by the museum’s closure on June 5th, 2024. It represents the museum’s mission, summarising invaluable insights gathered over six years and key results such as reaching 115.000 visitors and creating a dedicated community of more than 250.000 followers online. Committed to transparency and collaboration, Fashion for Good shares its reflections, tools, and transferable learnings, as well as the future of its collections and next steps, continuing to inspire positive change within the fashion ecosystem. All information can be accessed on the Fashion for Good website for continued use and benefit of educators, the cultural sector, and the wider public.

Looking back on its journey, the Fashion for Good Museum celebrates achievements such as hosting 115.000 visitors, including 8.000 students from 200 schools, curating 13 exhibitions, offering over 75 events, launching 4 educational programmes, reaching both current and future generations, and inspiring many to drive change in the fashion industry. With an earned media value of over 46 million Euros through press coverage since 2017, Fashion for Good's influence has been significant, evident in its 250.000 social media followers and 15.000 newsletter subscribers.

The report fulfils the promise Fashion for Good made in 2017 – to share their journey, learnings, and most impactful activities with the world. Within these pages, readers will discover reflections on their messaging, insights about creative partnerships with entities such as Lowlands Festival, Dutch Design Week, and Museumnacht to case studies of pioneering exhibitions. Their programming was created around themes and topics, such as the untold stories around cotton, circularity, and the future of biomaterials to educate and inspire visitors, ultimately empowering them to take action themselves.

Reflecting on the output of the museum during its short existence, as well as its footprint and wide reach, while acknowledging the challenges encountered during its establishment and development, Fashion for Good distilled six key lessons from Fashion for Good's sustainable museum practices:

• Recognition of Broader Shift: There is a wider movement towards sustainability in the museum sector, exemplified by Fashion for Good and the new ICOM definition.
• Storytelling for Societal Change: Cultural institutions are crucial in driving societal change in fashion consumption through storytelling.
• Innovation through Limitations: Embracing organisational limitations can stimulate innovation in museum collection management and education.
• Audience Engagement: Understanding and expanding the core audience is essential for effective engagement in sustainability initiatives.
• Measuring Impact: It's challenging to measure impact for organisations with social missions, requiring clear success criteria.
• Establishing a Sustainability Framework: Defining sustainability within context is fundamental for organisational sustainability efforts.

Wünsche Group, a global trading company, has announced enhancements to its supply chain operations through its ongoing partnership with TradeBeyond and adoption of the platform’s shipping visibility features. Before integrating TradeBeyond’s multi-enterprise supply chain platform in 2019, Wünsche Group faced challenges managing its complex supply chain, which spans more than 15 trading companies worldwide.

Building on its initial implementation, Wünsche is now deriving more value from TradeBeyond by implementing the platform’s advanced shipping visibility functionalities. Integrated with leading shipping information company Vizion, these enhancements offer comprehensive, real-time tracking of shipments from departure to arrival, covering all intermediary handling stages.

With shipment updates now available within dashboard views on TradeBeyond platform, all departments have access to the latest ETA updates, enabling them to adjust their strategies and activities based on real-time information. TradeBeyond’s shipping visibility enhancements allow the company to better manage delays by providing timely updates and enabling proactive management of transit times. The platform also streamlines communication across internal departments and with external partners, reducing the need for manual updates and check-ins.

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will participate in the ITM 2024 International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye from 4th to 8th June 2024 with a full product lineup.

WHOLEGARMENT® knitting has recently gained heavy interest from the apparel industry due to the shrinking workforce of skilled sewing and linking personnel, as well as for its sustainable benefits by requiring the minimum amount of material to produce one item at a time. SHIMA SEIKI intends to gain even more interest with its new SWG-XR® flagship machine. SWG-XR® features the company's original SlideNeedle™on 4 needle beds for high quality production of WHOLEGARMENT® products using all needles, in addition to a re-designed sinker system and a compact, light-weight carriage featuring 4 systems as well as auto yarn carriers. All contribute to increased productivity as well as increased product range using a wider variety of yarn for supporting knits for all seasons, and higher quality for knitting beautiful fabrics and silhouettes; even items that were impossible to knit before, including punch-lace patterns, variable stitch knitting and intarsia knitting. Setting new standards for the next generation of waste-free, sustainable WHOLEGARMENT® knitting, SWG-XR® at ITM will be shown in 15L. The MACH2®XS WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine, also with original SlideNeedle™ on four needle beds, will be shown in 8L. Other WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines include the MACH2®VS V-bed machine for producing WHOLEGARMENT® items using every other needle, shown in 8 and 18 gauges, as well as the compact SWG®091N2 for producing smaller WHOLEGARMENT® items and accessories, to be shown in 10 gauge. An economical proposal in V-bed WHOLEGARMENT® knitting will also be introduced in the form of the N.SVR®183 machine in 24 gauge.

