From the Sector

Dibella supports organic Fairtrade cotton farmers in sourcing non-GMO seeds for the next harvest.

Together with the Chetna Organic cooperative, Dibella has long supported Indian smallholder farmers, on whose fields the organic Fairtrade cotton for the company's sustainable contract textiles grows. To secure the livelihoods of the smallholders, Dibella is taking action this year with a special measure: at the beginning of the new growing season, the company pre-finances the procurement of the genetically unmodified (GMO-free) seeds.

The beginning of the monsoon season (June to September) marks the start of the cotton year in India. The small family farms where the organic Fairtrade cotton for the sustainable Dibella range is grown prepare their fields for sowing. The seeds needed this year come directly from their buyer Dibella. The company organised and co-financed the procurement of the seeds together with the Chetna Organic cooperative.

Ending the debt trap
"At the beginning of the cotton season, smallholder farmers are often forced to take out a loan to finance the seeds they need. For this, very high double-digit interest rates are charged in India, which can lead to excessive debt for families, especially when there are crop failures due to pest infestations or unfavourable weather conditions, for example," reports Simon Bartholomes, Purchasing Manager at Dibella. "We decided years ago to break this vicious circle by pre-financing the genetically unmodified seed. It is procured by our partner Chetna Organic and distributed free of charge to the farming families whose organic cotton is processed into our organic Fairtrade textiles after the harvest. This year we have allocated a sum of USD 50,000 for this purpose.

Win-win situation
This measure offers advantages for all parties involved: Through direct access to the seeds, Dibella enables the farmer families to have a more adequate livelihood. At the same time, the farmers benefit from the expertise of Chetna Organic staff, who support them in organic farming. Dibella, in turn, covers its annual demand for organic Fairtrade cotton with a right of first refusal. This gives the company full control over its entire supply chain, which starts at the cotton field.

Increasing energy and resource efficiency in the construction sector will be key to the EU’s ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. By enabling the manufacture of strong, durable and lightweight products, composite materials can help the construction sector improve its environmental sustainability, as well as reduce total lifecycle costs. The latest EPTA industry briefing, Pultruded composites contribute to a more sustainable future for construction, discusses how pultruded composites answer the need for materials offering high performance, faster installation, corrosion resistance and low maintenance.

The report is available to download from the EPTA website.

The future of construction
As one of the largest global users of energy and raw materials, the construction industry is under immense pressure to improve its sustainability. At the same time, it must respond to demands for improved performance and reduced total cost of ownership. New materials will be needed to minimise the use of natural resources, enable a reduction of carbon footprint and facilitate circular economy practices. Choosing the optimum materials required for durability throughout the lifecycle will be increasingly important. A shift to off-site production is also forecast, where factory-controlled environments and automated processes can improve quality control, lower waste, and reduce work on site.

Lightweight pultruded parts can be pre-assembled into modules or complete structures in the factory for faster installation on site. Lightweight profiles lower energy use during transportation and installation, and a longer service life combined with minimal maintenance can deliver a reduced through-life carbon footprint. Pultruded parts such as profiles, gratings, beams, tubes and planks are increasingly found in a range of building, construction and infrastructure applications. Examples include bridge decks, fencing, stairs and handrails, train platforms, cladding, utility poles, modular building concepts, and window frames.

One application offering large growth potential for composites is bridges. Composite bridges are being designed to provide a service life of 100 years and unlike steel bridges do not require regular repainting to protect them from corrosion. Over recent years, pultruded glass fibre composite has become a highly popular choice for pedestrian and cycle bridges. Pre-fabricated ‘easy fit’ bridge decking planks, pre-assembled bridge modules and complete bridge ‘kits’ are now available. Corrosion-resistant composite bridges are ideal for use near water or on the coast, and in remote locations where regular maintenance operations would be difficult. A composite bridge can deliver the same performance as a steel structure with a weight saving of up to 50% or more. This enables more streamlined bridge designs which require less substantial supporting structures and foundations, greatly reducing consumption of materials and energy. Lightweight also results in easier logistics and simplified installation. Pultruded are more easily transported to the construction site, with lower fuel consumption, and easier to move on site, often reducing labour requirements and the capacity of lifting equipment.

A lifecycle approach
As the construction industry looks to the future, the environmental and economic benefits of composite materials linked to easier logistics and installation, durability and low maintenance are becoming increasingly valued. More projects are demonstrating the benefits of composite materials and standards covering the design, fabrication and installation of pultruded profiles are making it easier for the construction industry to use them. With ongoing development and collaboration, pultrusion has the potential to contribute to a more sustainable future for construction and many other industries. EPTA will continue to promote the advancement of pultrusion technology and its applications and foster sustainable practices within the industry.

