From the Sector

Conservation International and Sateri, a leading global producer of textile fibres, have announced the launch of the third phase of the Poyang Lake Ecosystem Restoration Initiative. This new phase marks a critical milestone in restoring China’s largest freshwater lake by integrating carbon neutrality efforts, building on the initiative’s significant success since its inception in 2019.

Located in Jiangxi Province, in the southeastern part of the country, Poyang Lake plays a critical role in regulating floods in the Yangtze River and supports the livelihoods of more than 45 million people living in the province, contributing more than 15% of the Yangtze River’s annual runoff. It is also a wetland of national and global importance, providing a habitat for flora and fauna of high conservation value, including the critically endangered Siberian crane and finless porpoise.

This new phase marks the fifth year of collaboration between Conservation International, a global non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting nature for the benefit of people and the planet, and Sateri. The initiative has seen significant successes since it began in 2019, including:

• Strengthening the management of 473,000 hectares of protected areas across 50 ecological zones;
• Enhancing the capability of 2,000 wetland rangers through capacity-building programme;
• Improving the habitat management of 350 species of wildlife, including the critically endangered finless porpoise and Siberian crane;
• Supporting the construction of five community artificial-wetlands for wastewater treatment, which can treat 56,000 tonnes of agricultural and domestic sewage; and
• Benefiting 25,000 local community members through livelihood support, vocational capacity-building and environmental education programmes.

Zhang Cheng, Program Director at Conservation International China, emphasized the project’s broader impact, "This initiative has truly enhanced biodiversity conservation and ecological education, while empowering local communities with sustainable livelihoods. It demonstrates the value of collaborative approaches in balancing ecological protection with human well-being."

In line with Sateri’s 2030 aspiration of becoming a ‘net positive impact’ company, the newly-launched third phase will advance these successes by focusing on:

• Research on the Freshwater Health Index (FHI) for the basin
• Protection and restoration of small wetlands
• Better climate change mitigation and adaptation for resilience

This collaboration, supported by the Jiujiang Municipal Government of the Jiangxi Province, underscores the shared commitment of both organisations to advancing biodiversity and sustainable development in one of China’s most vital freshwater ecosystems.

The Poyang Lake Basin Ecological Protection Project highlights Sateri’s efforts to address environmental challenges through practical actions and partnerships. The company continues to prioritize biodiversity conservation and sustainability while encouraging collaboration to achieve these goals.

Cai Zhichao, Vice President of Operations at Sateri, emphasised the initiative’s alignment with the company’s sustainability goals, "At the heart of our operations lies a commitment to the bioeconomy, where we aim to protect the natural resources we use. This conservation initiative not only helps us meet our internal sustainability targets but also contributes to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation; 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities; 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production; 13 – Climate Action and 15 – Life on Land. We accomplish this through innovation, advanced technology and low-carbon practices.”

Haelixa has partnered with C&A, one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers, to advance the traceability of its organic cotton. The partnership stems from C&A’s commitment to working with others in the apparel industry to pilot and scale innovation. C&A’s targets include supporting the growth of organic cotton without synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, resulting in cleaner waterways, healthier ecosystems, and lower farmer costs.
 
The partnership between Haelixa and C&A began in 2022 with a pilot project, and since then, they have continuously worked together to trace raw materials. The result is this agreement with Haelixa to mark their organic cotton for the next three years. Using Haelixa’s DNA markers, C&A can trace the journey of its organic cotton from farm to finished garment. According to the C&A Sustainability Report, they are working with other organisations to foster organic cotton farming.  
 
Alexandre Saus-Salas, Head of Sourcing at C&A, commented, “Transparency and ethical sourcing are crucial in our supply chain. As part of our commitment to traceability, we have begun implementing Haelixa DNA within our organic supply chain. This gradual rollout will continue over multiple seasons in 2025, with an impact foreseen over the next three years.”
 
Haelixa’s solution utilises DNA markers to create a tamper-proof, verifiable traceability that tracks organic cotton throughout the supply chain. The cotton, sourced through CottonConnect, is marked with unique DNA, which acts as a specific identifier. Once applied, the cotton is tested throughout the supply chain to verify the material using forensic PCR tests. Traceability with the fiber-forward approach ensures the final garment materials are authentic.  
 
The marking ensures the authenticity of organic cotton and mitigates the risk of sourcing from regions associated with forced labour.  Using the Haelixa markers enables C&A to make reliable statements about the presence of organic cotton in its products marked at the field level (in the ginning process).
 
Patrick Strumpf, CEO of Haelixa, noted, “Trust is the foundation of transparent storytelling. By tracing organic cotton from farm to finished garment, we empower brands like C&A to tell an authentic story, fostering greater consumer confidence in their sustainability efforts.”
 
This project is one of the initiatives that C&A has undertaken to enhance accountability through its supply chain. One of the goals listed in their Sustainability Report is enabling customers to make informed choices by increasing transparency around products and the company. The traceability of organic cotton demonstrates that innovation can support business success through customer trust.

International technology group ANDRITZ has inaugurated a new technical center in Montbonnot, France, dedicated to advancing solutions for dry molded fiber production.

Dry molded fiber (DMF) production uses a nearly waterless process to convert cellulose fibers into three-dimensional products for sustainable packaging. Based on its strategic partnership with the Swedish DMF pioneer PulPac, ANDRITZ is now able to offer complete dry molded fiber lines.

The new technical center with its pilot line will support ANDRITZ’s development of industrial-scale solutions for high-speed, turnkey dry molded fiber production plants for the packaging industry. It will also enable customers to conduct trials, receive support on R&D projects, and create new products with customized shapes and barrier properties.

Andreas Lukas, Senior Vice President of ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile, states: “Wood pulp processing has been a core competence of ANDRITZ for a long time. Our new pilot line is an important step in advancing our solutions for responsible convenience packaging from wood pulp. By combining ANDRITZ Dan-Web’s airlaid forming capabilities with PulPac’s molding technology, we are striving for the highest capacity, product quality and flexibility in this field.”

In accordance with article 15 of the law of May 2, 2007 (transparency law) on the disclosure of important participating interests in issuers whose shares are admitted for trading on a regulated market, and following the cancellation of 658,488 own shares in December 2024 acquired in the framework of the first €50 million tranche of the ongoing €300 million Share Buyback Program, the updated information about the capital, the shares and the voting rights of Syensqo SA is as follows:

Total capital: EUR 1,351,624,292.82

New total number of shares and voting rights (= denominator): 105,217,929

The denominator serves as a basis for the notification of major holdings by shareholders. The thresholds, as provided by Article 11 of the Articles of Association of Syensqo SA, are therefore applicable.

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) will present its full range of high- performance materials for footwear at Inspiramais on January 21st and 22nd, 2025 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The global leading manufacturer of performance materials will highlight its latest technical and sustainable innovations tailored for the shoe industry, including microfibers, counterliners, liners, interlinings, reinforcements, insoles, and membranes. At Inspiramais, designers and footwear professionals can meet with Brazil-based Freudenberg experts to support them design and develop products in line with the industry's evolving demands for performance and environmental responsibility.

Freudenberg’s presentation at the event underscores its commitment to innovation and sustainability within the industry. In line with its sustainability goals, Freudenberg has increased the proportion of products in its portfolio that incorporate recycled content and employ solvent-free and binder-free manufacturing processes. The company's efforts are exemplified by its range of vamp liners, reinforcements, and strobel insoles, which contain between 35% to 100% recycled material. The new insoles and reinforcements for sports shoes have recycled fiber content and provide high tensile and tear resistance at the same time.

Vegan suede
Additionally, Freudenberg is introducing a solvent-free vegan suede material, crafted from microfiber nonwovens, which offers both breathability and versatility in dyeing—a suitable choice for upper and facing in casual and athletic shoes.

Innovations for safety shoes and others
Freudenberg's advancements also extend to the realm of safety footwear, with the introduction of specialized insoles that are resistant to perforation and suitable for PU injection, as well as electrically conductive. Moreover, the company has developed breathable waterproof membranes that can be integrated into liners and interliners, enhancing both comfort and protection for safety shoes, boots, and waterproof footwear.

The company's new range of high performance counterliners is another highlight, designed to cater to a diverse array of footwear categories, including women's, men's, children's, safety shoes, boots, and athletic shoes. These counterliners are distinguished by their breathability, color variety, and superior abrasion resistance.

This year, Eastman and its innovative Naia™ cellulosic fibers have earned again the dark green shirt designation in the Canopy Hot Button Ranking and Report, underscoring the steadfast commitment to protecting ancient and endangered forests while driving innovation in Next Generation fiber solutions.

With “buttons” being used in the report as a measure of MMCF producers sustainability performance across seven critical categories, Eastman maintained a score of 30 buttons for the sustainable production of Naia™ cellulosic fibers. This recognition has been consistently reconfirmed since 2022, after Eastman’s first light green designation in 2019, reflecting their ongoing efforts to prioritize sustainable raw material sourcing, low-impact production processes, and fiber innovation that comes with a lighter impact on the planet.
The Naia™ Renew portfolio, including the Naia™ Renew ES, has also been a cornerstone of this success. Already available at scale, Naia™ Renew ES is created from a blend of 40% certified recycled waste materials, 20% certified recycled cellulose, and 40% sustainably sourced wood pulp. This innovative fiber has become a preferred choice for sustainability-driven brands like Reformation which has already launched its 2nd collection and is gaining increasing traction in retail markets worldwide.

By investing in cutting-edge technologies and industry collaboration, Eastman is redefining what is possible in sustainable fiber innovation. The company remains committed to advancing its mission of creating high-quality, eco-conscious solutions that support the well-being of the planet, industry workers, and consumers alike.

An EU-wide project of ECHA’s Enforcement Forum found that 35 % of the checked safety data sheets (SDS) were non-compliant. Compliance has improved compared to earlier enforcement projects, but more efforts are needed to further enhance the quality of information to better protect workers, professional users and the environment from risks posed by hazardous chemicals.

Inspectors in 28 EU-EEA countries checked over 2,500 safety data sheets (SDS) to enforce the new requirements introduced in 2023. The primary goal was to check whether the SDS were complete, up-to-date and included all the required information, especially the new information required. Second objective was to check the quality of the information, its consistency and compliance with the legal requirements.

Inspectors found that 35% of the inspected SDS did not comply with the legislation – either because the content did not meet the requirements or the safety data sheet was not provided at all.

It was also found by inspectors that the flow of SDS in the supply chain works well – suppliers provided the SDS to the recipients when required in 96 % of the cases. Additionally, most of the 2,500 SDS were updated to the new format.

Among the new information requirements, the biggest challenge was the lack of information on nanoforms and on endocrine disrupting properties, missing respectively in 67 % and 48 % of the checked SDS where it was required. Another relevant finding was that some of the SDS (16 %) lacked the information required by the authorisation decisions.

The Forum project also reported deficiencies in data quality for 27 % of the inspected SDS. Common issues included incorrect information on hazard identification, composition or exposure control. Additionally, 18 % of the checked SDSs lacked the required exposure scenarios.

Enforcement actions
To address non-compliance, inspectors primarily issued written advice, but also used administrative orders, fines and, in some cases, filed criminal complaints.

Abdulqadir Suleiman, chair of the Enforcement Forum’s working group, said:
“In recent years, inspectors have observed improvements in the compliance of chemicals suppliers with their obligation to provide up-to-date safety data sheets. These compliance improvements could be attributed to the harmonised requirements of REACH, great efforts by the industry, continued focus by enforcement authorities, but also the dialogue between enforcement and stakeholder organisations about improving the quality of safety data sheets held some years back.

“However, there is still work to be done to enhance the quality of the information to ensure better protection of the European workers who are handling hazardous chemicals in the workplace.”

Background
SDS are used by chemical suppliers to provide their professional and industrial customers with information about the properties and risks of the chemicals and how to handle, store, use and dispose them safely. The SDS are critical to the protection of workers. They should be used by employers, or health and safety professionals of the downstream users, for carrying out chemical risk assessments in the workplace, required under the Occupational Health and Safety legislation.
This project followed an update to the safety data sheet requirements that have been in force since 2023. The SDS must now include information on nanoforms, endocrine disrupting properties, conditions of authorisation, UFI codes, acute toxicity estimates, specific concentration limits and several other parameters that help to handle chemicals safely. This change in legal requirements necessitated an update of all the SDS to include new information.

In addition to checking the data relevant to the new requirements, inspectors also checked the quality and correctness of the information included in many of the safety data sheet sections.

The inspections of this enforcement project were conducted between January and December 2023 in 28 EEA countries.

INDA brought together hundreds of industry leaders to explore advancements in the absorbent hygiene and personal care markets during the 10th annual Hygienix™ event, held Nov. 18-21 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Themed Driving Absorbent Hygiene Product Innovation: Consumer Desires, Market Dynamics & Sustainability Solutions, key sessions included pricing strategies, global trade impacts, FemTech, adult care, period poverty, emerging pet care and wound care markets, environmental regulations on plastics and PFAS, and the impact of aging societies.

An event highlight was the presentation of the 2024 Hygienix Innovation Award® to: HIRO Technologies, Inc.’s World’s First MycoDigestable Diapers, diapers featuring plastic-eating mushrooms that combine excellent absorbency with natural materials.

The other finalists were:

• Harper HYGIENICS S.A.’s Cleanic Naturals Hemp Sanitary Pads (Day & Night) and Pantyliners, an innovative femcare line made with regenerative hemp fibers from Bast Fibre Technologies.
• Hello Hazel, Inc.’s High & Dry Briefs, the first and only disposable briefs for leaks designed to look, fit, and feel like real underwear.

Hygienix Highlights
Attendees gained insights and knowledge during three hands-on training sessions on Nov. 18, focused on fundamentals of absorption systems and opportunities in adult incontinence, innovations in menstrual care, and baby and infant care market dynamics.

Hygienix kicked off with a welcome reception that fostered networking. Attendees explored emerging trends and product innovations through Lightning Talks, connected with successful hygiene start-ups during Lunch Around sessions, and discovered the latest offerings at tabletop exhibits.

“Hygienix exemplifies INDA’s commitment to empowering companies in the absorbent hygiene and personal care markets to advance their businesses,” said INDA President Tony Fragnito. “The insights and connections made at this year’s event will drive growth and enable participants to meet evolving demands and market challenges.”    

INDA announced Hygienix 2025 will be held Nov. 17-20 at Omni Amelia Island Resort, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

The upcoming conference on 12-13 March 2025 in Cologne, Germany, will pave pathways to a sustainable textile industry.

Over the past few weeks, the Conference Advisory Board, and the experts from the nova-Institute, have thoroughly reviewed and evaluated over 40 submitted abstracts. The selected external experts bring new insights and perspectives from the pulp, fibre and further developing industries, promising to spark and deepen discussions at the event. Their expertise across the entire fibre value chain will enrich the topics covered and ensure a dynamic and insightful exchange of ideas. The presentations will provide a platform for the discussion at the conference after each session, and the Advisory Board members will foster a lively debate to drive innovation industry-wide.

Biosynthetics on the rise
Besides cellulose fibres, bio-based polymer fibres ("biosynthetics") are an excellent option to reduce fossil fibres in textiles. Biosynthetics offer a powerful alternative to traditional synthetic fibres, bringing both performance and technical properties that make them drop-in replacements. Derived wholly or partially from natural, renewable sources like lactic acids, sugar beet, sugarcane or wood, biosynthetics represent a bio-based option compared to fossil-based counterparts. In a special session “Biosynthetics - Replacing Traditional Synthetic Fibres”, experts will explore the latest advances, challenges and opportunities in the field. Discussing innovative approaches like biosynthetics is essential to drive sustainable transformation within the fashion and textile industries.

Fibre-to-Fibre Recycling: A Path to a Sustainable Textile Industry
The textile industry is at a crucial crossroad. The need for sustainable solutions to meet the EU's ambitious climate change targets is becoming increasingly urgent. Fibre-to-fibre recycling, which transforms discarded textiles into new, virgin fibres, holds great promise for reducing waste and resource consumption and helps to close the loop in textile production. While Europe has made progress in this area, challenges remain – in particular the management of mixed fibre textiles and the scaling up of recycling technologies. As new approaches are needed to tackle climate change, one session of the conference will focus on fibre-to-fibre recycling from textiles, exploring the latest innovations and technological advances, as well as the opportunities and barriers that need to be addressed to move the industry towards a circular, sustainable future.

Fibre Microplastic Formation versus Marine Biodegradability
The environmental impact of textiles extends far beyond landfill, with microplastics from synthetic fibres becoming a growing concern in marine ecosystems. A session at the conference will focus on the complex relationship between microplastic formation and marine biodegradability. While synthetic fibres shed microplastics during washing, these tiny particles, known as microfibres accumulate in the oceans and pose a serious threat to marine life. This session will explore the factors that influence fibre degradation in the marine environment and examine the potential of biodegradable fibres to reduce long-term pollution. Leading research institutes will discuss the challenges of balancing the prevention of microplastics with the development of fibres that can degrade naturally in marine ecosystems, and provide insights into innovative solutions that could help mitigate this pressing environmental issue.

Innovation Award “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025”
The nova-Institute, together with GIG Karasek, is looking for the best fibre innovations of the year. Applicants from the area of cellulose fibres as well as biosynthetics are welcome to submit their innovations. Technologie providers, research institutes or producers can apply until 30 November 2024. The innovation award “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025” is sponsored by GIG Karasek.

Apply for the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025” award: cellulose-fibres.eu/award-application

Call for Posters
The poster exhibition is a highly anticipated scientific event at the conference, especially for early career scientists. Poster submission is open until 31 January 2025.

Ontex Group NV, a leading international developer and producer of personal care products, announces the launch of a share buy-back program to acquire a maximum of 1.5 million shares, representing 1.8% of its issued shares. The shares acquired through the program will contribute to meeting Ontex’s obligations under its current and future long-term incentive plans. The share purchases will be spread over a seven-month period, starting on December 1, 2024 and ending on June 30, 2025.

The program will be conducted under the terms and conditions of the authorization granted by the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting held on May 5, 2023, and will be executed by an independent intermediary, who will make its decisions independently pursuant to a discretionary mandate. The timing of the transactions will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions. The share buy-back program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

In accordance with applicable laws and regulations, Ontex will publish weekly updates on the progress of its share purchases. During the term of the share buy-back program, Ontex’s liquidity contract will be suspended. As Ontex currently already holds 1.2 million shares in treasury, it will hold 2.7 million treasury shares upon completion of the program, representing 3.2% of its issued shares.