SHIMA SEIKI’s technology in computerized shaped knitting is represented by its N.SVR®122 computerized flat knitting machine in 14 gauge, and features such innovations as the R2CARRIAGE®, WideGauge® knitting, spring-type moveable sinkers, DSCS® Digital Stitch Control System, stitch presser, yarn gripper and cutter, and takedown comb. Also on display will be the SCG®122SN coarse gauge machine in 3 gauge. Automatic seamless glove knitting machines will also be present, including the SFG®20 21-gauge machine, and SFG®-I in 10 gauge.

On the software side, demonstrations will be performed on SHIMA SEIKI’s SDS®-ONE APEX4 design system and APEXFiz® subscription-based design software. Each provides comprehensive support throughout the production supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design, to production and even sales promotion. Especially effective is the way the design evaluation process is improved with ultra-realistic simulation capability, whereby virtual samples replace physical sampling, consequently reducing time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. Digital prototyping using virtual samples on SDS®-ONE APEX4 and APEXFiz® help to digitally transform the fashion supply chain for realizing sustainable manufacturing. SHIMA KnitManager™ knit production management software will also be shown to demonstrate solutions for maximizing productivity through monitoring of machine status and production progress.

Breaking new ground in plastics recycling means assessing the value chain from end to end. The big opportunities for the future are in fine-tuning the individual process steps; from the collection of recyclable materials to the recycling process and the end product. This is where the cooperation of Lindner and the EREMA Group comes in, officially launched following the 50/50 founding of the holding BLUEONE Solutions in August 2023 to which shares of Lindner Washtech were contributed. The expertise of EREMA, a manufacturer of extruders and filtration solutions for plastics recycling and the largest company within the EREMA Group, has now been combined with the expert know-how from Lindner Washtech, a leading provider of all-in-one solutions for shredding, sorting and washing plastic feed materials.

Data transfer ensures more efficient recycling processes
Process control is an especially important aspect of plastics recycling, which is why standardising the process control system was what the two companies focused on first. "Together, we have developed a platform that allows data to be exchanged between the extruder and the washing system," says Manfred Hackl, CEO of the EREMA Group at IFAT in Munich. "This enables us to analyse the data more precisely so that effective improvement measures can be deduced." All key parameters are taken into account and monitored via a digital interface. For example, it is possible to use information relating to the current throughput of the EREMA Pre Conditioning Unit to optimise the washing process as soon as possible so that it can compensate for fluctuations in capacity and achieve a significant increase in output. This data transfer represents a new step on the roadmap to digitalization.

High efficiency due to smart energy management
"To ensure sustainable recycling, it is necessary to find the right process for each application and to make sure that the individual process steps are perfectly coordinated," emphasizes Michael Lackner, Managing Director of Lindner. Coordinating the process steps has already achieved initial success in energy management, and a clear example of this is heat recovery. "We use the latent heat generated during the extrusion process as an energy source for the washing and drying process," explains Lackner. "This enables our customers to sustainably reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions".

Making the most of synergies along the value chain
Synergies need to be used to establish the quality standards specified for each end application. "The key question is how we can improve the end product and increase the overall efficiency of the recycling process at the same time," agree Manfred Hackl and Michael Lackner. This will only work if companies work together along the value chain. The industry leaders can already point to several examples where together they have improved recycling processes and made it possible to move away from downcycling. "An example of this is the recycling loop of HDPE starting material, which is processed into high-quality, food-safe rHDPE pellets using our two technologies," says Lackner. Lindner Washtech and EREMA continue to work intensively together to develop strategies for upcycling plastics and increase recycling rates.

Stahl, a provider of speciality coatings and treatments for flexible substrates, has appointed former AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker as a Non-Executive Director to its Board.

As a Non-Executive Board Director, Mr Vanlancker will provide valuable oversight, advice and strategic guidance to Stahl’s leadership, supporting the company’s position as a leader in speciality coatings and treatments for flexible substrates.

From 2017 to 2022 Mr Vanlancker served as CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of AkzoNobel NV. Prior to his tenure at Akzo he held several senior positions in Europe and the US at Dupont.

Mr Vanlancker also serves as Chairman of the Board at Sika and as Non Executive Board Director at Aliaxis and Etex. He brings over 30 years of experience in the  speciality coatings and chemicals industries and holds a Master's degree in chemical engineering from Ghent University.