Following a strong start at the Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles early this year, global industry players have turned their sights to the next international event in August. As the first Autumn Edition to be held in the wake of China lifting many of its pandemic-related border restrictions, the three-day fair will gather around 1,000 international and domestic exhibitors. Traders looking to meet market demand will be able to source from an extensive range of trending and specialised home and contract textile products from 16 – 18 August 2023.

According to a recent market report, the global home textile market is expected to show a CAGR of 5.6% from 2023 – 2028 to reach USD 174.1 billion by the end of the forecast period. Asia-Pacific has dominated the global market in recent years, with China one of its most significant contributors.^[1]

As a manufacturing hub for home textiles, China is gradually recovering from social and business disruptions caused by the pandemic. Speaking at the recent Spring Edition, Ms Rosemary Li, Domestic Sales Manager of Zhangjiagang Coolist Life Technology Co Ltd, a long-time exhibitor specialised in bio-based and functional bedding products, said: “Since China relaxed its pandemic-related control and prevention measures, after Chinese New Year we have been flooded with orders. With both domestic and export orders increasing, it has been almost impossible for the production line to fulfil the order demand.”

While the spring show’s promising visitor flow was a positive start to the Chinese home textile industry’s post-pandemic era, a higher participation of overseas exhibitors and buyers is expected at the upcoming Autumn Edition

The return of special zones and international pavilions
Later this year in Shanghai, exhibitors will showcase their most up-to-date home and contract textile products, ranging from bedding & towelling, rugs, table & kitchen linen, upholstery & curtain fabrics, editors, home textile technologies and textile design. With a wealth of choices for buyers, several show highlights are listed below:

• Editor & Designer Zone: located in hall 5.1, the zone will feature international, high-end editor and designer brands brought by leading exhibitors J&C, Julai, Qianbaihui, Prestigious, Shanghai Lotus, SohoCut, Yada, and more.
• Country and region pavilions: premium suppliers from Belgium, Türkiye and Taiwan (China) will exhibit quality products in their designated pavilions in hall 6.1.
• Textile Designs: textile design studios from Japan, Portugal and Taiwan (China), namely Amilia Design Studio, Fine Art Inc and Tela's Design Lda, will also showcase their seasonal designs in hall 6.1.

Adding to buyers’ sourcing options, a multitude of domestic players from different categories will also showcase their respective products. Highlighted exhibitors include top curtain and curtain fabric suppliers Fu-Tex, Hangzhou Aico, Hexin and Xiaoxuanchuang; bedding suppliers Coolist, Huizhou Wah Shing and Yantai North Home; as well as Hightex, Huatex, Maya and Suzhou Roufang from the upholstery and sofa fabric sector.

Fairgoers can also learn more about the upcoming global trends and designs by visiting the ‘2023 – 2024 Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend’ area. In aid of this, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has joined forces with NellyRodi™, the renowned French forecasting agency, to present the design theme for 2023 – 2024: ‘ALIVE’. HUMAN CAPITAL, ROUSING COMMITMENT and UNREAL REALITIES are the theme’s three main trends.

^[1] Globe Newswire: Global Home Textile Market Report 2023-2028: Increase in Consumer Spending on Home Renovation and Decoration Bodes Well for the Sector. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/03/08/2622718/28124/en/Global-Home-Textile-Market-Report-2023-2028-Increase-in-Consumer-Spending-on-Home-Renovation-and-Decoration-Bodes-Well-for-the-Sector.html

Bangladesh will stage the world’s first climate conference for the fashion industry this autumn, on 12 October. The Bangladesh Climate Action Forum will convene policy makers, garment manufacturers, fashion retailers and other industry stakeholders to look at solutions for decarbonising global textile supply chains.

The event will focus on technological and financial challenges around reducing emissions. Most of the world’s leading fashion brands have now set ambitious targets for reducing supply chain emissions. These targets relate to 2030 by which time many brands aim to reduce emissions by 50 per cent, and 2050 where most fashion brands aim to be carbon neutral.

The Bangladesh Climate Forum Action will examine causes of climate crisis, its urgency, impacts we have already seen, and what we can expect under both businesses as usual and rapid decarbonisation scenarios.

