From the Sector

Source Fashion, Europe’s leading responsible sourcing show, opened its doors on Tuesday, 18th February, at Olympia London, attracting record-breaking visitor numbers. Buyers, retailers, and sourcing professionals from around the world gathered at the highly anticipated event, including representatives from industry giants such as NEXT, John Lewis, Reiss, Maebe, ASOS, Evans, Harrods, Hunter Boots, Lipsy, Barbour, Claires, NBA, Fortnum and Mason, Sophia Webster, The Hippie Shake and French Connection. With a shared commitment to driving positive change in the retail sector, attendees explored innovative sustainable solutions and forged impactful connections that are set to shape the future of fashion.

The event features an impressive line-up of responsible manufacturers from around the globe with the spotlight on the UK, Portugal, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Nepal.

The Source Catwalk Show held three times daily, captivated audiences with standout collections from exhibitors. Three distinct trends - Reconstructed, Circus, and Romance - captured the energy of the season, complemented by a vibrant swimwear story curated by sustainable stylist Rebekah Roy.  Closing the show in style, headline designer Stuart Trevor, founder of All Saints and a passionate sustainability advocate, unveiled his latest label, STUART TREVOR, showcasing contemporary designs crafted from sustainable and repurposed materials.

The panel discussions on the Source Catwalk Stage and lively conversations on the Source Debates Stage have also drawn crowds with a series of thought-provoking talks from leading industry professionals discussing the latest trends and topics in sustainable fashion.

Speaking on the Source Catwalk Stage, Nick Reed, Founder of Neem London, chaired a panel discussion titled “From Fast Fashion to Circularity – Encouraging Consumers to Embrace Sustainable Fashion Models.” Charlotte Pumford, Head of Sustainability at Vivobarefoot, highlighted three key elements for circularity: slowing down production by focusing on local, on-demand manufacturing; designing products with intentionality for repair, durability, and recycling; and maintaining transparency to understand the impact of manufacturing.

On the Source Debates Stage, topics ranged from how to produce less while maintaining the same level of profit, to the use of authentic language, building trust, and what can be perceived as greenwashing. However, the liveliest debate of the day came when Giovanni Beatrice, Founder of Forward in Fashion joined Sherin Hosni, Executive Director of the Apparel Export Council of Egypt, to discuss North Africa's potential as a sourcing alternative to Asia.

Beatrice highlighted a shift from traditionally low-cost Asian manufacturers towards more sustainable sourcing, driven by environmental concerns and stricter legislation. They noted growing interest in African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt, emphasising the importance of matching products to the right markets while minimising environmental impact. Hosni underscored Egypt’s emergence as a leader in high-quality, responsibly produced apparel, supported by efficient business services and sustainable practices.

New to the show Egyptian Pavilion showcases 20 companies, highlighting the exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability practices of Egyptian manufacturers. It offered UK and European buyers an unparalleled opportunity to source responsibly, reinforcing Egypt’s growing reputation as a leader in sustainable fashion production.

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, said, “I’m thrilled that today has seen record numbers of visitors come through the door. That’s including serious buyers from the UK’s largest brands and retailers who are looking to forge new relationships and do better business. Our mission is to connect international manufacturers with UK and European buyers seeking responsible sourcing solutions, and the show is delivering on this promise.

The inspiring and eye-opening content program kicked off with industry leaders in sustainability addressing the biggest challenges in responsible manufacturing and sourcing today. I have been blown away by the source Debates stage and the audience participation, Hearing the conversation from the industry and seeing people sharing publicly their ways of working, really just doesn’t happen very often. We have a platform that allows this to happen and that, to me, is something we are incredibly proud of.  We’re excited for what’s still to come over the next two days.”

Reju™, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, and Cibutex, a cooperative of companies dedicated to establishing a more sustainable textile supply chain, announced a partnership. Through this collaboration, Reju and Cibutex will work to establish an ecosystem among Cibutex member companies.

This partnership will deliver feedstock supply of secondary raw materials derived from post-consumer textile waste to Reju for the recycling and the production of regenerated Reju Polyester™. This provides circular regeneration opportunities using Reju’s innovative textile-to-textile recycling technology.

Reju is pioneering a global infrastructure for large-scale textile waste regeneration, starting with polyester. Reju Polyester™, will have a 50% lower carbon footprint compared to virgin polyester and can be regenerated infinitely. This partnership with Cibutex will see materials from the cooperative’s member companies processed at Reju’s Regeneration Hub Zero in Frankfurt, Germany, which will be fully operational in 2025 and at future Reju Regeneration Hubs.