Also presenting at the event will be the Government of Bangladesh, which will address Bangladesh’s actions to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change and is ranked the seventh extreme disaster risk-prone country in the world according to a report from the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Tropical cyclones, tornadoes, floods, coastal and riverbank erosion, droughts and landslides are the major climate-induced hazards in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Climate Forum Action will also look at approaches towards decarbonization, including NetZero goals and timelines. Speakers will discuss globally recognised pathways for electricity/transportation/industry decarbonisation.

Renewable energy will also be under discussion. If fashion brands are to hit climate targets, it is imperative that supply chains switch to renewable energy and away from gas and fossil fuels. The event will look at challenges around the de-carbonisation of the electricity grid in Bangladesh, as well as the rate of transition toward renewable resources by garment factories, including solar power.

A key element of the event will be evaluation of practical solutions for Bangladesh’s RMG industry. It will profile specific solutions such as energy efficiency, machine upgrades, the electrification of thermal loads, direct power purchase agreements and biomass fed thermal systems. It will also discuss the challenges faced in the industry including business climate (and cycles), pricing, financing challenges, target setting and execution, policy opportunities, knowledge gaps and availability/scaling of solutions.

Financial challenges around decarbonisation of supply chains are significant, and it is far from clear who will pay for the technological upgrades required. While some investment support systems exist – such as lower interest financing – these are not always available, accessible or affordable for the majority of the RMG companies.

The event will explore financial options, changes to business/pricing models, opportunities for de-risking/underwriting investments, direct investment and other tools that need to emerge to address financial challenges and plug the funding gap. The event will also explore opportunities to decouple climate action from business cycles so that the 2030 targets can be met.

PrimaLoft Inc., a leader in advanced material technology, announced the reorganization of its European sales management team. Effective June 1st, Leonardo Loro has promoted to the position of Sales Leader, Europe. Additionally, the company welcomes Mario Vlietinck as the new Territory Manager for France, Benelux & Denmark.

To further streamline operations and maximize opportunities, PrimaLoft is also implementing a territory reorganization to better align existing sales talent with market opportunities. These moves will strengthen the company’s sales strategy in the region.

Leonardo Loro will lead the European sales team and report directly to Chris Humphris, SVP, Global Sales. "With over a decade of experience as the sales and marketing manager for the southern European market, including France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, Leonardo has demonstrated exceptional skills in building customer relationships and identifying new business opportunities. His invaluable contributions to our sales efforts make him the ideal candidate to lead and elevate our business in Europe", said Humphris. In his new leadership role, Loro will continue to manage brands in Italy and Spain, as well as military sales efforts in Europe.

Mario Vlietinck joins the PrimaLoft team and will be responsible for managing and developing business relationships with PrimaLoft brand partners in France, Benelux & Denmark. Vlietinck brings a wealth of knowledge in sales and the outdoor industry, previously serving as the head of Apparel & Footwear for Katoen Natie, as well as working for brands such as Reebok, Merrell, and Vannese. "Mario’s background in product development, business development, and international sales positions him as a great asset to our company goals,” said Humphris. Vlietinck will report to Leonardo Loro.

Sales Territory Reorganization
Wim Neels, VP of business development for fashion and lifestyle, will be responsible for all Fashion & Lifestyle brands across Europe, with the exception of Italy & Spain, which remain the responsibility of Leonardo Loro.

Bartosz Lassak will expand his territory responsibility to include outdoor performance brands in the United Kingdom, in addition to Eastern Europe and Turkey. He will also handle any opportunities from North Africa, as well as any brands located outside of other European coverage.

Valerie Raths Goesel will oversee the management of all outdoor performance brands in the Germany, Austria, and Switzerland region.

Mats Jengard will remain the territory manager for Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland & Iceland), focusing outdoor performance brands.

Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Textiles, wrapped up a three-day visit of state-of-the art U.S. textile manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina, highlighting the importance of trade policies that bolster the competitiveness of the vibrant domestic supply chain that contributes significantly to the U.S. economy and workforce.

Dr. Agama, who advises the nation’s top trade chief on textile and apparel trade policy matters and conducts and oversees negotiations affecting textiles and apparel products, was joined by USTR textile trade officials in touring seven textile manufacturers including: Glen Raven, Barnet, Standard Textile, Parkdale Mills, Beverly Knits, Gildan, and Unifi.

Her three-day tour culminated in an industry roundtable discussion with key textile executives hosted by Unifi, in Greensboro, N.C.

U.S. textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile and apparel industries participated in the roundtable and outlined critical policies, such as: the importance of maintaining the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and other trade agreements; advancing the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and its importance to domestic manufacturers; closing the de minimis loophole in U.S. trade law; addressing larger systemic trade issues, particularly the use of forced labor, with China; and upholding buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies.

“We deeply appreciate Assistant USTR Agama’s visit to the heart of the U.S. textile industry in North and South Carolina this week to meet with U.S. textile executives and experience first-hand the breadth of the industry’s innovation, advanced sustainability practices, capital investments and critical contributions to local economies and the U.S. economy as a whole,” said Kim Glas, president and CEO of NCTO. “The three-day visit by Dr. Agama and the USTR textile team included facility tours of several NCTO member companies, all of which have made major investments in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that are part of a broader domestic industry supply chain that produced $65.8 billion in output in 2022 and employed 538,000 workers.”

Glas continued: “We are also grateful for Dr. Agama’s participation in the industry roundtable hosted by Unifi and substantive discussions around policy opportunities and challenges. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Agama, the USTR textile team and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai to advance policies that provide incentives for onshoring and nearshoring production and bolstering the industry’s competitiveness, while enforcing policies that address illegal trade practices that undermine this industry.”

“The U.S. textile industry has always been resilient, innovative, and a driving force of our nation’s competitiveness,” said Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama. “For USTR, this local engagement and conversations underscore our need to create trade policies that put workers first and promote inclusive economic growth. The spinning, knitting, and weaving operations of the textile industry are at the center of many communities across the Carolinas. This was another opportunity to hear first-hand how we trade can create jobs that allow workers, businesses, and communities to thrive.”

adidas and Bogey Boys are introducing the adidas x Bogey Boys collection featuring crisp designs and high-quality performance materials that combine vintage styles from golf and tennis with a modern feel, all for easy on- and off-course wear. The limited-edition capsule featuring apparel and footwear for men and women will be available at select locations beginning Wednesday, June 14.

The adidas x Bogey Boys capsule introduces classic, clean, and sporty designs that give golfers the chance to express their style.  In refined white, altered blue and collegiate green colorways, pieces from the collection include:

• Two four-button placket polos with a higher collar stand
• A striped silhouette as well as a solid pique option with piping at cuffs and chest pocket
• Terry cloth track suit (jacket and pants) with white 3-Stripes detailing and adidas x Bogey Boys branding
• V-neck sweater vest in collegiate green with checkered white and green contrasting across the shoulders and small contrast lines running through rib hem and armholes
• Straight-leg trouser made with adidas’ WARPKNIT material featuring pintuck detail down front and back legs along with piping around pockets for a crisp finish
• Terry cloth romper with zip-front pockets, elastic waistband with pin buckle, back-right welt pocket and contrast white binding at armhole and leg opening
• High-waisted skirt that features a side-zip opening, front and back seams with kick pleats, triangle pocket inserts with piping detail, and zipper pocket back-center and adidas’ WARPKNIT material
• Playful graphic tee that includes a 'Welcome to the Clubhouse' message on the back featuring characters dressed in pieces of the collection sketched by Macklemore and the adidas team.

There will be a handful of accessories to complement the range including a five-panel rope hat, leather golf glove, and leather travel bag featuring croc texture with metal feet and hardware.

June 1, the European Parliament has adopted its Report on an EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. The Report wants to step up the EU’s ambition towards sustainability and circularity even further, but it has failed to recognise the strategic role of the European textile industry to scale up sustainability, nor to appreciate the global competitive threat which our companies are facing.

Director General Dirk Vantyghem commented on the MEP Report: “We welcome the strong interest of the European Parliament in the textile and fashion industry, but encourage MEPs to develop a balanced vision which reconciles sustainability and competitiveness. Developing a new business model for our industry requires carefully crafted legislation at global level, and an open dialogue between the industry, the brands and the consumer.”

EURATEX supports the EU Textile Strategy, as it was presented over a year ago by the European Commission. The 160.000 European textile companies are committed to invest in sustainability, develop new circular business models and produce high quality textile products – not just in fashion, but also in home and medical textiles, construction, agriculture or cars. To do so, indeed a new regulatory framework is needed, with clear definitions, coherent rules and effective controls. But also, the companies should be able to comply with these rules and remain globally competitive.

The EP Report has failed to respect that balance between sustainability and competitiveness. Instead, it suggests even more rules and restrictions, totally disregarding the current economic challenges caused by high energy prices, loss in consumer confidence and assertive trade partners. Putting the bar even higher will simply mean that the European textile industry will be pushed out of the market, resulting in a bigger environmental footprint and increased dependency on foreign supplies. Quite the opposite of what the EU wants to achieve with its open strategic autonomy plans.