Cibutex brings together companies from the textile service sector to collect and process post-use business textiles, creating a pathway for these materials to be reintroduced into the production cycle. It aims to close the loop on business textile production, ensuring that B2B post-use textiles are collected and transformed into valuable raw materials. By integrating Reju’s proprietary regeneration technology, this union ensures traceability and scalability, key components of a truly sustainable and circular textile supply chain.

The joint efforts of Reju and Cibutex highlight the strength of combined ingenuity and innovation in tackling the growing challenge of textile waste. With the European Union’s mandate for textile waste collection taking effect this year, along with pending regulations in the U.S., this initiative comes at a pivotal moment, ensuring scalable solutions to meet regulatory demands and achieve a more sustainable future.

A new technique could create waterproof coatings for clothes out of discarded textiles – far safer for humans and the environment than current coatings, which are typically made with harsh chemicals and carcinogens.

A Cornell research group led by Juan Hinestroza, the Rebecca Q Morgan ’60 Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Design in the College of Human Ecology (CHE), developed the low-temperature technique for synthesis of superhydrophobic, or waterproof, coatings.

“If we can save one piece of clothing from going into a landfill, then that will be success,” said Hinestroza, noting that Americans throw away anywhere from 80 to 100 pounds of clothing per person annually.

Droplets of (left-to-right) soda, water, orange juice, sports drink and milk are shown on a piece fabric with (top) and without (bottom) a UiO-66 metal-organic framework superhydrophobic coating, developed in the lab of Juan Hinestroza of the College of Human Ecology.

The metal-organic framework (MOF) used in the group’s coating can be synthesized at room temperature, using more environmentally friendly solvents (water and ethanol) and can be achieved without separation or purification of the discarded textiles, both energy-intensive processes.

Yelin Ko, a doctoral student in the field of fiber science, is the first author of “UiO-66 Inspired Superhydrophobic Coatings Fabricated from Discarded Polyester/Spandex Textiles,” which published Sept. 21 in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. Hinestroza is senior author; Tamer Uyar, associate professor of fiber science in the Department of Human Centered Design (CHE), is the other co-author.

This research is an extension of work published in 2023 demonstrating that old clothing could be chemically broken down to reuse polyester compounds to create MOF particles with potential applications in fire resistance, anti-bacterial properties, or wrinkle resistance. The new work is taking this proof of concept and applying it in a direct way.

In this work, metal-organic frameworks – unique structures pioneered in the 1990s by chemist Omar Yaghi, with whom Hinestroza collaborated on a Department of Defense grant in the late 2000s – were synthesized by chemically decomposing discarded polyester textiles into a heterogenous soup containing molecules of polyester and its monomers, dyes, additives and dirt usually associated with used clothes.

The researchers exposed discarded fabrics to an alkaline depolymerization process to produce disodium terephthalate, a known linker for synthesis of UiO-66, a popular MOF. They conducted experiments using different amounts of ethanol, and found that with a small amount of ethanol, UiO-66 assembled on top of a polyester and spandex substrate, exhibited superhydrophobic behavior.

The fragments of spandex, the group found, modified the otherwise hydrophilic MOF structure and made it hydrophobic. What’s more, the UiO-66 material was subjected to repeated washing and abrasion, and maintained its water resistance.

The group said this technology is one way to reduce the world’s reliance on harmful chemicals in textile manufacturing.

“We must find alternatives to fluorinated finishes, also known as ‘forever chemicals,’” Uyar said. “This study demonstrates how we can achieve functional finishes, including water-repellent and self-cleaning properties, by upcycling textile waste instead of relying on ‘forever chemicals.’”

The “upcycling” aspect of this work is what’s most important, Hinestroza said.

“It’s very easy to blame the brands or blame the producers, but in the end, they will not produce if you don’t consume,” he said. “And whatever is not being consumed is thrown away. And we want to believe that the problem ends in our garbage cans, but it doesn’t.”

This research utilized the Cornell Center for Materials Research Shared Facilities, which are supported by the National Science Foundation. Other support came from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the Korean-American Educational Commission.

The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is alerting apparel brands, retailers and their supply chain partners to an important change taking place this month.

As of February 24th 2025, the sale of all fluorescent lighting will officially come to an end in the EU and UK, with potentially significant implications for everyone along the supply chain – from designers and fabric manufacturers through to merchandisers and window display artists.