The Report also fails to differentiate between textile products. There is a mix up between fashion and technical textiles, between products made in Europe and outside, between high quality and durable products and low-quality items. It is regretful that the European Parliament did not make that distinction and simply refers to “textiles” as a general cause of concern, without acknowledging e.g. the high quality products, made by European textile and fashion companies.

The Report puts a strong responsibility on the supply side – the industry and the brands – and does not sufficiently address the role of the consumer. Initiatives therefore are essential to create a stronger demand for sustainable textiles, which includes better communication and transparency (avoid greenwashing), fiscal measures, green public procurement and better control of online marketplaces.

On a positive note, the EP Report does recognise the importance to invest in research and innovation, to support reskilling and upskilling, the need of scaling up circular economy and pay attention to the needs of SMEs. EURATEX has always insisted that such massive transition can only be successful if accompanied by significant and dedicated support programmes. The EU Textiles Transition Pathway should offer a clear perspective in this regard.

The shareholders of SGL Carbon SE approved all agenda items at the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2023. The Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually, was attended by up to 114 electronically connected shareholders who, together with the postal votes submitted, represented 64.64% of the share capital.

CEO Dr. Torsten Derr began his speech with a review of SGL Carbon's two-year transformation phase. "In two years, we have been able to increase our sales by 23.5% and adjusted EBITDA by as much as 86.2%. In parallel, we reduced our debt by 40.4%," Dr. Derr elaborated. He also reported on the past financial year and the expectations for the future economic development of the company. In doing so, he also addressed SGL Carbon's growth markets in detail. "Over the past two years, we have made SGL fit for the future. With our products, we serve industries that significantly reflect the trends for the future: climate-friendly mobility, renewable energies and digitalization," he explained.

After 14 years on the Supervisory Board of SGL Carbon, this was Dr. h.c. Susanne Klatten's last Annual General Meeting as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board. She had already informed the Company on February 14, 2023, that she would be leaving the Board at the end of this Annual General Meeting. As the largest shareholder, Dr. h.c. Klatten will remain associated with SGL Carbon through SKion GmbH.

As proposed, the Annual General Meeting elected Prof. Dr. Frank Richter as a shareholder representative on the Supervisory Board to succeed Dr. h.c. Susanne Klatten. Following the Annual General Meeting, the constituent meeting of the Supervisory Board elected Prof. Dr. Richter as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Prof. Dr. Richter is Managing Director of SKion GmbH, Bad Homburg, which holds a stake of approximately 28.55% in SGL Carbon SE. Furthermore, Ingeborg Neumann, Managing Partner of Peppermint Holding GmbH, Berlin, was elected to the Supervisory Board of SGL Carbon SE for a further term of office.

“Grow Your Couture” by Piero D'angelo, the winning project of the IMAGINING SUSTAINABLE FASHION (ISFA) competition was announced during a webinar broadcast on 18 May attended by Giusy Bettoni CEO of C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub, Anna Detheridge President of Connecting Cultures and ISFA ambassadors Valentina Suarez, co-founder and CEO of Universo Mola and Vishal Tolambia winner of the 2022 edition.
 
Piero D'angelo's project was the best among the 110 proposals received after the international call for proposals launched on 27 October 2022.
 
Piero D'Angelo, 36, a graduate in Fashion Womenswear from the Royal College of Art in London and in Textile Design from Central Saint Martins, is a Fashion and Textile Designer with a research focus on biotechnology in the fashion industry. In 2022 he founded his Fashion & Textile Design studio experimenting with a multidisciplinary approach on the importance of natural materials and Biodesign. From 2018 to 2022 Piero D'Angelo was a resident and then Product Researcher & Developer at Open Cell (Biotech Research Park), a biotech start-up community in London. He was awarded the Dorothy Waxman Textile Design Prize in 2015 and semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2020.
 
In his communication project, 'Grow Your Own Couture' D'Angelo imagines a future scenario where it will be possible to grow one's own clothes through living organisms such as lichens that are able to absorb pollution. But the project also wants to communicate a return to nature and above all care and protection towards it. In fact, the user is not simply a user of fashion, but through a kit is part of the process of growth, care and creation of the garment, thus abandoning the traditional paradigms of fashion. The project wants to completely re-imagine the way fashion could be designed, produced and used, proposing not only a product, but also a system that wants to collaborate with nature instead of polluting or exploiting it.