Eliminating mercury
“The phase-out of fluorescent lamps has been in progress for some years because they contain mercury which can be damaging to health,” explains BTMA CEO Jason Kent. “Lamps containing mercury were banned for general use in August 2023, impacting lighting in homes, factories and retail environments, but an exemption was granted for specialist applications such as visual and digital colour assessment until this month.

“So far, the legislation only initially applies in Europe and the UK but will rapidly be adopted globally and this means that specialist light booth manufacturers such as our member company VeriVide will no longer be able to sell new fluorescent-based light booths.”

“Colour consistency is vital throughout the textile supply chain and all participants – from designers to fabric and garment manufacturers – have to be working under the same lighting conditions to guarantee it,” adds VeriVide Sales Director Adam Dakin “The colour-matching that is carried out under fluorescent lamps in labs and design offices and passes through successive process steps in manufacturing can come out looking very different once it’s displayed in store under LEDs. This can result in very costly products returns, and even complete batch recalls.”

Colour ecosystem
VeriVide has spent the last decade developing and optimising its industry-leading all-LED light booths as part of its ecosystem of products specifically designed for instantly communicating colour decisions, colour fastness gradings, test reports and more, incorporating the DigiEye and DigiView digital colour measurement systems.

“What the ban means is we’ll no longer be able to manufacture fluorescent light booths,” says Adam. “What we will have going forward is the UltraView all-LED technology. We do, however, have a stock enabling customers to buy replacements for their existing light booths before transitioning to UltraView.”

Retail adoption
Since its launch in 2023, Ultra-View all-LED technology has already been successfully adopted by leading retail brands including H&M, George by Asda, Marks & Spencer, NEXT, River Island and Tesco.

“With UltraView from VeriVide, we are confident that we have future-proofed our capability for the visual assessment of colour,” says Gary Timmons, fabric technologist at NEXT.

“LED technology is the ideal alternative to fluorescent lighting being both mercury-free and using significantly less energy,” says Jason Kent in conclusion. “It’s vital that all players are working to the exact specs, especially because the textile supply chain can be so complex.”

Munich has proven it once again: Supreme Women&Men Munich is not only a show-case for progressive and high-calibre collections, but also an indispensable platform for personal exchange in the fashion trade. In times of increasing digitalisation, one thing remains clear: fashion must be felt, touched and experienced - this is not possible digitally.

In Munich, too, it was clear that retailers had firmly scheduled Supreme Women&Men Munich in their diaries. Agreed meetings were reliably attended, new labels were dis-covered and a tight programme was carried out. The organiser, The Supreme Group, could not complain about a lack of visitors. On the contrary: Munich once again confirmed itself as an important location and magnet for buyers from the DACH region.

In an increasingly dynamic retail landscape, the importance of concentrated market-places with strong brands and agencies is becoming ever more apparent.

eVent® Fabrics, a global leader in waterproof/breathable and windproof fabric laminates, is continuing a brand evolution with the recent renaming their plant-based, ePTFE-free “BIO Waterproof” and “BIO Windproof” laminates to the new “stormST” and “windstormST” for the SS 2026 product season.

These name changes, along with eVent’s recently unveiled “defy the elements” tagline, are intended to strengthen and clarify eVent’s position as leading suppliers of sustainable, high-performance laminates to the outdoor, activewear, fashion, hunt, fish, golf, cycling, and footwear markets.

Starting in February 2025, eVent will cease promoting and supplying BIO branding assets, including for BIO footwear, which will also be stormST, and will work diligently with brand partners to ensure a smooth transition to the new stormST waterproof and windstormST windproof product names. eVent BIO apparel and footwear will be found in the market through the middle of 2026 in order to accommodate selling cycles and transition timelines.

eVent will introduce the stormST and windstormST to the materials sourcing industry at Performance Days in Munich this March.

“We introduced eVent BIO in 2016, pre-COVID, and perhaps before the market was ready for it. With our increased focus in offering a variety of high-performance sustainable laminates, we felt that BIO might, at this point, be a bit confusing,” said Chad Kelly, President of eVent Fabrics. “We’ve noticed the term ‘bio’ showing up in a lot of marketing materials across consumer markets, and we felt its meaning had become diluted. Recognizing that this dilution could cause confusion for both brands and consumers, we opted to update our product names to create further differentiation. The new names, stormST and windstormST, are a more natural fit for our product architecture, better highlight the laminates’ weather protecting performance, and speak more strongly to our new tagline “defy the elements”.”

Source Fashion, a European leading responsible sourcing show, has revealed a snapshot of the trend-led catwalk themes set to take centre stage at its February 2025 show. Taking place from 18th – 20th February at Olympia London, the Source Catwalk will bring to life a visionary blend of innovation, sustainability, and sensory-rich fashion experiences, highlighting the future of responsible design, as well as bespoke designs by headline designer Stuart Trevor.
 
Trend Highlights AW25 - 26
Three key overarching macro trends and seasonal design directions for AW25 – 26 for womenswear; Multisensory, Transformative, and Rejuvenating. These feature micro womenswear stories that are set to influence collections.
 
CircusPlay – A multisensory spectacle inspired by the whimsical world of the circus, this trend introduces bold colours, exaggerated silhouettes, and rich textures. Standout pieces include the Bubble Hem Dress, Volume Draped Top, and Exaggerated Shoulder Top, embracing playful theatricality while remaining wearable for the modern consumer.
 
Hyper Tactile – Fashion becomes an immersive, sensory experience, merging visual drama with the pleasure of touch. This trend features an organic colour palette, with hues such as Organic Matter and Enchanted Forest, evoking purity, warmth, and nature’s enchanting textures.
 
Reconstructed – A celebration of upcycling and sustainability, Reconstructed fashion breathes new life into garments through patchwork designs, mixed textiles, and artistic repurposing. The colour palette blends earthy neutrals with Desert Architect tones—balancing warm golds and cool stony greys.
 
Plant Power – A tribute to botanical beauty and plant-based materials, this trend spotlights innovative textiles such as Piñatex (pineapple leaf fabric), organic cotton, and nature-inspired textures. Dominated by greens and browns, with subtle contrasts, Plant Power redefines sustainable luxury.
 
Headline Designer: Stuart Trevor to Showcase Bespoke Collection
Renowned designer Stuart Trevor will unveil a bespoke collection from his eponymous label, bringing his signature craftsmanship and innovation to the Source Catwalk.
 
The Source Catwalk Showtimes

• Tuesday: 11am, 1pm, and 3.30pm
• Wednesday: 10.30am, 1pm, and 3.30pm
• Thursday: 11am and 1pm

The European Commission’s communication on e-commerce - adopted by the college of Commissioner’s today- rightly acknowledges the growing challenges posed by the surge of direct-to-consumer imports, particularly through online marketplaces. Non-compliant and unsafe products undermine consumer safety, environmental sustainability, and the competitiveness of law-abiding businesses. The urgency of this issue is underscored by findings from the REACH for textiles project, which revealed that 16% of 400 tested products failed to comply with EU legislation. These figures highlight the critical need for stronger enforcement measures to prevent unsafe products from reaching EU consumers.

To address these concerns, enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Market Act (DMA) must be strengthened, ensuring that e-commerce platforms assume legal responsibilities for the products they offer as well as fair competition in the single market is guaranteed. Additionally, the removal of the de minimis rule and frontloading parts of the Customs Code reform is critical to rapidly closing loopholes that allow non-compliant goods to enter the EU market unchecked. Enhanced coordination with Member States and industry stakeholders can increase the effectiveness of our enforcement efforts. Investment in digital tools such as the Digital Product Passport is essential to increase transparency, safeguard fair trade practices, and reinforce consumer trust.

EURATEX welcomes the Commission's decision to take coordinated action, together with the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, against Shein. The association is also pleased to collaborate on a Digital Fairness Act to strengthen consumer protection in the digital sphere.

EURATEX fully supports the Commission’s commitment to stricter enforcement and urges immediate implementation of these measures to create a level playing field and ensure a safe, sustainable, and competitive e-commerce environment. Director General Dirk Vantyghem concluded: “With billions of garments entering the EU every year, we simply need a more solid system to monitor compliance of these products. EURATEX is looking forward to working together with the European Commission to achieve these important goals.”

More than 1,200 exhibitors from twenty-five countries are taking part in  Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris from 10 to 12 February at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, showcasing the very best in global sourcing  to help fashion brands build their Spring-Summer 2026 collections.
Over the three days, international buyers will have access to the leading market platform for textiles and clothing, and will be able to discover, in a refurbished space, a first-rate offering with a very wide choice at competitive prices. This concentration of manufacturers and makers constitutes the heart of the international market in the mid-range segments, which now account for the bulk of finished garment consumption.

Reflecting the diversity of global sourcing
Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris brings together not only the major players in global sourcing, such as China, Turkey, India, Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan, but also suppliers from alternative zones with rich expertise, such as Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Africa - a dozen companies from Ethiopia, Rwanda, Egypt and Benin will be in Paris in February - and South America. For the first time this year, Texworld will be welcoming an Argentinian woollen manufacturer - Industrias Textiles Frione - which offers a range of top-quality fabrics while promoting manufacturing processes that are particularly environmentally friendly.

Texpertise Econogy: initiatives to promote sustainable fashion
As part of its commitment to more responsible fashion, Messe Frankfurt is supporting players who respect the ecological and social standards of the textile industry. At the entrance to Hall 4, the new ‘Initiatives’ zone will be showcasing inspiring and sustainable solutions promoted by some exhibitors. This area (where you'll find press and partner stands, events and trend forums) will also host the China Textile Information Centre's trend forum, as well as the Texpertise Econogy Hub, where Messe Frankfurt will be presenting its commitments to sustainability in the textile sector through the Texpertise Econogy concept, which combines ecology and economic development.

As part of this initiative, two Econogy Tours will enable visitors to discover what a selection of certified companies can offer. These guided tours, led by a specialist in the sustainable approach, will be offered on Monday 10 February (12.30pm-1.30pm) and Tuesday 11 February (10am-11am) to buyers who wish to take part. Appointments are scheduled at the Econogy Hub counter.

Conferences, trends and forecasts
To complement the product offering, a series of events and conferences will be taking place. Held in the Agora in Hall 2, they will explore market trends and prospects in detail. Louis Gérin, the shows' artistic director, will be commenting on “Neocene”, the Trendbook for the Spring-Summer 2026 season, focusing on the creative directions that will shape the fashion of tomorrow. Several conferences will provide an insight into the business models of manufacturers such as Wellfabric - Bao Lan Textiles, one of the pioneers of sustainable textiles  in Vietnam, and the African platform Arise IIP, present at Apparel Sourcing.  Finally, there will be round-table discussions on forward-looking issues such as fast fashion and the challenges of sustainability in terms of production and sourcing. They will also look at solutions to support the ecological transition (Econogy Talks), as well as innovation and management challenges. These conferences, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday, are free to attend.

Devan, a global leader in sustainable textile finishes, launched an innovative sleep promoting technology, “Devan Sleep Tight”, at Heimtextil 2025. This technology enhances sleep quality and overall quality of life, as confirmed by an independent clinical trial.

Inspired by the global "Beauty Sleep" trend, Devan introduces its latest innovation in sleep wellness. The active ingredient is derived from an upcycled by-product of Australian Tea Tree oil. This active ingredient acts by two complementary pathways, inhalation and skin contact, to improve nighttime benefits and skin regeneration to provide a healthier looking skin and revitalized look by morning.

Designed for use in textiles such as bedding and sleepwear, the new solution aims to transform nightly rest into a rejuvenating ritual, perfectly aligning with modern consumers' desire for holistic self-care.

The technology boosts the melatonin action, reduces the production of ROS (reactive oxygen species), stimulates the production of antioxidant genes and protein and stimulates the collagen gene expression.

+97% Biobased microcapsules
The technology is based on microencapsulation. First the active ingredients are incapsulated. Next, the biobased microcapsules are applied to the textile. The treated textiles touch our skin and the capsules break due to friction between the body and the textile. The content of the biobased capsules is then released and absorbed by the skin, while the volatile components of the active ingredients are simultaneously inhaled.

The microcapsules are readily biodegradable (tested according to the OECD 301B guideline). Possible applications are pillows, bed sheets, bed accessories, sleepwear, ...

Clinical study
33 healthy female and male subjects, aged between 18 and 60 years, with sleep problems, were using a treated pillow cover with R-Vital NTL 10015 Sleep Tight every night for 30 days. Each subject was required to fill out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire, focused on the sleep quality, quality of life and overall well-being, before and after 30 days of using the respective product. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a scientifically validated tool widely used to reliably assess and measure sleep quality.

The data shows that after 30 days of using a pillow case treated with R-Vital NTL 10015, subjects experienced notable improvements in several key areas of sleep and quality of life. The most significant changes were seen in sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep disturbances, reduction of daytime dysfunction and quality of life.

Showcased at Heimtextil 2025 in Frankfurt
Devan’s Sleep Tight technology was prominently featured at Heimtextil in Frankfurt, both by Devan and several of its partners. Notable among them were Crispim Abreu Lda and Lameirinho, two Portuguese companies specializing in bed linen and sleepwear, as well as Naturtex from Hungary, a leading producer of quilts and pillows.

The first productions are already underway, ensuring the technology will be available on the market by the second quarter of 2025. These alliances empower Devan Sleep Tight to deliver unparalleled value to manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike.