Textination Newsline

Reset
186 results
THEME 2: SPIRITUS. THEME 2: SPIRITUS. Julian Miholics. Pigeon Griffin, 2024. Cone 5.5 stoneware, underglaze, glaze. julianmiholics.com – @julianmiholics
10.06.2025

Trends: A/W 2026-2027 inspirations from Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris

Nova Fabula, the Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris Trend Book unveiled at Le Bourget from 15 to 17 September 2025, is a sensory and forward-looking narrative designed to inspire Autumn-Winter 2026-2027 collections.

Fashion's future is written in the present. As the industry strives to reconcile imagination, sustainability, and emotion, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris introduces its latest trend book – a deep dive into tomorrow’s emerging style stories. Curated by art directors Louis Gérin and Grégory Lamaud against a backdrop of mixed realities – technological advances, climate disruption, and a desire for re-enchantment – Nova Fabula offers an insightful reading of subtle signals identified by a collective of stylists, designers, writers, visual artists, and color experts.

Nova Fabula, the Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris Trend Book unveiled at Le Bourget from 15 to 17 September 2025, is a sensory and forward-looking narrative designed to inspire Autumn-Winter 2026-2027 collections.

Fashion's future is written in the present. As the industry strives to reconcile imagination, sustainability, and emotion, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris introduces its latest trend book – a deep dive into tomorrow’s emerging style stories. Curated by art directors Louis Gérin and Grégory Lamaud against a backdrop of mixed realities – technological advances, climate disruption, and a desire for re-enchantment – Nova Fabula offers an insightful reading of subtle signals identified by a collective of stylists, designers, writers, visual artists, and color experts.

Conceived as a tool for trend forecasting and creative stimulation, this edition lays the foundation for a new kind of brand storytelling, aligned with the key values shaping 2025: circularity, emotional resonance, slower production rhythms, hybridization of genres and disciplines, and the power of narrative, both personal and collective. As the opening line of Nova Fabula states: “Everything begins with a story. It is through storytelling that we move forward.”

The four creative universes of Nova Fabula
Imagined as an atlas of “possible futures,” Nova Fabula is built around four main themes, each driven by a narrative and sensory tension. For each theme, three “star colors” anchor the season's color story, complemented by six intermediate shades that shape the season’s core palettes. Carefully selected fabrics and bold chromatic choices bring each universe to life, offering designers a space to create collections infused with emotion, memory, and utopia.

#1 Natura
This first universe celebrates a return to the living as a creative matrix. Textures feel organic, tones are mineral, and silhouettes offer protection. Nature is not just a backdrop—it becomes the primary language of inspiration. Materials are raw but patterns remain fluid. Here, fashion becomes a biotope: a space for care, resilience, and regeneration.

#2 Spiritus
This theme opens up a contemporary spiritual quest. Expect diaphanous fabrics, dawn-like tones, and subtle ritual symbols. In this universe, fashion evokes the sacred, turning garments into symbolic objects. “Inner awakening” becomes a counterpoint to hyper-connectivity, expressed through an ethereal and mystical aesthetic, with airy, translucent textiles rich in symbolic meaning.

#3 Philosophia
This axis encourages critical thinking and awakened consciousness. A call to rethink, question, and resist. Aesthetic choices become intellectual exercises: fragmented shapes, sculptural greys, and visual tension. Textures invite reflection, with asymmetries and a sense of gravity in the tones. Fashion becomes a medium of thought—where visual arts meet political discourse.

#4 Scientia
The final world explores the union between knowledge – enlightened, not dominant – and innovation. Think synthetic colors, technological effects, modular design, geometric patterns, and advanced finishes. This universe questions our ability to create science without domination. A tribute to soft, responsible technology, inspired by the living world.

Source:

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, Messe Frankfurt 

Image Felix, Pixabay
18.03.2025

Composites Germany - Results of the 24th Market Survey

For the 24th time, Composites Germany has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.

In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey this half-year. Once again, mainly qualitative data relating to current and future market developments was collected.

The current survey did not reveal any improvement in sentiment regarding the general business situation.

For the 24th time, Composites Germany has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.

In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey this half-year. Once again, mainly qualitative data relating to current and future market developments was collected.

The current survey did not reveal any improvement in sentiment regarding the general business situation.

Increasingly critical assessment of the current business situation
Apart from a few positive trends, the corresponding indicator has been pointing clearly downwards since 2022. There is still no sign of a trend reversal in the current survey either. (see Fig. 1). The assessment of the general business situation has fallen significantly in all regions mentioned.     

The reasons for the negative sentiment are varied and, in many cases, remain unchanged. High energy costs, raw material prices and logistics costs remain a major burden, particularly for German industry, but also for many other countries in Europe. In addition, the overall economy is weakening, especially in Europe and Germany. The key application areas for the composites industry - transportation/automotive and construction/infrastructure - are particularly affected by this.

In addition, many national economies are experiencing increasingly weak exports, particularly with regard to the Asian and especially Chinese markets. In terms of raw materials and finished products, for example in the automotive production sector, competition with European products is growing on a massive scale. This is partly due to overcapacities, but also to government subsidies, which in turn places an enormous price burden on suppliers. Political uncertainties, protectionist tendencies and armed conflicts are further worsening the economic climate.
           
The fact that politicians do not currently seem to be succeeding in creating an environment that is conducive to business remains a problem. Added to this is the lack of responses from European/German manufacturers. The composites market has already seen sharp declines in the last two years. There are still pessimistic signals from the industry for the current year. For the third year in a row, the European production volume is falling in contrast to a growing global market. The European composites industry is facing a progressive decline if it fails in creating a regulatory framework that enables competitive production. Germany is currently facing structural changes that are necessary, particularly in terms of economic policy and ecology. These necessary adjustments will take many years and require high levels of investment. It is urgently advisable to finally find a balance between the necessary burden on industry/companies and private households and the corresponding relief.

Future expectations show different trends
In line with the current negative mood in the industry, it is not only the assessment of the current general business situation that remains pessimistic; the future general market situation is also viewed extremely critically by those surveyed.

Only 19 % of respondents currently expect the global situation to improve. For Germany and Europe, the figure is only just over 10 %. The figure for Europe in particular has plummeted compared to the last survey.

This contrasts with a rather positive assessment of the company's own business situation. Here, the negative trend of the last two years for the global and European assessment of the company's own position has been halted. In the current survey, the indicators are turning positive.Only for Germany does the assessment remain critical. Only around 1/3 of respondents rate their own current situation positively. This also applies to future expectations. 28 % of those surveyed expect the general market situation in Germany to develop negatively. Only 21 % expect the current situation to improve.

The figures for Europe and the rest of the world are significantly better. Only 7 % expect the global situation to deteriorate further. The figure for Europe is 11 %.
      
Investment climate remains subdued
The current cautious assessment of the economic situation continues to have an impact on the investment climate. However, the first positive signs are also emerging here.          

While 13 % of respondents in the last survey still expected an increase in personnel capacity (survey 2/2024), this figure currently stands at 19 %. In contrast, however, 29 % still expect a decrease in personnel.

The proportion of respondents planning to invest in machinery continues to fall slightly. While 44 % were still assuming corresponding investments in the last survey, this figure has now fallen to 42 %.

Different expectations of application industries
The composites market is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of both materials and applications. In the survey, the participants were asked to give their assessment of the market development of different core areas. The expectations are extremely varied.

The most important area of application for Composites is mobility. This area is currently undergoing major upheaval and is experiencing a massive crisis in Europe and Germany. This is also clearly reflected in the survey. Growth is expected above all in the aviation and construction/infrastructure sectors, although the construction sector in Germany is also in recession.

Growth drivers with slight movements
The current survey shows slight movement in terms of growth impetus. In terms of their assessment of which areas will provide the key growth impetus for the composites industry in the future, GFRP saw a slight increase. CFRP, on the other hand, declined slightly.

There is a slight regional shift. The main growth impetus is expected to come from Asia and North America, with Asia's mentions declining slightly and North America increasing slightly. However, the EU (with the exception of Germany) is also frequently cited as a growth region. Germany continues to be seen less strongly as a growth driver and remains at a low level.

Composites index divergent
As already indicated in the current text, the Composites Index points in different directions. While the assessment of the company's own business situation is turning positive, the assessment of the general business situation remains pessimistic.
      
In the last three years, the European composites market has lost almost 20 % of its production volume and has fallen back to the 2010/2011 level.

Almost all sectors are equally affected by declines. Until the coronavirus pandemic, there was a continuous increase in production volumes for many years. Since the end of the coronavirus crisis and with the increase in macroeconomic uncertainties, Europe and Germany in particular appear to be becoming less attractive as a business location. Europe's market share is now steadily declining despite an increase in global production volumes. There are many reasons for this, and there are no simple solutions. However, if the industrial location is to remain secure, something has to change quickly. Once companies have moved away, it is difficult to bring them back. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to counteract this negative trend. Targeted intervention, including by political decision-makers, would be desirable here. However, this cannot succeed without industry/business. Only together will it be possible to maintain and strengthen Germany as a business/industry location. For composites as a material group in general, there are still very good opportunities to expand the market position in both new and existing markets due to the special portfolio of properties. However, the dependence on macroeconomic developments remains.

It is now important to develop new market areas through innovation, to consistently exploit opportunities and to work together to further implement composites in existing markets. This can often be achieved better together than alone. With its excellent network, Composites Germany offers a wide range of opportunities.

The next composites market survey will be published in August 2025.

Source:

Composites Germany

Photo by FlyD on Unsplash
04.02.2025

Sustainable Textiles – The Way Forward

High dependence on fossil carbon, associated high carbon footprint, low recycling rates and microplastics: several solutions are emerging.

The evolution of the demand for textile fibres from 1960 to the present day shows how the textile industry found itself in this dilemma. In 1960, around 95% of textile fibres were of natural origin, from bio-based carbon, and there was no problem with microplastics, all fibres were biodegradable.

High dependence on fossil carbon, associated high carbon footprint, low recycling rates and microplastics: several solutions are emerging.

The evolution of the demand for textile fibres from 1960 to the present day shows how the textile industry found itself in this dilemma. In 1960, around 95% of textile fibres were of natural origin, from bio-based carbon, and there was no problem with microplastics, all fibres were biodegradable.

The explosion in demand – 650% between 1960 and 2023 – could only be met by synthetic fibres from the chemical and plastics industries. Their share grew from 3% in 1960 to 68% in 2023 and from less than 700,000 tonnes to 85 million tonnes/year (The Fiber Year 2024). The new fibres covered a wide range of properties, could even achieve previously unknown properties and, above all, thanks to a powerful and innovative chemical and plastics industry, production volumes could be rapidly increased and comparatively low prices realised.
 
At the same time, sustainability has declined, the carbon footprint of the textiles has increased significantly and the issue of microplastics requires solutions.

The first step would be to significantly increase the proportion of renewable fibres, as this is the only way to reduce dependence on fossil carbon, especially in the form of crude oil, and thus reduce the carbon footprint. But how can this be done? As defined by the Renewable Carbon Initiative, renewable carbon comes from biomass, CO2 and recycling: From carbon above ground. This addresses the core problem of climate change, which is extracting and using additional fossil carbon from the ground that will end up in the atmosphere.
 
What can cotton, bast fibres and wool contribute?
Cotton fibre production can hardly be increased, it is stagnating between 20 and max. 25 million tonnes/year. Cultivated areas can hardly be expanded, and existing areas are salinized by the irrigation required. With the exception of about 1% organic cotton, significant amounts of pesticides are used. The market share of “preferred” cotton – defined by a list of recognized programmes – will fall from 27% of total cotton production in 2019/20 to 24% in 2020/21, after years of growth. (Textile Exchange, October 2022: Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report) Bast fibres such as jute (75%), flax, hemp, ramie or kenaf would require a huge boost in technology development and capacity investment and will nevertheless probably remain more expensive than cotton, simply because bast fibres are much more complicated to process, e.g. separating the fibre from the stalk, which is not necessary for cotton as a fruit fibre. As a source of cellulose fibre, bast fibres will remain more expensive than wood.

Although bast fibres are more sustainable than many other fibres, there is unlikely to be a major change – unless China focuses on bast fibres as a substitute for cotton. Plans to do so have been put on hold due to technological problems.

The importance of man-made cellulosic fibres (MMCFs) or simply cellulose fibres
Cellulose fibre production has been growing steadily over the last decades, reaching an all-time high of nearly 8 million tonnes in 2023, and is expected to grow further to 11 million tonnes in 2030. Cellulosic fibres are the only bio-based and biodegradable fibres that cover a wider range of properties and applications and can rapidly increase their capacity. The raw materials can be virgin wood as well as all types of cellulosic waste streams from forestry, agriculture, cotton processing waste, textile waste and paper waste. Increasing the share of cellulosic fibres will therefore play a crucial role in solving the sustainability challenges of the textile industry.

The production of MMCFs includes viscose, lyocell, modal, acetate and cupro. The market share of FSC and/or PEFC certified MMCF increased from 55–60% in 2020 to 60–65% of all MMCF in 2021. The market share of “recycled MMCFs” increased to an estimated share of 0.5%. Much research and development is underway. As a result, the volumes of recycled MMCFs are expected to increase significantly in the coming years. (Textile Exchange, October 2022: Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report)

The CEPI study “Forest-Based Biorefineries: Innovative Bio-Based Products for a Clean Transition” (renewable-carbon.eu/publications/product/innovative-bio-based-products-for-a-clean-transition-pdf/) identified 143 biorefineries in Europe, of which 126 are operational and 17 are planned. Most of them are based on chemical pulping (67%) – the precursor of cellulose fibres. Most biorefineries are located in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Portugal and Austria. But there are already biorefineries in operation or planned in 18 different European countries.

The global report “Is there enough biomass to defossilise the Chemicals and Derived Materials Sector by 2050?” (upcoming publication end of February 2025, available here: renewablecarbon.eu/publications) shows particularly high growth in dissolving/chemical pulp (from 9 in 2020 to 44 million tonnes in 2050; growth of 406%), cellulose fibres (from 7 in 2020 to 38 million tonnes in 2050; growth of 447%) and cellulose derivatives (from 2 in 2020 to 6 million tonnes in 2050; growth of 190%).

Biosynthetics – Bio-based and CO2-based Synthetic Fibres
To further reduce the share of fossil-based synthetic fibres, bio-based polymer fibres (also called “biosynthetics”) are an excellent option because of their wide range of properties – only the implementation will take decades as the share today is only below 0.5%. There are many options, such as polyester fibres (PLA, PTT, PEF, PHA), polyolefin fibres (PE/PP), bio-based PA fibres from castor oil. PTT, for example, is well established in the US carpet market and PLA in the hygiene market. They are all bio-based, but only a few are also biodegradable (PLA, PHA).
 
Biosynthetics are one of many applications of bio-based polymers. In general, 17 bio-based polymers are currently commercially available with an installed capacity of over 4 million tonnes in 2023. Ten of these bio-based polymers are used as biosynthetics. resulting in the production of over one million tonnes of biosynthetics (nova report: Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers – Global Capacities, Production and Trends 2023–2028, renewable-carbon.eu/publications/product/bio-based-buildingblocks-and-polymers-global-capacities-production-and-trends-2023-2028-short-version/).

In principle, many fibres can also be made from CO2, but here the technology and capacity needs to be developed, perhaps in parallel with the production of sustainable aviation fuels from CO2, which will become mandatory.

Circular Economy – Recycling of Textile Waste & Fibre-to-Fibre Recycling
The textile industry is at a pivotal moment, where sustainability is no longer an option but a necessity. As the environmental impact of textile production and disposal becomes increasingly clear, the pressure to adopt circular economy principles is growing.

One promising solution is fibre-to-fibre recycling, a process that converts used textiles into new, highquality fibres, effectively closing the waste loop. While significant progress has been made in the European Union, challenges remain, particularly in scaling up technologies, lack of collection systems and handling of mixed fibre textiles. Europe currently generates approximately 6.95 (1.25 + 5.7) million tonnes of textile waste per year, of which only 1.95 million tonnes is collected separately and 1.02 million tonnes is treated by recycling or backfilling.
 
The recycling of textiles reduces the demand for virgin fibres and the textile footprint. The share of recycled fibres increased slightly from 8.4% in 2020 to 8.9% in 2021, mainly due to an increase in bottlebased PET fibres. However, in 2021, less than 1% of the global fibre market will come from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles (Textile Exchange, October 2022: Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report). New regulations from Brussels for closed-loop recycling, especially bottle-to-bottle recycling, could threaten the use of bottle-based PET fibres in the textile industry. This would mean a reduction in recycling rates in the textile industry until the logistics and technologies are in place to recycle textiles on a large scale. This will be necessary to contribute to the circular economy. Several research projects are underway to find solutions and first pilot implementations are available.

The Future of Sustainable Textiles
The sustainable textile industry of the future will be built on a foundation of cotton fibres and fast-growing cellulose fibres, later strongly supported by bio- and CO2-based synthetic fibres (“biosynthetics”), and high recycling rates for all types of fibres. This combination can eventually replace most fossil-based synthetic fibres by 2050.

To get the latest information on cellulose fibres, the nova-Institute organises the “Cellulose Fibres Conference” every year, which will take place next time in Cologne on 12 and 13 March 2025 – this year for the first time with biosynthetics.

Source:

Michael Carus and Dr. Asta Partanen, nova-Institute (Germany)

Heimtextil Trends Photo: Alcova für Heimtextil
20.12.2024

Storytelling and natural beauty - solutions for retailers

Price pressure, reluctance to buy and changing demands on the longevity of products. Retailers around the world are facing similar challenges. Heimtextil Trends 25/26, curated by the Milan-based design platform Alcova, consciously addresses these challenges and provides valuable inspiration and conclusive solutions. Visitors will find these in the Trend Arena in Hall 3.0 at Heimtextil from 14 to 17 January 2025.

Price pressure, reluctance to buy and changing demands on the longevity of products. Retailers around the world are facing similar challenges. Heimtextil Trends 25/26, curated by the Milan-based design platform Alcova, consciously addresses these challenges and provides valuable inspiration and conclusive solutions. Visitors will find these in the Trend Arena in Hall 3.0 at Heimtextil from 14 to 17 January 2025.

With its three themes - ‘Naturally Uneven’, ‘Radically Restructured’ and ‘Regenerative’ - Heimtextil Trends 25/26 focuses on key values such as integrity, longevity and ecological awareness. These themes reflect what is becoming increasingly important to customers: Products that not only impress with their aesthetics, but also fulfil ethical and ecological requirements. These approaches can be experienced live in the Trend Arena - from material qualities and colours to innovative production processes. Retailers will be given concrete inspiration and tools to orientate their product range towards more conscious consumption. After all, consumers' purchasing decisions are clear: long-lasting, highquality products that are also produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way are very popular. A recent study conducted by IFH on behalf of Messe Frankfurt confirms this. Consumers are becoming increasingly selective and weigh things up carefully before making a purchase decision. When they decide in favour of a product, it must be convincing in all areas: durable, high quality - but also sustainable. After all, the majority of Europeans attach great importance to sustainability when it comes to home textiles. Aspects such as long-lasting products, recyclable materials and transparency are among the key criteria.

The beauty of the imperfect: ‘Naturally Uneven’
‘Naturally Uneven’ celebrates the rawness and authenticity of natural materials. Fabrics such as linen, hemp, jute and wool stand for organic structures and handmade perfection in the imperfect. Small imperfections and natural grains make each piece unique and tell stories of craftsmanship and originality. The colour palette emphasises this natural aesthetic: soft grey like untreated stone, unbleached fibre tones and the delicate ‘Rose of Permanence’, which symbolises down-to-earthness and timelessness.

Innovation meets sustainability: ‘Radically Restructured’
This theme shows how advanced technologies and environmentally conscious design merge. The focus is on recycled materials that minimise the consumption of resources and set new standards in textile production. Heavy and light, transparent and opaque - these contrasts create a fascinating interplay of structure and appearance. In terms of colour, bold shades such as ‘End of Petrol’ and ‘New Green Deal’ dominate, visualising the upheaval. Techniques such as 3D weaving, digital printing and laser cutting reflect the innovative power that characterises this approach.

Redefining circular thinking: ‘Regenerative’
‘Regenerative’ embodies the principles of renewal, growth and circularity for customers who want to help shape a more sustainable future. Here you will find a mix of natural, recycled and bio-based fibres from linen, hemp and recycled wool to textiles that have been upcycled or reused. Handcrafted elements and techniques underline the focus on imperfection and individuality, while colours such as ‘Regenerative Azure’ or ‘Repairable Green’ convey the theme in all its many facets.

More information:
Heimtextil Trends Retail
Source:

Messe Frankfurt

ISPO Awards (c) Messe München
03.12.2024

ISPO 2024: Awarded Innovations & Tomorrow’s Newcomers

ISPO Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for the sports industry and the world’s largest sports business event, is about to begin and will soon present the prestigious ISPO Awards to the most innovative products and newcomers of tomorrow. The ISPO Awards are regarded as a global driving force for the sports industry. Showcasing the latest trends and innovations in product design, materials and digital solutions, these awards set new standards for the future of the sports industry.

The best products of 2024 will be honoured at ISPO Munich in December and can be seen at the ISPO Award area in Hall B1 from 3 to 5 December 2024. At the same time, newcomers to the sports and outdoor industry will be given a stage at ISPO Brandnew, the largest start-up competition in the sports business, where they will present their innovative products in exciting live pitches during ISPO Munich. The grand finale will take place on the second day of the event on the Main Stage.

ISPO Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for the sports industry and the world’s largest sports business event, is about to begin and will soon present the prestigious ISPO Awards to the most innovative products and newcomers of tomorrow. The ISPO Awards are regarded as a global driving force for the sports industry. Showcasing the latest trends and innovations in product design, materials and digital solutions, these awards set new standards for the future of the sports industry.

The best products of 2024 will be honoured at ISPO Munich in December and can be seen at the ISPO Award area in Hall B1 from 3 to 5 December 2024. At the same time, newcomers to the sports and outdoor industry will be given a stage at ISPO Brandnew, the largest start-up competition in the sports business, where they will present their innovative products in exciting live pitches during ISPO Munich. The grand finale will take place on the second day of the event on the Main Stage.

The ISPO Award seal of quality is given to sports products with a particularly high level of innovation, thus providing a curated overview of the most important trends in the industry. For the brands, innovations are enormously important and indispensable, whether in the textile sector, where much has changed in terms of materials, or in the integration of AI into all sub-sectors of the sporting goods industry. An expert jury of business professionals and regularly changing, sports-loving retail consumers from the ISPO Collaborators Club will review the submitted product innovations in advance and award prizes to the ones that meet the relevant criteria.

The submitted products make it possible to identify and observe trends. In 2024, the spectrum of trends continues to include sustainability in relation to textile innovations, the circular economy and recycling, as well as retail consumers’ desire for multipurpose use of diverse products. The integration of technology and the ever-growing role of AI numbers among the most exciting observations.

SUSTAINABILITY AS THE STANDARD
New EU legislation has led to an acceleration in the development of sustainable, functional materials. At this year’s ISPO Award jury meetings, numerous exciting material innovations were observed, especially in the textile sector. Progress in chemical treatments, such as PFC-free DWRs and textiles, is also remarkable. “Sustainability is increasingly becoming the norm, which means that consumers are coming to expect it as standard”, says juror and textile expert Dr Regina Henkel. “Progress is visible, for example, in the use of mono-materials or bio-based fabrics such as wool-Tencel blends”, which are used, for example, in this year’s ISPO Award winner Icebreaker with the Merino Blend 800 RealFleece Classic Pile LS Zip.

The ISPO Award entries also make it obvious that the performance of sustainable products made from recycled fibres has improved markedly so that the functionality of these products is now fully on a par with non-recycled items. Nevertheless, recycling will not be the solution to all future challenges, which is why manufacturers are increasingly incorporating into their collections natural fibres and biodegradable sports textiles, either in pure form or as a blend.

MULTI-USE REMAINS A TOP TREND
The trend towards multifunctional products reflects consumers’ desire for practical solutions. Particularly in Asia, multifunctional hardware products are perceived positively, while in Europe the focus is on textiles for multifunctional use. “High-quality, high-performance materials and designs are being adapted as everyday fashion, thus appealing to a broader target group”, explains trade journalist Dr Martina Wengenmeir, who is also one of the ISPO Award’s jurors. The “urban outdoor” trend is continuing and multipurpose products are also coming into focus in the area of commitment. One example of this is the Outdoor Backpack 45L from Peak Design, which combines fashionable and multifunctional design with full performance.

ISPO Award juror Dr Wengenmeir has identified another trend: “There is a growing focus on technical sports products designed specifically for women. These include football shoes with a design that is genuinely their own. This development goes beyond simple adjustments and includes well-thought-out designs in terms of fit and functionality.” These also include the BettHer - Bra Antishock+: the bra relies on a patented thermoplastic gel technology that provides excellent shock absorption and protection during intense activities.

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY
A trend from Asia that is also arriving in Europe is the integration of technology into clothing, for example through sensors and warmth apps. The personalisation of garments using technologies such as AI and sensor technology for temperature regulation is regarded as a potential growth area, despite concerns about sustainability.

Technology is also playing an increasingly important role for brick-and-mortar retailers, for example, when it comes to analysing the right product for the customer. Treadmills for running analysis are well known, but this year’s ISPO Award winner, the Skimulator, is a patented world first for a perfect fit of ski boots. This state-of-the-art simulator precisely simulates slope gradients, thus enabling the perfect fit of the ski boot.

ISPO BRANDNEW AWARD
ISPO Munich also provides a stage for the most innovative and creative newcomers in the sports and outdoor industry. Previous ISPO Brandnew winners include pioneering brands from all over the world that have redefined the boundaries of their respective fields with innovative materials, cutting-edge technology and sustainable action. Four start-ups each from the categories “Outdoor & Adventure & Snowsports”, “Performance, Body & Mind (physical product)”, “Sustainability” and “Sports Technology & Platforms” will pitch their ideas live on the main stage. A sneak peek at the innovations on show includes: BreezeLabs, which monitors breathing patterns during exercise; no normal coffee, coffee in a tube; and the AeroGraph Puffer Jacket, a weather-insulating jacket. The winner will be announced in the grand finale on the second day of the fair (4 December 2024).

Source:

Messe München

The Materials Market Report 2024 (c) Textile Exchange
30.09.2024

Materials Market Report 2024: Fossil-based synthetics dominate

Textile Exchange launched the first Materials Market Report in 2013 as a comprehensive, annual publication that provides unique data and insights into global fiber and raw materials production.

The Materials Market Report shares best available data on global fibre and material production volumes alongside program-specific volumes and other insights such as the number of certified sites. For the purpose of this report, leather, rubber, and down are considered non-fibre raw materials and are therefore included separately from the section and charts on ‘global fibre’.

Textile Exchange launched the first Materials Market Report in 2013 as a comprehensive, annual publication that provides unique data and insights into global fiber and raw materials production.

The Materials Market Report shares best available data on global fibre and material production volumes alongside program-specific volumes and other insights such as the number of certified sites. For the purpose of this report, leather, rubber, and down are considered non-fibre raw materials and are therefore included separately from the section and charts on ‘global fibre’.

It helps inform the textile industry’s efforts to reduce emissions associated with raw material production in line with a 1.5-degree temperature rise pathway. The report highlights the urgency to accelerate the transition to fibres from preferred sources, intensify efforts to significantly reduce reliance on virgin fossil-based materials, and invest in strategies that separate value creation from the need for extracting new materials.

It’s important to note that the compilation of global market data for fibres and raw materials is challenging and the quality of available data is often limited. The collection of primary data from suppliers is beyond the scope of this report so Textile Exchange relies on secondary data from industry associations, international organizations, governmental organizations, standard setters, and research institutes.

While Textile Exchange has collected, analysed, and compiled this information in all good conscience and has cross-checked it wherever possible, the report is intended for general guidance and information purposes only. Data gaps and inconsistencies are common in global market data, so modelling has often had to be applied.

Global fibre production reached an all-time high of 124 million tonnes in 2023, according to the latest Materials Market Report– which looks at total volumes used for apparel, home textiles, footwear, or any other application.

The data shows that the market share of virgin fossil-based synthetics continued to increase in 2023, with a decline in that of cotton and recycled fibres. Other key takeaways from the report’s data include:

  • Record fibre production: Despite industry efforts, global fibre production has more than doubled since 2000. The last year’s 124 million tonnes represents a 7% increase from 116 million tonnes in 2022, and is expected to rise to 160 million tonnes in 2030 if current trends continue.
  • Synthetics continue to dominate: The production of virgin fossil-based synthetic fibres increased from 67 million tonnes in 2022 to 75 million tonnes in 2023. Polyester remained the most produced fibre globally, accounting for 57% of total fibre production.
  • Recycled synthetics face challenges: Although recycled polyester fibre production slightly increased in 2023, the overall market share of recycled polyester decreased from 13.6% to 12.5%. For polyamide (nylon), the second most used synthetic fibre, recycled fibres constituted only 2% of the total market share. These trends are attributed to the lower prices and continued production of virgin synthetics, as well as current limitations in recycling technologies. Less than 1% of the global fibre market came from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles.

    The combined share of all recycled fibres slightly decreased in 2023, from around 7.9% to 7.7%, mainly due to an increase in the production of fossil-based polyester, which had lower prices than recycled polyester. Fossil based synthetics production increased from 67 million tonnes in 2022 to 75 million tonnes in 2023. Meanwhile, less than 1% of the global fibre market came from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles.
  • Cotton production saw a slight decline: Total global cotton volumes fell slightly from 25.1 million tonnes in 2022 to 24.4 million tonnes in 2023. However, the share of cotton produced under sustainability programs remained stable, accounting for 29% of all cotton produced.
  • Certified wool climbs: Data showed positive trends for wool produced under standards such as the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), ZQ, SustainaWOOL (GREEN and GOLD), Sustainable Cape Wool Standard (SCWS) and Climate Beneficial programs. This increased from 4.2% in 2022 to 4.8% in 2023. Recycled wool continued to account for around 6% of the global wool market.
  • Certified mohair and cashmere reached almost half of market share: Certified fibres such as mohair and cashmere saw notable growth, both with market shares of 47%.
  • Manmade cellulosic fibres production increased: Overall MMCF production increased from 7.4 million tonnes in 2022 to 7.9 million tonnes in 2023, representing 6% of the global fibre market.

The report highlights a continued reliance on new virgin fossil-based synthetic materials, threatening to undermine the industry’s commitments to its climate goals. It also shows the current limitations of textile-to-textile recycling and an urgent need for innovative solutions, with most recycled polyester still coming from PET bottles.

Amid these concerns, one positive trend that stands out is the increased industry demand for responsible animal fibres through programs like the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) and Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS), both contributing to better animal welfare and environmental management. This indicates the potential of farm-level standards of this kind to increase market recognition of more sustainable practices on the ground.

“We hope this data serves as a clear call to action for the industry, highlighting both the successes and the critical areas where we must intensify our focus to meet climate targets,” said Claire Bergkamp, CEO of Textile Exchange.

“Unlocking textile-to-textile recycling pathways will be essential to reducing reliance on virgin synthetics. Equally important is continuing to support those on the ground who are driving the transition from conventional systems to preferred materials. It is more urgent than ever to support those who have already invested in preferred systems, while also enabling the transition away from conventional at scale.”

Download of the Materials Market Report 2024.

More information:
fibre production Market report
Source:

Textile Exchange

wind energy Photo: Carlos / Saigon - Vietnam, Pixabay
13.09.2024

Negative mood in the composites market

  • Critical assessment of the current business situation
  • Future expectations deteriorate
  • Investment climate remains subdued
  • Expectations for application industries vary
  • Growth drivers with little movement
  • Composites index points downwards

For the 23rd time, Composites Germany (www.composites-germany.de) has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.

In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey this half-year. Once again, mainly qualitative data was collected in relation to current and future market developments.

  • Critical assessment of the current business situation
  • Future expectations deteriorate
  • Investment climate remains subdued
  • Expectations for application industries vary
  • Growth drivers with little movement
  • Composites index points downwards

For the 23rd time, Composites Germany (www.composites-germany.de) has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.

In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey this half-year. Once again, mainly qualitative data was collected in relation to current and future market developments.

Critical assessment of the current business situation
After the assessment of the current business situation was positive at a relatively stable level before the coronavirus crisis, the perception of the survey participants has now deteriorated significantly.       
 
With the exception of a few positive trends, the corresponding indicator has been pointing significantly downwards since 2022. There is still no sign of a trend reversal in the current survey. (see Fig. 1). The assessment of the general business situation is declining in all regions mentioned.

The reasons for the negative sentiment are manifold and were already evident in the previous surveys. High energy, raw material and logistics costs remain a major burden, especially for German industry, but also for many other countries in Europe. This is compounded by a weakening global economy and weak sales for many products in Asia. Massive competition to European products is growing there, particularly in terms of raw materials, which is also partly due to overcapacity, which in turn is putting enormous pressure on prices for suppliers here. Political uncertainties, protectionist tendencies and armed conflicts, such as in Ukraine and recently increasingly in the Middle East, are further worsening the economic climate.

At present, politicians do not seem to be succeeding in creating an environment conducive to business. The composites market has already seen sharp declines in the last two years. The industry continues to send pessimistic signals for the current year. The industry was and is an important economic sector for Germany in particular. It is threatened with further decline if the appropriate regulatory framework is not created to enable competitive production. Germany is currently facing structural changes that are necessary, particularly in terms of economic policy and ecology. These necessary adjustments will take many years and require high levels of investment. It is urgently advisable to finally find a balance between the necessary burden on industry/companies on the one hand and corresponding relief on the other. If the decline of German and European industry continues, at some point it will become questionable who should finance the restructuring. Only a healthy economy, which includes a manufacturing industry, will be able to invest and finance the necessary measures.

This will not be possible for the state itself. Even an expansion of employment in the public sector, as has been pushed in recent months to compensate for job losses in industry, only superficially solves this problem. Healthy state financing is based on a healthy economy. Something urgently needs to be done about this - at the moment, we are digging at our own foundations.
It is not only the assessment of the general business situation that remains pessimistic. The situation of their own companies also continues to be viewed critically. The picture is particularly negative for Germany. Almost 70% of respondents are critical of the current business situation in Germany. The view of global business and Europe is somewhat more positive.
Here, “only” 46% and 54% of respondents respectively assess the situation rather negatively.

Future expectations are becoming gloomier
While the last survey showed rather positive assessments of future expectations, this picture is currently becoming much gloomier. When asked about their assessment of future business development in general, the figures are consistently negative. At present, the respondents do not seem to believe that the situation will improve.  

Respondents were also rather pessimistic about their own company's future expectations, although their expectations regarding their own market position worldwide were positive (see Fig. 3).
It is striking that the view of the German region in relation to Europe and the global economy has been more critical since 2022. 25% of respondents expect the general market situation in Germany to develop negatively.

Only 18% expect the current situation to improve. The figures for Europe and the rest of the world are significantly better.
Only 3% expect the global situation to deteriorate further. 19% expect the situation to improve.

Investment climate remains subdued
The current cautious assessment of the economic situation continues to have an impact on the investment climate.

While 22% of participants in the last survey still expected an increase in personnel capacity (survey 1/2023 = 40%), this figure currently stands at just 13%. In contrast, 33% even expect a decrease in the area of personnel.

The proportion of respondents planning to invest in machinery is also declining. While 56% were still assuming corresponding investments in the last survey, this figure has now fallen to 44%.

Different expectations of application industries
The composites market is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of both materials and applications. In the survey, participants were asked to give their assessment of the market development of different core areas.

The expectations are extremely varied. The two most important application areas are the mobility and construction/infrastructure sectors. Both are currently undergoing major upheavals or are affected by declines, which is also clearly reflected in the survey. Growth is expected above all in the wind energy and aviation sectors.

There are generally few shifts here compared to the last survey.

Growth drivers with little movement
In terms of materials, the trend in the assessment of growth drivers is continuing. Whereas for a long time GRP was named as the material from which the main growth impetus for the composites sector is to be expected, the main impetus is now once again expected to come from CFRP or across all materials. The trend from the last survey is continuing here.

There is a slight regional shift. The main impetus for growth is expected to come from Asia and North America. However, the EU (except Germany) is also mentioned. Germany is seen less strongly as a growth driver and continues to lose ground.

Composites Index points downwards
The numerous negative influences of recent times continue to be reflected in the overall Composites Index. This is falling in all areas.
 
In the last two years, the European composites market has lost around 15% of its production volume. Even if not all areas are affected by declines to the same extent, this should be an alarm signal. Until the coronavirus pandemic, there was a continuous increase in production volume for many years. Since the end of the coronavirus crisis and with the increase in macroeconomic uncertainties, Europe and Germany in particular appear to be becoming less attractive as a business location. With production volumes increasing worldwide, Europe's market share is now steadily declining. There are many reasons for this and there are no simple solutions. However, if the industrial location is to remain secure, something has to change quickly. Once companies have moved away, it is difficult to bring them back.

It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to counteract this negative trend. Targeted intervention, including by political decision-makers, would be desirable here. However, this cannot succeed without industry/business. Only together will it be possible to maintain and strengthen Germany as a business/industry location. For composites as a material group in general, there are still very good opportunities to expand the market position in both new and existing markets due to the special portfolio of properties. However, the dependency on overall economic developments remains.

It is now important to develop new market areas through innovation, to consistently exploit opportunities and to work together to further implement composites in existing markets. This can often be achieved better together than alone. With its excellent network, Composi-tes Germany offers a wide range of opportunities.  

The next composites market survey will be published in February 2025.

Source:

Composites Germany

TheDigitalArtist, Pixabay
09.09.2024

“Used textiles recycling at risk of collapse”

The recycling of used textiles is facing a potential collapse. Industry experts agree that the current crisis is more serious than the COVID-19 crisis at the time.

In the case of Covid-19, there was a foreseeable period of a few months, after which the industry recovered quite quickly and the effect of pent-up demand caused prices to return to a normal level within a short period of time.
 
“We now have a completely different situation that threatens the existence of many of the established used textile recyclers in the industry,” says Stefan Voigt, Chairman of the bvse's Textile Recycling Association (FTR).
 
The global market for used textiles has been in a deep crisis for some time, which has now reached a level that can only be described as a free fall. Since the spring, the prices for original collected goods no longer cover the enormous costs for container provision, collection and administration.

The recycling of used textiles is facing a potential collapse. Industry experts agree that the current crisis is more serious than the COVID-19 crisis at the time.

In the case of Covid-19, there was a foreseeable period of a few months, after which the industry recovered quite quickly and the effect of pent-up demand caused prices to return to a normal level within a short period of time.
 
“We now have a completely different situation that threatens the existence of many of the established used textile recyclers in the industry,” says Stefan Voigt, Chairman of the bvse's Textile Recycling Association (FTR).
 
The global market for used textiles has been in a deep crisis for some time, which has now reached a level that can only be described as a free fall. Since the spring, the prices for original collected goods no longer cover the enormous costs for container provision, collection and administration.

The price of original goods traded on the market has now reached an all-time low, causing existential hardship for many market participants.

The sale of original and sorted goods has become almost impossible. The loss of established market players has destroyed supply chains that have been tried and tested for years, and stocks of original and sorted goods have reached unprecedented record levels. Some market participants are forced to replace the usual sales business with bartering.

According to industry information, downstream players in the recycling chain, such as shredding and spinning mills, are also under pressure and have made massive staff cuts. The production of cleaning cloths has also reached an all-time low. Due to the relocation of production abroad and reduced domestic production, demand for cleaning cloths has fallen and prices have slipped to a very low level.

Consumer behavior and international markets exacerbate the crisis
Due to the generally high cost burden on the population, the consumption of textiles has collapsed. The negative trend of consuming low-quality fast fashion is now being reinforced by ultra-fast fashion of even poorer quality. This has disastrous effects on value creation within the recycling chain for used textiles.

“During the sorting process, increasingly large quantities of relatively new textiles are being found that are already so defective that they are no longer suitable for further use and therefore have to be fed into the recycling process,” explains Voigt. However, there is no money to be made here either, as the same cost structures apply to this part of the original goods as to wearable goods and the recycling process is also very cost-intensive.

Industry calls for the introduction of an EPR system
Until now, the recycling of the proportion of sorted goods has been subsidised by the proceeds from wearable goods, but this system has not worked for some time. The industry is desperately waiting for the introduction of a national EPR system for textiles in order to stabilise costs.

The EU Commission's recently published draft of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive provides for the introduction of a system of extended producer responsibility for textiles. The existing collection and recycling structures in Germany, which enable the separate collection of used textiles close to the public, are to play a central role in this.

The draft of the National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) also emphasises the importance of the national recycling industry for used textiles. Without it, the establishment of a closed-loop system for textiles would not be feasible.

Crisis not limited to Germany
The crisis has also made ripples internationally. Countries such as the Netherlands, traditionally the largest buyer of used textiles from Germany, have already addressed the crisis in the national media. Almost 250 companies there are involved in the collection, sorting and international marketing of used textiles.

Around 60 per cent of the original goods are recycled as sustainable clothing after sorting, meaning that the industry is reliant on stable markets in which recycling proceeds can be generated. But this is precisely the problem. ‘Due to the effects of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the Eastern European market can only be served in fragments,’ explains Voigt.

In addition, despite its potential, the African market is currently facing enormous challenges because there is practically no money left in the system, he adds, explaining the concerns he receives from many interviewees in the industry: ‘The enormous drop in the value of many currencies in various African countries    means that it is becoming increasingly difficult for African customers to buy urgently needed second-hand clothing for hard currency,’ Voigt continues.

For example, the currency in the extremely important African market of Ghana has lost roughly 20 per cent against the euro over the last six months of 2024. In addition, the transfer of foreign currency now takes up to two months, meaning that it now takes up to six months to return the proceeds of realisation.

In addition, the African market is increasingly dominated by Chinese influence. ‘The actually better quality of high-quality used European second-hand clothing can hardly compete with new Asian goods,’ reports Voigt. Ultra fast fashion from China is flooding the market with extremely low prices, making it increasingly difficult to market sorted, second-hand clothing.

In addition to economic problems, there are also logistical challenges. ‘Our customers are reporting increasing difficulties in obtaining the necessary visas for a business visit to Europe within an acceptable waiting period,’ explains Voigt. The waiting time for an appointment at the consulate can currently be up to two months.

Call for short-term measures
In order to prevent the system from collapsing in the short term, Voigt believes that the usual remuneration structures for local authorities and providers of parking spaces for collection containers need to be reconsidered. ‘Recycling revenues have not been realised for some time now, so they can no longer be paid out or must be adjusted to the current situation,’ says Voigt.

The industry expects the current crisis to last even longer. ‘Not everyone will survive,’ predicts Voigt. Many collection areas are already being offered on the open market and various collection capacities are being cancelled without replacement. The future of the used textile recycling industry remains uncertain and there is no end to the crisis in sight.

More information:
textile waste textile recycling
Source:

bvse-Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung e.V.

One in four buys mainly online - sustainability remains important Photo: Pabirtra Kaity auf Pixabay
20.08.2024

One in four buys mainly online - sustainability remains important

  • 82 per cent of shoppers are against the destroying of returns
  • 67 per cent of under-30s accept higher prices for climate-neutral shipping

The digital shopping basket remains popular in Germany: around three in ten purchases are made online, ex-actly as many as in 2020. 27 per cent of respondents buy at least half of their goods and services online. Sustainability plays an important role here: around three quarters (77 per cent) of shoppers prefer suppliers that offer moderate and sustainable packaging and buy from them online. 43 per cent make sure when shopping that they only choose products that they are unlikely to have to return. And 82 per cent support the idea that returns should not be cancelled. These are the results of the representative ‘Postbank Digital Study 2024’.

  • 82 per cent of shoppers are against the destroying of returns
  • 67 per cent of under-30s accept higher prices for climate-neutral shipping

The digital shopping basket remains popular in Germany: around three in ten purchases are made online, ex-actly as many as in 2020. 27 per cent of respondents buy at least half of their goods and services online. Sustainability plays an important role here: around three quarters (77 per cent) of shoppers prefer suppliers that offer moderate and sustainable packaging and buy from them online. 43 per cent make sure when shopping that they only choose products that they are unlikely to have to return. And 82 per cent support the idea that returns should not be cancelled. These are the results of the representative ‘Postbank Digital Study 2024’.

According to the study, younger people are significantly more open to e-commerce than their elders: Digital natives (under 40 years of age) order 40 per cent of their goods online - 13 percentage points more than digital immigrants (over 40 years of age). The reasons for online shopping also vary greatly between young and old. While the convenient access to home for online shoppers remains the main reason for online shopping in all age groups, the proportion of young people at 52 per cent is significantly lower than the average (62 per cent).

For younger online shoppers, immediate availability (38 per cent) and the option to shop on the go via app (30 per cent) are particularly important. In comparison, only 22 per cent of older users have used apps for shopping to date. Favourable prices are estimated by 56 percent of older online shoppers, while this is important for only 46 percent of younger shoppers. There is a further difference in terms of flexible opening hours: 53 per cent of those aged 40 and over value the ability to shop at any time, compared to 40 per cent of online shoppers under 40.

‘We are facing similar challenges in the digitalisa-tion of our banking services,’ says Thomas Brosch, Head of Digital Sales at Postbank. ‘The needs of the generations differ. We have to constantly optimise our services and the user-friendliness of our offerings - in online banking, on smartphones and in physical branches. In this way, we can make good offers to young and old customers alike.’

Online shopping yes, but please without regrets
18 to 39-year-olds are much more willing to dig deeper into their pockets for sustainability than those aged 40 and over. For example, younger online shoppers pay more attention to CO2 offsetting and are more willing than average to make a voluntary compensation payment: 26 per cent prefer to order from shops where a donation can be made to compensate for the CO2 produced. In contrast, only 11 per cent of older people do so. Two out of three younger Germans also accept higher product prices for sustainable shipping, while not even one in two (46 per cent) of those aged 40 and over are inclined to do so.

70 per cent of digital natives already have experience with in-app purchases
The study also reveals another trend: around four out of ten Germans have already made in-app purchases. And 70 per cent of digital natives already have experience of buying additional content or functions in mobile applications. Those aged 40 and over are much more reluctant: only 29 per cent have already made in-app purchases at least once, and 43 per cent have no plans to do so. Digital natives are not only interested in a good price-performance ratio for in-app purchases, but also in adequate protection against unwanted spending. A quarter of this age group would like this, compared to just 18 per cent of older people.

Younger shoppers are more likely to use banking services when shopping online
When it comes to paying, six out of ten digital natives have already accepted instalment payments or credit offers when shopping online. In addition to favourable conditions (36%) and a reputable payment service provider (35%), it is particularly important to young shoppers that banking services are easy to use (35%). Across all age groups, 89 per cent of Germans have already used such banking services.

Background information on the Postbank Digital Study 2024
For the ‘Postbank Digital Study 2024 - The Digital Germans’, 3,171 residents were surveyed in April of this year. For the tenth year in a row, Postbank is using the study to investigate which developments are emerging in various areas of life with regard to digitalisation in general and financial topics in particular. In order to depict a population-representative structure, the sample was weighted according to federal state (proportionalisation), age and gender. The 2021 census of the Federal Statistical Office was used as the reference file. The results are rounded to whole numbers. Deviations in the totals can be explained by rounding differences.

Source:

Postbank

Atacama desert Photo by Fernando Rodrigues on Unsplash
23.07.2024

Reducing environmental & health impacts of global trade of 2nd hand clothes

The rise of fast-fashion, marked by rapid turnover of collections, has led to a sevenfold increase in the global trade of used clothing in the last 4 decades. With more than 80% of all purchased clothing items globally (62% in the EU) being disposed of as general garbage, which is incinerated or landfilled, this represents a massive waste of resources, causing severe environmental and health impacts. A report recently published by UNECE and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) contains an in-depth analysis of second-hand clothing trade between Europe and Chile, offers policy recommendations to the industry, exporting and importing countries to remedy this situation.

The rise of fast-fashion, marked by rapid turnover of collections, has led to a sevenfold increase in the global trade of used clothing in the last 4 decades. With more than 80% of all purchased clothing items globally (62% in the EU) being disposed of as general garbage, which is incinerated or landfilled, this represents a massive waste of resources, causing severe environmental and health impacts. A report recently published by UNECE and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) contains an in-depth analysis of second-hand clothing trade between Europe and Chile, offers policy recommendations to the industry, exporting and importing countries to remedy this situation.

According to UN Comtrade data, in 2021 the European Union (30%), China (16%), and the United States (15%) were the leading exporters of discarded clothes, while Asia (28%, predominantly Pakistan), Africa (19%, especially Ghana and Kenya), and Latin America (16%, mainly Chile and Guatemala) were the leading importers.  

This has been facilitated by the advent of low-cost synthetic fibres and by trade liberalization that allowed the offshoring of production to countries with low-wage labour. Large proportions of clothing are made from difficult-to-separate blended fibres, making opportunities for economic reuse and recycling rare, particularly in developed countries.

“When did we normalize throwing clothes away?”, questions Lily Cole, Climate Activist and Advisor to UNECE. “As the world, mostly the Global North, has produced and consumed fashion at an unrelenting rate, a handful of countries, mainly in the Global South, have become cemeteries for the world’s unloved clothes. While visiting the Atacama Desert, my attention was brought to the textile mountains and the shifting cultural, economic, and political landscapes that birthed them. Consumer awareness is very helpful, yet, ultimately, we need policies to curb systemic trends, which is why this report and its recommendations are so necessary.”

Europe: sorting and recycling capacities lag behind  
In Europe only 15-20% of disposed textiles are collected, usually through containers, door-to-door collection and donations. About half of the collected textiles are downcycled to be used as, for example, insulation, filling, and single-use industrial wipes. Only 1% is recycled into higher value outputs such as new clothing, while the remainder is exported to developing countries.  

Of the 55% of collected clothes that are reusable, only 5 percentage points have a value on second-hand markets in the EU, while 50 percentage points have a value on export markets.  

The European Union has thus tripled its exports of used clothes over the past 2 decades, from 550,000 to 1.7 million tons. Europe, including the United Kingdom, accounts now for more than a third of global used clothing exports, and this share could continue to grow as collection rates are expected to rise.  

A design-led circular economy approach to clothing is still in its infancy. The EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) was adopted in 2020, the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles was adopted in 2022, and the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation was adopted in 2023. However, these policies are still to bear fruit in the form of large-scale upstream solutions to the problems of textile waste. 

“The used clothes global market is constantly growing, and with it, its negative impacts. The textile industry has a key responsibility to adopt more sustainable practices, exporters and importers to adopt relevant policy decisions to foster traceability, circularity and sustainability. UN/CEFACT policy recommendations and standards will support this transition. And of course, we all have a role to play, as consumers, to make sustainable choices,” stressed UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean.

The case of Chile: mountains of used clothes visible from the moon  
Most countries in Latin America (including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru) have introduced clothing import bans to protect their national textile and fashion industries and avoid the threats posed by clothing dumps.

By contrast, Chile levies zero tariffs, and applies no quantity restrictions in imports, only requiring shipments to be sanitised (by fumigation). It has thus become one of the top 10 importers in the world, and the first in Latin America, receiving 126,000 tons of textiles in 2021. 40% of these entered the country through the northern port of Iquique, where they are manually sorted, primarily by women, and separated into first, second, and third quality.

75% of all imported used clothes were deemed non-reusable, 30,000 tons of which are covering today 30 hectares of the Atacama desert, generating pollution and creating hazard to local communities’ health. At the same time, trade in second-hand garments also provides employment and formal and informal income for national and migrant populations in established stores and open-air markets across the country, and this must be factored in when redefining public policies.

“To address the environmental and social issues of used textile trade, the EU and Chile must work together on creating robust regulatory frameworks. A partnership between the European Union and Chile could pioneer innovative approaches to regulate and reduce the impact of second-hand textile trade, including by setting global standards for the trade of used textiles, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility." Highlights UNECLAC Executive Secretary, Mr. José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs.  

Multifold recommendations
The report contains a series of recommendations to the textile industry, exporters and importers.   

To exporting countries

  • Make circular economy considerations central to the design of clothing, with mandatory targets for fibre composition that improve quality, durability, repairability, and recyclability  
  • Introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system holding producers responsible for the products they manufacture  
  • Develop more sorting and recycling plants, through financial incentives  
  • Develop minimum EU criteria for second-hand clothing exports through the use of digital product passports (DPPs)  
  • Run awareness-raising campaigns to encourage consumers to make more informed choices about their clothes

To importing countries – the example of Chile

  • Improve customs procedures & administrative measures at the port of Iquique to ensure digital traceability of flows of used clothing and textile based on the UN/CEFACT traceability standard   
  • Establish a Circular Economy Strategy for Textiles  
  • Set-up public-private alliances for recycling projects through tax extension schemes and funds to support entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation for vulnerable groups, particularly in the Tarapacá region  
  • Improve the legal framework for waste management   
  • Implement a Regional Solid Waste Control Plan, involving inspections of sanitary landfills, clean points, and dumps to increase the enforcement capacity of regional health authorities  
  • Accelerate the adoption of the Chilean draft law on environmental quality of soils.

The report also recommends making changes to international trade agreements, such as the2023 Interim Trade Agreement between the EU and Chile, which includes a chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development, to step up bilateral cooperation, and using it as a template for other bilateral trade agreements between the EU and other countries.   

Download the Executive Summary

Source:

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

AI AI generated women, Pixabay
09.07.2024

How the Fashion Industry Is Using AI

Nearly every industry is poised to undergo an unprecedented transformation with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). AI, in simple terms, refers to technology, often in the form of computer programs, designed to replicate the human brain’s ability to perform tasks and continuously improve.

Generative AI, powered by deep learning algorithms, is making a significant impact on fashion brands. This advanced technology has the capacity to comprehend patterns within data and generate entirely new examples of text, images and even video (Bain, 2023).

Because of its ability to create new content, the fashion industry is integrating its technology into nearly all of its processes in some way, from design and product descriptions to product recommendations and 3D design (Mcdowell, 2023a).

Table 1 provides a few real-world examples of how AI is already being used in the industry.

Nearly every industry is poised to undergo an unprecedented transformation with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). AI, in simple terms, refers to technology, often in the form of computer programs, designed to replicate the human brain’s ability to perform tasks and continuously improve.

Generative AI, powered by deep learning algorithms, is making a significant impact on fashion brands. This advanced technology has the capacity to comprehend patterns within data and generate entirely new examples of text, images and even video (Bain, 2023).

Because of its ability to create new content, the fashion industry is integrating its technology into nearly all of its processes in some way, from design and product descriptions to product recommendations and 3D design (Mcdowell, 2023a).

Table 1 provides a few real-world examples of how AI is already being used in the industry.

Category How it works Example
Fashion Design
  • Transforms textual descriptions or uploaded images into illustrations
  • Adjusts these designs before production
  • Cala’s tool with DALL-E technology
  • Tommy Hilfiger’s AI-Assisted Design Collaboration with IBM and the Fashion Institute of Technology
  • Project Muze by Google and Zalando
Visual Content and Marketing Imagery
  • Generates advertising and marketing content using given parameters or inputs
  • Text, images and videos are common outputs
  • Stitch Fix’s AI visuals
  • Casablancas Spring/Summer 2023 campaign
  • Revolve’s AI-driven ad campaign
Copywriting
  • Generates copy based on keywords and instructions provided by the user
  • Streamlines the process of creating product descriptions, marketing emails and other written content
  • Adore Me AI optimization
  • Product descriptions for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Shopping Assistants
  • Utilizes natural language processing to interact with customers as chatbots
  • Offers product recommendations and provides information
  • Kering’s experimental KNXT platform
  • Luxury personal shopper powered by ChatGPT

 

AI in design
Generative AI has the power to revolutionize fashion design. Designers can harness AI image generators like DALL-E, Midjourney or Stable Diffusion to bring their creative visions to life.

Cala, a supply chain startup, was the first group to harness AI in the design creation process for fashion brands. In January 2023 it introduced a tool that allows users to describe their design ideas in text or upload images which AI will then transform into illustrations or realistic images. Users can then fine tune these designs before turning them into physical products. This tool marks a pioneering use of the DALL-E API in the fashion industry, enabling the creation of clothing, accessories, shoes and lifestyle products based on descriptions or images (OpenAI, 2022).

Apparel brands are also leveraging this technology. Tommy Hilfiger collaborated with IBM and the Fashion Institute of Technology on a project named Reimagine Retail. This initiative aimed to give retailers a competitive advantage in the speed of forecasting emerging design trends by analyzing a vast array of data from images and fabrics to colors (Saunders, 2019).

While generative AI empowers designers to explore new concepts and ideas rapidly by generating various design variations, there are limitations to the technology. Manual editing and adjustments are often necessary as AI cannot turn all concepts into finished products. Concerns regarding intellectual property may also arise as some AI-generated designs could be based on copyrighted work. Legal issues in this area are still evolving, prompting brands to involve their legal teams and establish guidelines (Bain, 2023).

AI in Copywriting: Efficiency and personalization
Generative AI tools are serving as valuable assistants to marketing teams, streamlining the writing process for product descriptions and marketing emails. Copywriters input keywords and instructions and AI generates copy that can be edited as needed, enabling brands to produce written content more efficiently.

The lingerie brand Adore Me has been using AI tools to optimize product descriptions for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to make them more likely to appear at the top of search engine results (Mcdowell, 2023a). Adore Me and other brands using AI this way report dozens of hours in time savings.

Using AI’s potential to personalize content at a one-to-one level requires businesses to have structured first-party data and robust data privacy measures (Bain, 2023). For now, human oversight is still required, and web teams will likely need to make adjustments to established workflows in order to incorporate AI.

AI-enhanced visual content for fashion marketing
Generative AI is also being applied to create visual marketing content.
Stitch Fix uses AI to curate personalized clothing recommendations for customers and is exploring how it could use DALL-E 2 to visualize garments tailored to individual preferences for color, fabric and style (Davenport & Mittal, 2022).

French fashion house Casablanca Paris is also implementing AI. It collaborated with the British photographer and AI artist Luke Nugent for its Spring / Summer 2023 campaign. The AI-generated images blended dreamlike backdrops with cutting edge technology.

Fashion brands can benefit from reduced production times, cost savings and increased creative freedom by using AI-driven innovations to develop visual assets for marketing and ad campaigns. However, ensuring that AI-generated images accurately represent products can be tricky as the output may differ from the original product photos (Bain, 2023; Mcdowell, 2023a).

AI Chatbots: Transforming the shopping experience
Many retailers are also using generative AI as online shopping assistants, commonly known as chatbots. These chatbots use natural language processing to understand and respond to customer questions or even make personalized product recommendations (Zeng et al., 2023). For instance, within Kering’s experimental KNXT platform, a luxury personal shopper powered by ChatGPT provides tailored recommendations and insights to users based on specific contexts (Mcdowell, 2023b).

Despite these advantages, chatbot technology still has room for improvement. It may struggle to suggest the right products due to inventory constraints or provide somewhat generic styling suggestions. However these chatbots are a work in progress, and companies are confident that their AI tools’ language capabilities will continue to improve as they gather more data and user feedback.

As the fashion industry evolves, generative AI-driven chatbots have the potential to revolutionize the way customers interact with brands, offering increasingly personalized and efficient services.

A new industry standard
Businesses in the fashion, textile and apparel space can no longer be ambivalent or willfully ignorant about AI. They must do the research and reflection needed to develop a clear organizational stance on AI or risk getting left behind.

Organizational strategies for AI need to go beyond looking at the future trajectory of AI. Executives must set up clear objectives around how to integrate the technology into their workflows.

The customer base of each brand will be central to a successful AI strategy. This means understanding both their attitudes towards AI as well as their preferences and expectations.

Source:

Wilson College of Textiles, Yoo-Won Olivia Min and B. Ellie Jin

Biofibers made from gelatin in a rainbow of colors. © Utility Research Lab
25.06.2024

Designers make dissolvable textiles from gelatin

Introducing the fashion of the future: a T-shirt you can wear a few times, then, when you get bored with it, dissolve and recycle to make a new shirt.

Researchers at the ATLAS Institute at the CU Boulder are now one step closer to that goal. In a new study, the team of engineers and designers developed a DIY machine that spins textile fibers made of materials like sustainably sourced gelatin. The group’s “biofibers” feel a bit like flax fiber and dissolve in hot water in minutes to an hour.

The team, led by Eldy Lázaro Vásquez, a doctoral student in the ATLAS Institute, presented its findings in May at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Honolulu.

“When you don’t want these textiles anymore, you can dissolve them and recycle the gelatin to make more fibers,” said Michael Rivera, a co-author of the new research and assistant professor in the ATLAS Institute and Department of Computer Science.

Introducing the fashion of the future: a T-shirt you can wear a few times, then, when you get bored with it, dissolve and recycle to make a new shirt.

Researchers at the ATLAS Institute at the CU Boulder are now one step closer to that goal. In a new study, the team of engineers and designers developed a DIY machine that spins textile fibers made of materials like sustainably sourced gelatin. The group’s “biofibers” feel a bit like flax fiber and dissolve in hot water in minutes to an hour.

The team, led by Eldy Lázaro Vásquez, a doctoral student in the ATLAS Institute, presented its findings in May at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Honolulu.

“When you don’t want these textiles anymore, you can dissolve them and recycle the gelatin to make more fibers,” said Michael Rivera, a co-author of the new research and assistant professor in the ATLAS Institute and Department of Computer Science.

The study tackles a growing problem around the world: In 2018 alone, people in the United States added more than 11 million tons of textiles to landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency—nearly 8% of all municipal solid waste produced that year.

The researchers envision a different path for fashion.

Their machine is small enough to fit on a desk and cost just $560 to build. Lázaro Vásquez hopes the device will help designers around the world experiment with making their own biofibers.

“You could customize fibers with the strength and elasticity you want, the color you want,” she said. “With this kind of prototyping machine, anyone can make fibers. You don’t need the big machines that are only in university chemistry departments.”

Spinning threads
The study arrives as fashionistas, roboticists and more are embracing a trend known as “smart textiles.” Levi’s Trucker Jacket with Jacquard by Google, for example, looks like a denim coat but includes sensors that can connect to your smartphone.

But such clothing of the future comes with a downside, Rivera said:

“That jacket isn't really recyclable. It's difficult to separate the denim from the copper yarns and the electronics.”

To imagine a new way of making clothes, the team started with gelatin. This springy protein is common in the bones of many animals, including pigs and cows. Every year, meat producers throw away large volumes of gelatin that doesn’t meet requirements for cosmetics or food products like Jell-O. (Lázaro Vásquez bought her own gelatin, which comes as a powder, from a local butcher shop.)

She and her colleagues decided to turn that waste into wearable treasure.

The group’s machine uses a plastic syringe to heat up and squeeze out droplets of a liquid gelatin mixture. Two sets of rollers in the machine then tug on the gelatin, stretching it out into long, skinny fibers—not unlike a spider spinning a web from silk. In the process, the fibers also pass through liquid baths where the researchers can introduce bio-based dyes or other additives to the material. Adding a little bit of genipin, an extract from fruit, for example, makes the fibers stronger.

Other co-authors of the research included Mirela Alistar and Laura Devendorf, both assistant professors in ATLAS.

Dissolving duds
Lázaro Vásquez said designers may be able to do anything they can imagine with these sorts of textiles.

As a proof of concept, the researchers made small textile sensors out of gelatin fibers and cotton and conductive yarns, similar to the makeup of a Jacquard jacket. The team then submerged these patches in warm water. The gelatin dissolved, releasing the yarns for easy recycling and reuse.

Designers could tweak the chemistry of the fibers to make them a little more resilient, Lázaro Vásquez said—you wouldn’t want your jacket to disappear in the rain. They could also play around with spinning similar fibers from other natural ingredients. Those materials include chitin, a component of crab shells, or agar-agar, which comes from algae.

“We’re trying to think about the whole lifecycle of our textiles,” Lázaro Vásquez said. “That begins with where the material is coming from. Can we get it from something that normally goes to waste?”

More information:
Gelatin biofibres DIY
Source:

University of Colorado Boulder | Daniel Strain

(c) Saralon
04.06.2024

InkTech: How Printed Electronics transform automotive interiors

Automotive industry is a major driver of printed electronics growth. Application areas cover an extensive range either in powertrain (e.g., battery management and thermal interfaces) or interior design (e.g., HMI technologies, interior warmers, displays, 3D smart interfaces with integrated light and decorative elements) and even car exteriors (e.g., integrated antennas, photovoltaics, lights and displays).

Experts suggest that a significant focus on differentiation within the automotive industry is now directed toward developments occurring in interior design and features. Motivations such as cost efficiency, size and weight reduction, lower energy requirements, design freedom and enhanced aesthetics fuel the progress of printed electronics.

Automotive industry is a major driver of printed electronics growth. Application areas cover an extensive range either in powertrain (e.g., battery management and thermal interfaces) or interior design (e.g., HMI technologies, interior warmers, displays, 3D smart interfaces with integrated light and decorative elements) and even car exteriors (e.g., integrated antennas, photovoltaics, lights and displays).

Experts suggest that a significant focus on differentiation within the automotive industry is now directed toward developments occurring in interior design and features. Motivations such as cost efficiency, size and weight reduction, lower energy requirements, design freedom and enhanced aesthetics fuel the progress of printed electronics.

HMI and interior sensing solutions
A primary market for printed and hybrid electronics in automotive industry is the development of Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) with seamless design. Stretchable electronics and sensor solutions are integrated in plastic, textile or leather parts turning them into smart surfaces that enhance user experiences. Lightweight, flexible and stretchable HMI solutions with customizable form factors replace mechanical buttons and complex wiring systems.

Flexible printed sensors allow for the development of beautifully functional HMI systems with any desired sensing layouts that serve to control and adjust motions, climate, volume, lighting and similar functions at users’ fingertips. The combination of functionality and aesthetics is attained through the integration of touch-sensitive technology with lighting and other decorative elements.

Saral Inks© portfolio for these applications ranges from stretchable conductive inks, printed sensor inks and conductive adhesive inks for LED and SMD attachment and interconnection of several printed electronics layers together; all easily screen-printable.

Embedded sensing solutions within steering wheels, seats and seatbelts are few examples of established practices aimed at enhancing safety and comfort in automotive interiors. Advanced flexible printed pressure and capacitive sensitive electronics facilitate the detection and classification of vehicle occupants.

Heating and thermal management
Printed temperature sensing and heating elements for interior comfort, EV motor drives or battery thermal management constitute other trending application areas of printed electronics in the automotive context.

Printed battery safety sensors ensure the early detection of critical situations in the battery packs in a non-complex and very efficient way. These flexible and thin printed electronics on polymer foils with heating or sensing function facilitate easy handling and integration among individual cells within the battery module. They secure equal distribution of charge, prevent over-charging and improve battery lifetime.

Saral Inks© solutions for comprehensive thermal management include functional inks for printed sensing and heating elements, suitable for battery monitoring, seat and floor warming, as well as defroster systems.

Smart surfaces with 3D geometries
Film insert molding and In-Mold Electronics (IME) stand as pioneering technologies for the integration of printed electronics into automotive parts; with IME emerging as the promising solution for making 3D smart surfaces where conductive inks play the central role.

At the core of IME lies the thermoforming process of printed electronics that involves high pressure and temperatures. Saral StretchSilver 800 conductive ink exhibits remarkable resilience when printed on Polycarbonate (PC) sheets and going through 3D thermoforming processes without sacrificing functionality.

Source:

Saralon

(c) MIT Self Assembly Lab
29.04.2024

The 4D Knit Dress - Is this the future of fashion?

Developed by the Self-Assembly Lab, the 4D Knit Dress uses several technologies to create a custom design and a custom fit, while addressing sustainability concerns.

Until recently, bespoke tailoring — clothing made to a customer’s individual specifications — was the only way to have garments that provided the perfect fit for your physique. For most people, the cost of custom tailoring is prohibitive. But the invention of active fibers and innovative knitting processes is changing the textile industry.

“We all wear clothes and shoes,” says Sasha MicKinlay MArch ’23, a recent graduate of the MIT Department of Architecture. “It’s a human need. But there’s also the human need to express oneself. I like the idea of customizing clothes in a sustainable way. This dress promises to be more sustainable than traditional fashion to both the consumer and the producer.”

Developed by the Self-Assembly Lab, the 4D Knit Dress uses several technologies to create a custom design and a custom fit, while addressing sustainability concerns.

Until recently, bespoke tailoring — clothing made to a customer’s individual specifications — was the only way to have garments that provided the perfect fit for your physique. For most people, the cost of custom tailoring is prohibitive. But the invention of active fibers and innovative knitting processes is changing the textile industry.

“We all wear clothes and shoes,” says Sasha MicKinlay MArch ’23, a recent graduate of the MIT Department of Architecture. “It’s a human need. But there’s also the human need to express oneself. I like the idea of customizing clothes in a sustainable way. This dress promises to be more sustainable than traditional fashion to both the consumer and the producer.”

McKinlay is a textile designer and researcher at the Self-Assembly Lab who designed the 4D Knit Dress with Ministry of Supply, a fashion company specializing in high-tech apparel. The dress combines several technologies to create personalized fit and style. Heat-activated yarns, computerized knitting, and robotic activation around each garment generates the sculpted fit. A team at Ministry of Supply led the decisions on the stable yarns, color, original size, and overall design.

“Everyone’s body is different,” says Skylar Tibbits, associate professor in the Department of Architecture and founder of the Self-Assembly Lab. “Even if you wear the same size as another person, you're not actually the same.”

Active textiles
Students in the Self-Assembly Lab have been working with dynamic textiles for several years. The yarns they create can change shape, change property, change insulation, or become breathable. Previous applications to tailor garments include making sweaters and face masks. Tibbits says the 4D Knit Dress is a culmination of everything the students have learned from working with active textiles.

McKinlay helped produce the active yarns, created the concept design, developed the knitting technique, and programmed the lab’s industrial knitting machine. Once the garment design is programmed into the machine, it can quickly produce multiple dresses. Where the active yarns are placed in the design allows for the dress to take on a variety of styles such as pintucks, pleats, an empire waist, or a cinched waist.

“The styling is important,” McKinlay says. “Most people focus on the size, but I think styling is what sets clothes apart. We’re all evolving as people, and I think our style evolves as well. After fit, people focus on personal expression.”

Danny Griffin MArch ’22, a current graduate student in architectural design, doesn’t have a background in garment making or the fashion industry. Tibbits asked Griffin to join the team due to his experience with robotics projects in construction. Griffin translated the heat activation process into a programmable robotic procedure that would precisely control its application.

“When we apply heat, the fibers shorten, causing the textile to bunch up in a specific zone, effectively tightening the shape as if we’re tailoring the garment,” says Griffin. “There was a lot of trial and error to figure out how to orient the robot and the heat gun. The heat needs to be applied in precise locations to activate the fibers on each garment. Another challenge was setting the temperature and the timing for the heat to be applied.”

“We couldn’t use a commercial heat gun — which is like a handheld hair dryer — because they’re too large,” says Griffin. “We needed a more compact design. Once we figured it out, it was a lot of fun to write the script for the robot to follow.”

A dress can begin with one design — pintucks across the chest, for example — and be worn for months before having heat re-applied to alter its look. Subsequent applications of heat can tailor the dress further.

Beyond fit and fashion
Efficiently producing garments is a “big challenge” in the fashion industry, according to Gihan Amarasiriwardena ’11, the co-founder and president of Ministry of Supply.

“A lot of times you'll be guessing what a season's style is,” he says. “Sometimes the style doesn't do well, or some sizes don’t sell out. They may get discounted very heavily or eventually they end up going to a landfill.”

“Fast fashion” is a term that describes clothes that are inexpensive, trendy, and easily disposed of by the consumer. They are designed and produced quickly to keep pace with current trends. The 4D Knit Dress, says Tibbits, is the opposite of fast fashion. Unlike the traditional “cut-and-sew” process in the fashion industry, the 4D Knit Dress is made entirely in one piece, which virtually eliminates waste.

“From a global standpoint, you don’t have tons of excess inventory because the dress is customized to your size,” says Tibbits.

McKinlay says she hopes use of this new technology will reduce the amount of waste in inventory that retailers usually have at the end of each season.

“The dress could be tailored in order to adapt to these changes in styles and tastes,” she says. “It may also be able to absorb some of the size variations that retailers need to stock. Instead of extra-small, small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes, retailers may be able to have one dress for the smaller sizes and one for the larger sizes. Of course, these are the same sustainability points that would benefit the consumer.”

The Self-Assembly Lab has collaborated with Ministry of Supply on projects with active textiles for several years. Late last year, the team debuted the 4D Knit Dress at the company’s flagship store in Boston, complete with a robotic arm working its way around a dress as customers watched. For Amarasiriwardena, it was an opportunity to gauge interest and receive feedback from customers interested in trying the dress on.

“If the demand is there, this is something we can create quickly” unlike the usual design and manufacturing process, which can take years, says Amarasiriwardena.

Griffin and McKinlay were on hand for the demonstration and pleased with the results. For Griffin, with the “technical barriers” overcome, he sees many different avenues for the project.

“This experience leaves me wanting to try more,” he says.

McKinlay too would love to work on more styles.

“I hope this research project helps people rethink or reevaluate their relationship with clothes,” says McKinlay. “Right now when people purchase a piece of clothing it has only one ‘look.’ But, how exciting would it be to purchase one garment and reinvent it to change and evolve as you change or as the seasons or styles change? I'm hoping that's the takeaway that people will have.”

Source:

Maria Iacobo | Olivia Mintz | School of Architecture and Planning, MIT Department of Architecture

wind energy Photo: Carlos / Saigon - Vietnam, Pixabay
21.02.2024

Composites' hopes are pinned on wind energy and aviation sectors

Composites Germany - Results of the 22nd Composites Market Survey

  • Critical assessment of the current business situation
  • Future expectations brighten
  • Investment climate remains subdued
  • Different expectations of application industries
  • Growth drivers with slight shifts
  • Composites index points in different directions

For the 22nd time, Composites Germany has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.
In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey. Once again, mainly qualitative data was collected in relation to current and future market developments.

Composites Germany - Results of the 22nd Composites Market Survey

  • Critical assessment of the current business situation
  • Future expectations brighten
  • Investment climate remains subdued
  • Different expectations of application industries
  • Growth drivers with slight shifts
  • Composites index points in different directions

For the 22nd time, Composites Germany has collected current key figures on the market for fiber-reinforced plastics. All member companies of the supporting associations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United as well as the associated partner VDMA were surveyed.
In order to ensure that the different surveys can be compared without any problems, no fundamental changes were made to the survey. Once again, mainly qualitative data was collected in relation to current and future market developments.

Critical assessment of the current business situation
After consistently positive trends were seen in the assessment of the current business situation in 2021, this has slipped since 2022. There is still no sign of a trend reversal in the current survey. The reasons for the negative sentiment are manifold and were already evident in the last survey.

At present, politicians do not seem to be able to create a more positive environment for the industry with appropriate measures. Overall, Germany in particular, but also Europe, is currently experiencing a very difficult market environment.

However, the main drivers of the current difficult situation are likely to be the persistently high energy and commodity/raw material prices. In addition, there are still problems in individual areas of the logistics chains, for example on the main trade/container routes, as well as a cautious consumer climate. A slowdown in global trade and uncertainties in the political arena are currently fueling the negative mood in the market.

Despite rising registration figures, the automotive industry, the most important application area for composites, has not yet returned to its former volume. The construction industry, the second most important key area of application, is currently in crisis. Although the order books are still well filled, new orders are often failing to materialize. High interest rates and material costs coupled with the high cost of living are having a particularly negative impact on private construction, but public construction is also currently unable to achieve the targets it has set itself. According to the ZDB (Zentralverband Deutsches Baugewerbe), the forecasts in this important sector remain gloomy: "The decline in the construction industry is continuing. Turnover will fall by 5.3% in real terms this year and we expect a further 3% drop next year. Residential construction remains responsible for the decline, which will slump by 11% in real terms this year and continue its downward trajectory at -13% in 2024."

It is not only the assessment of the general business situation that remains pessimistic. The situation of their own companies also continues to be viewed critically. The picture is particularly negative for Germany. Almost 50% of respondents are critical of the current business situation in Germany. The view of global business and Europe is somewhat more positive. Here, "only" 40% and 35% of respondents respectively assess the situation rather negatively.

Future expectations brighten
Despite the generally rather subdued assessment of the business situation, many of those surveyed appear to be convinced that the mood is improving, at least in Europe. When asked about their assessment of future general business development, the values for Europe and the world are more optimistic than in the last survey. The survey participants do not currently expect the situation in Germany to improve.

Respondents were more optimistic about their own company's future expectations for Europe and the global market.

The participants seem to be assuming a moderate short to medium-term recovery of the global economy. The forecasts are more optimistic than the assessment of the current situation. It is striking that the view of the German region is more critical in relation to Europe and the global economy. 28% of those surveyed expect the general market situation in Germany to develop negatively. Only 13% expect the current situation to improve. The figures for Europe and the world are better.

Investment climate remains subdued
The current rather cautious assessment of the economic situation continues to have an impact on the investment climate.

While 22% of participants in the last survey still assumed an increase in personnel capacity (survey 1/2023 = 40%), this figure is currently only 18%. In contrast, 18% even expect a decrease in personnel.

The proportion of respondents planning to invest in machinery is also declining. While 56% of respondents in the last survey still expected to make such investments, this figure has now fallen to 46%.

Different expectations of application industries
The composites market is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of both materials and applications. In the survey, the participants are asked to give their assessment of the market development of different core areas.

The expectations are extremely varied. The two most important application areas are the mobility and construction/infrastructure sectors. Both are currently undergoing major upheavals or are affected by declines, which is also clearly reflected in the survey. Growth is expected above all in the wind energy and aviation sectors.

Growth drivers with slight shifts
In terms of materials, there has been a change in the assessment of growth drivers. While the respondents in the last 9 surveys always named GRP as the material from which the main growth impetus for the composites sector is to be expected, the main impetus is now once again expected to come from CFRP or across all materials.

There is a slight regional shift. Germany is seen less strongly as a growth driver. In contrast, Europe (excluding Germany) and Asia are mentioned significantly more.

Composites index points in different directions
The numerous negative influences of recent times continue to be reflected in the overall Composites Index. This continues to fall, particularly when looking at the current business situation. On the other hand, there is a slight improvement in expectations for future market development, although this remains at a low level.

The total volume of processed composites in Europe in 2022 was already declining, and a further decline must also be expected for 2023. This is likely to be around 5% again.

It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to counteract the negative trend. Targeted intervention, including by political decision-makers, would be desirable here. However, this cannot succeed without industry/business. Only together will it be possible to maintain and strengthen Germany as a business/industry location. For composites as a material group in general, there are still very good opportunities to expand the market position in both new and existing markets due to the special portfolio of properties. However, the dependency on macroeconomic developments remains. It is now important to develop new market areas through innovation, to consistently exploit opportunities and to work together to further implement composites in existing markets. This can often be achieved better together than alone. With its excellent network, Composites Germany offers a wide range of opportunities.

The next composites market survey will be published in July 2024.

Source:

Composites Germany

TiHive Wins RISE® Innovation Award for their SAPMonit Technology Photo INDA
03.10.2023

TiHive Wins RISE® Innovation Award for their SAPMonit Technology

Business leaders, product developers, and technology scouts convened at the RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) Conference, Sept. 26-27, Raleigh, NC for two days of valuable insights in material science, process and sustainability innovations. RISE is co-organized by INDA and The Nonwovens Institute, North Carolina State University.

Industry, academic, and government experts shared their expertise in these key areas:

Business leaders, product developers, and technology scouts convened at the RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) Conference, Sept. 26-27, Raleigh, NC for two days of valuable insights in material science, process and sustainability innovations. RISE is co-organized by INDA and The Nonwovens Institute, North Carolina State University.

Industry, academic, and government experts shared their expertise in these key areas:

  • The future of nonwoven manufacturing
  • Real-world applications and advances in filter media
  • rPolymers and sustainability
  • Innovative strategies and circular solutions
  • Advancements in sustainable nonwoven applications
  • Market statistics and data trends

A highlight of RISE was a poster presentation of fundamental nonwovens research by The Nonwovens Institute’s graduate students. As an added value, The Nonwovens Institute offered RISE participants a tour of its world-class facilities located on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University, featuring the most extensive set of lab- and pilot-scale equipment found anywhere including all the nonwovens platform and testing technologies.

RISE® Innovation Award Winner
TiHive won the 2023 RISE Innovation Award for their SAPMonit technology. TiHive’s innovation, SAPMonit – a technology breakthrough, inspects millions of diapers weekly. SAPMonit delivers lightning-speed inline inspection of superabsorbents’ weight and distribution, optimizes resources, detects flaws, and accelerates R&D. SAPMonit utilizes advanced see-through cameras, high-speed vision algorithms, and secure cloud integration, revolutionizing industry norms. SAPMonit has great potential for sustainability, cost reduction, and enhanced customer satisfaction as it avoids hundreds of tons of plastic waste per year per machine.

The RISE Innovation Award finalists included Curt. G. Joa, Inc. for their ESC-8 – The JOA® Electronic Size Change, Fiberpartner Aps for their BicoBio Fiber, and Reifenhäuser REICOFIL GmbH & Co. KG for their Reifenhäuser Reicofil RF5 XHL.  Together, these finalists’ innovations have the potential to reduce plastic waste by millions of kgs.

DiaperRecycle won the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award for its innovative technology to recycle used diapers into absorbent and flushable cat litter. By diverting used diapers from households and institutions, and separating the plastic and fiber, DiaperRecycle strives to decrease the climate-changing emissions of diapers from landfills.

2023 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Ed Thomas, President, Nonwoven Technology Associates, LLC, received the 2023 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award for his decades of nonwoven contributions to the growth and success of the nonwoven industry.

RISE 2024 will be held October 1-2, 2024 at the James B. Hunt Jr. Library at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.

More information:
INDA RISE® nonwovens
Source:

INDA

Heimtextil Trends 24/25 © SPOTT trends & business for Heimtextil
12.09.2023

Heimtextil Trends 24/25: New Sensitivity

Under the theme "New Sensitivity", textile transformation is the focus of Heimtextil Trends 24/25. Three approaches show ways to a more sensitive world of textiles: the plant-based production of textiles, the support of textile cycles by technology and the bioengineered use of natural ingredients. In addition, Future Materials curates regenerative materials and designs.
 
After last year's focus on circular solutions, Heimtextil Trends 24/25 will once again shed light on transformative textile innovations.
Under the title "New Sensitivity," the focus is on innovations and changes in the composition of textiles, in addition to aesthetic aspects. "In this context, sensitivity means considering the impact on the environment when making a decision or creating a product. Understanding how natural ecosystems work and prioritising balance as the default are key," says Anja Bisgaard Gaede, Founder of SPOTT trends & business.

Under the theme "New Sensitivity", textile transformation is the focus of Heimtextil Trends 24/25. Three approaches show ways to a more sensitive world of textiles: the plant-based production of textiles, the support of textile cycles by technology and the bioengineered use of natural ingredients. In addition, Future Materials curates regenerative materials and designs.
 
After last year's focus on circular solutions, Heimtextil Trends 24/25 will once again shed light on transformative textile innovations.
Under the title "New Sensitivity," the focus is on innovations and changes in the composition of textiles, in addition to aesthetic aspects. "In this context, sensitivity means considering the impact on the environment when making a decision or creating a product. Understanding how natural ecosystems work and prioritising balance as the default are key," says Anja Bisgaard Gaede, Founder of SPOTT trends & business.

How does New Sensitivity translate into something concrete in the lifestyle industry, and what does having a sensitive approach to design and products mean? Also the adoption of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is transforming current times. AGI has the potential to bring innovative solutions and help tackle significant challenges, also in the textile industry. However, AGI can have the opposite effect on society. AGI needs the mindset of New Sensitivity that helps simplify complexity, expand creativity, and find unseen solutions, also within the world of textiles.
     
"With Heimtextil Trends 24/25: New Sensitivity, we encourage the textile industry to approach the future with thoughtfulness and consideration. Specifically, we see this change in three different trends for a more sensitive world of textiles: biotechnical, plant-based and technological," Bisgaard Gaede continues.

Plant-based: textiles made from plant crops or plant by-products
Plant-based textiles mean that the fibres are derived from something that grows rather than being synthetically produced. The sustainable advantage of plant-based textiles is that their origin is natural and, therefore, more able to recirculate in existing ecosystems. They can be divided into two groups. The first group of textiles are made from plant crops. New resilient crops like cactus, hemp, abaca, seaweed, and rubber offer new sustainable textile solutions. Because of mechanical extraction, they can grow despite climate changes and require fewer chemicals in their development. The second group consists of textiles made of plant by-products which are leftover raw materials from production such as banana, olive, persimmon and hemp.

Technological: technology and technical solutions transforming textiles
Technology can support the transformation of textiles through the use of different methods: upcycling and recycling of textiles, textile construction, and textile design. Due to decades of production, textiles are now a material available in abundance. Developing technologies for recycling textile waste and methods for upcycling textiles increases the circular usage of existing textiles. Furthermore, old textile construction techniques also offer pathways to sustainable solutions: For instance, using knitting technology for furniture upholstery produces less fabric waste; alternatively, weaving technique allows the creation of several colours using only a few coloured yarns. Textile Design Thinking is another method that addresses critical issues such as energy usage and durability of natural fibres and enhances these through technological textile advancement.

Bio-engineered: engineered to enhance bio-degrading
To a certain degree, bio-engineered textiles represent a fusion of plant-based and technological textiles. Bio-engineering bridges nature and technology and transforms the way textiles are made. They can be divided into two directions: fully bio-engineered and bio-degradable textiles. In the production of fully bio-engineered textiles nature-inspired strategies are adopted. Instead of growing plants and extracting their fibres, textiles are made from the protein, carbohydrates, or bacteria in corn, grass, and cane sugar. Manufacturing involves a bio-molecular process that creates filaments which are made into yarn. The sustainable advantage of bio-engineered textiles is that they can have some of the same functionalities as synthetically produced textiles, while still being biodegradable because of their natural origin. Biodegradable fibres can be added to conventional textiles like polyester to enhance the conventional textiles’ ability to revert to materials found in nature and hence biodegrade in natural environments such as water or soil. Although not biodegrading completely, these bio-enhanced textiles will biodegrade up to 93 % compared to conventional textiles.

Heimtextil Trends 24/25: new colourways
A sensitive approach to colouring methods is expressed by a dynamic yet subtle colour palette created through natural pigments deriving from the earth, as traditional colouring processes are brought to the next level through innovative bioengineering technology. In pursuit of creating colours that evoke emotions in our senses while at the same time respecting our values in protecting the environment, we see colour bacteria growing pigments generating hues with great richness and depth.
               
This New Sensitivity includes acceptance of natural colour flows, as colours may fade with time or morph into new colourways. The colourways for Heimtextil Trends 24/25 were inspired by natural colours deriving from avocado seeds, algae, living bacteria, antique pigments such as raw sienna, and bio-engineered indigo and cochineal. The high black component in most colours allows for widespread application and a greater variety of combinations. The punchy saturated accents enhance our senses as they lift our spirits. In contrast, the grounding neutrals in different shades of grey, terra and even dark purple allow for calmness and tranquillity.

Future Materials: regenerative design
How are regenerative textiles and materials defined? Regenerative design is dedicated to developing holistic creative practices that restore or renew resources, have a positive impact on the environment, and encourage communities to thrive. For Heimtextil 2024, design futures consultancy FranklinTill is curating a global showcase of cutting-edge textiles and materials to illustrate the principles of regenerative design and recognize pioneering designers, producers and manufacturers who are at the forefront of regenerative design.
The Trend Space at Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Germany, January 9-12, 2023, will showcase these pioneering solutions in an inspiring way. In addition, Heimtextil Trends will offer visitors orientation and insights into the future of home and contract textiles in the form of workshops, lectures and other interactive formats.

Source:

Heimtextil, Messe Frankfurt

Photo dayamay Pixabay
21.08.2023

Composites Germany: Investment climate cloudy

  • Results of the 21st Composites Market Survey
  • Critical assessment of the current business situation
  • Future expectations turn negative
  • Expectations for application industries vary
  • Growth drivers with only slight shifts
  • Composites index points in different directions

This is the 21st time that Composites Germany (www.composites-germany.de) has identified the latest performance indicators for the fibre-reinforced plastics market. The survey covered all the member companies of the umbrella organisations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United, as well as the associated partner VDMA.

As before, to ensure a smooth comparison with previous surveys, the questions in this half-yearly survey have been left unchanged. Once again, the data obtained in the survey is largely qualitative and relates to current and future developments in the market.

  • Results of the 21st Composites Market Survey
  • Critical assessment of the current business situation
  • Future expectations turn negative
  • Expectations for application industries vary
  • Growth drivers with only slight shifts
  • Composites index points in different directions

This is the 21st time that Composites Germany (www.composites-germany.de) has identified the latest performance indicators for the fibre-reinforced plastics market. The survey covered all the member companies of the umbrella organisations of Composites Germany: AVK and Composites United, as well as the associated partner VDMA.

As before, to ensure a smooth comparison with previous surveys, the questions in this half-yearly survey have been left unchanged. Once again, the data obtained in the survey is largely qualitative and relates to current and future developments in the market.

Critical assessment of current business situation
After consistently positive trends were evident in the assessment of the current business situation in 2021, this slipped in 2022. For the third time in a row, the current survey shows pessimistic assessments. The reasons for the negative mood are manifold. However, the main drivers are likely to be the still high energy and commodity prices. In addition, there are still problems in individual areas of the logistics chains as well as a restrained consumer climate. Despite rising registration figures, the automotive industry, the most important application area for composites, has not yet returned to its former volume. This also illustrates the change in strategy of European OEMs to move away from volume models towards high-margin vehicle segments. The construction industry, the second central area of application, is currently in crisis. Although the order books are still well filled in many cases, new orders are often not forthcoming. High in-terest rates and material costs combined with a high cost of living are placing a heavy burden on private construction in particular. A real decline in turnover of 7% is currently expected for the construction industry in 2023.

The assessment of the business situation of their own company is also increasingly pessimistic. The picture is particularly negative for Germany. Almost 50% of respondents (44%) are critical of the current business situation. The view of global business and Europe is somewhat more positive. Here, "only" 36% and 33% of the respondents respectively assess the situation rather negatively.

Future expectations turn negative
Following the rather pessimistic assessment of the current business situation, future business expectations also turn negative. After an increase in the last survey, the cor-responding indicators for the general business situation are now clearly pointing down-wards. The respondents are also more pessimistic about their own com-pany's future expectations.

The participants apparently do not expect the situation to improve in the short term. It is also noticeable here that the view of Germany as a region is more critical in relation to Europe and the global economy. 22% of the respondents expect a negative develop-ment in Germany. Only 13% expect the current situation to improve. The indicators for Europe and the world are better.

Investment climate clouds over
The currently rather cautious assessment of the economic situation and the pessimistic outlook also have an impact on the investment climate.
Whereas in the last survey 40% of the participants still expected an increase in person-nel capacity, this figure is currently only 18%. On the other hand, 12% even expect a decline in the area of personnel.

The share of respondents planning to invest in machinery is also declining. While 71% of respondents in the last survey expected to invest in machinery, this figure has now fallen to 56%.
 
Expectations of application industries differ
The composites market is characterised by strong heterogeneity, both in terms of materials and applications. In the survey, the participants were asked to give their assessment of the market development in different core areas. The expectations are extremely varied.

The weaknesses already described in the most important core markets of transport and construction/infrastructure are clearly evident. Growth is expected above all in the wind energy and aviation sectors. Expectations about future market developments, on the other hand, are significantly more positive than the figures presented here might suggest.

Growth drivers with only slight shifts
The paradigm shift in materials continues. While in the first 13 surveys the respondents always named CFRP as the material from which the main growth impulses for the com-posites sector are to be expected, the main impulses are now assumed to come from GRP or across all materials. There is a slight regional shift. At present it is mainly North America that is expected to provide the main growth impulses for the industry. Europe and Asia are losing ground slightly.

Composites index points in different directions
The numerous negative influences of recent times are now also reflected in the overall composites index. All indicators are weakening. Both the current and the future assessment are turning negative.  

The total volume of composites processed in Europe in 2022 was already slightly down compared to 2021. After a good first quarter of 2022, there is currently a clear cooling of activity. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to counteract the negative development. Targeted intervention, including by political decision-makers, would be desirable here. However, this cannot succeed without industry/business. Only together will it be possible to further strengthen Germany's position as a business location and to maintain or expand its position against the backdrop of a weakening global economy. There are still very good opportunities for composites to expand their market position in new and existing markets. However, the dependence on macroeconomic developments remains. The task now is to open up new market fields through innovations, to consistently exploit opportunities and to work together to further implement composites in existing markets. This can often be done better together than alone. With its excellent network, Composites Germany offers a wide range of opportunities.

Source:

Composites Germany
c/o AVK-TV GmbH

Point of View: Let’s end fast fashion, Prof Minna Halme. Photo: Veera Konsti / Aalto University
18.08.2023

Point of View: Let’s end fast fashion

Focusing on short-term profit isn’t sustainable. So what can we do to move in the right direction: favour resilience over efficiency in all industries.

We buy cheap products knowing we’ll need to replace them soon. We throw out used items rather than repairing or re-using them. Our employers plan in terms of financial quarters despite hoping to remain relevant and resilient longer-term. Even countries prioritise short-term economic output, focusing on gross domestic product (GDP) above any other indicator.

But does this way of living, working and weighing decisions make sense in the 21st century?

Our global obsession with economic short-term efficiency – and how to transform it – is a conundrum that Professor of Sustainability Management Minna Halme has been thinking about for most of her career. Even as a business school student, she felt flummoxed by how focused her classes were on short-term goals.

Focusing on short-term profit isn’t sustainable. So what can we do to move in the right direction: favour resilience over efficiency in all industries.

We buy cheap products knowing we’ll need to replace them soon. We throw out used items rather than repairing or re-using them. Our employers plan in terms of financial quarters despite hoping to remain relevant and resilient longer-term. Even countries prioritise short-term economic output, focusing on gross domestic product (GDP) above any other indicator.

But does this way of living, working and weighing decisions make sense in the 21st century?

Our global obsession with economic short-term efficiency – and how to transform it – is a conundrum that Professor of Sustainability Management Minna Halme has been thinking about for most of her career. Even as a business school student, she felt flummoxed by how focused her classes were on short-term goals.

'It was about selling more, about maximising shareholder profits, about economic growth – but not really asking, Why? What's the purpose of all this?'

Halme says. 'Even 20-year-old me somehow just felt that this was strange.

'What are we trying to do here? Are we trying to create a better economy for all, or most, people? Whose lives are we trying to improve when we are selling more differently-packaged types of yoghurt or clothes that quickly become obsolete?'

Halme has devoted her career to studying these questions. Today, she is a thought leader in innovative business practices, with recognitions including serving on Finland's National Expert Panel for Sustainable Development and on the United Nation's Panel on Global Sustainability.

Her ultimate goal? Pioneering, researching and advocating for alternative ways of thinking that prioritise values like long-term economic sustainability and resilience – alternatives that she and other experts believe would provide more lasting, widespread benefit to all.

How traditional indicators have failed
One way in which our preference for economic efficiency shapes how we measure a country's overall well-being or status is GDP. This isn't the fault of the originator of the modern concept of GDP, who specifically warned against using it in this way in the 1930s.

'GDP was never meant to tell us about the wellbeing of the citizens of a country,' Halme says. Seventy-five years ago, however, it was easy to conflate the two. Many countries were more committed to redistributing their wealth among their citizens, and population surveys show that until the 1970s, GDP often correlated with general wellbeing.

But with the rise of increasingly heedless free-market capitalism, this became less the case – and GDP's shortcomings became all the more apparent. 'We are in a situation where the wealth distribution is more and more trickling up to those who already have capital. Those who don't have it are in declining economic positions,' Halme says. In fact, the richest 1% of the global population now own nearly half of the world's wealth.

Some governments, such as Finland's, do take indicators of environmental and social progress into account. 'But none is considered as important for decision-making as GDP,' Halme says – and GDP is also considered the arbiter of a government's success. It is that attitude that, through her work advising the Finnish government on sustainability practises as well as in her own research, Halme is trying to shift.

Where industries have failed
Our often-exclusive focus on the economy – and, in particular, on making profits as quickly and efficiently as possible – doesn’t provide a clear picture of how everyone in a society is faring. Worse yet, it has encouraged industries to act with a short-term view that makes for longer-term problems.

Fast fashion is one example. At the moment, supply chains for clothing – as for most other goods – are linear. Raw materials come from one place and are transformed step by step, usually at different factories around the world, using materials, energy and transport that are “cheap” because their high environmental costs aren’t included. They are ultimately purchased by a consumer, who wears the product temporarily before discarding it. To expand profit margins, the industry pushes fast-changing trends. A shocking amount of this clothing ends up in landfill – some of it before it's even been worn.

As the COVID lockdowns showed, this kind of linear supply system isn't resilient. Nor is it sustainable.

Currently, fashion is estimated to be the world's second most polluting industry, accounting for up to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Aalto University researchers have reported that the industry produces more than 92 million tonnes of landfill waste per year. By 2030, that is expected to rise to 134 million tonnes.

Cutting fashion's carbon footprint isn't just good for the environment; it will help the longer-term prospects of the industry itself. 'With this kind of wrong thinking about efficiency, you're eroding the basis of our long-term resilience both for ecology and for society,' Halme says.

Getting out of this trap, she and other researchers say, requires a complete paradigm shift. 'It's really difficult to just tweak around the edges,' she says.

Towards resilience
For several years, Halme researched and studied ecological efficiency, looking at ways that businesses could make more products with a smaller environmental impact. But gradually she realised this wasn't the answer. Although businesses could innovate to have more efficient products and technologies, their absolute use of natural resource use kept growing.

'I began to think, "If not efficiency, then what?"' Halme says. She realised the answer was resilience: fostering ways for systems, including the environment, to continue and even regenerate in the future, rather than continuing to degrade them in the present.

The solution isn’t more of anything, even ‘sustainable’ materials. It’s less.

'The only way to fix fast fashion is to end it,' Halme and her co-authors write. This means designing clothes to last, business models that make reuse and repair more accessible, and prioritising upcycling. Recycling systems also need to be overhauled for when an item really is at the end of its life – particularly regarding blended synthetic fibres, which are difficult to separate and break down.

This would upend the current focus on short-term revenue above all else. And, says Halme, it is one more example of how we need better ways to measure the success of these industries, taking into account factors like resilience and sustainability – rather than just short-term profits.

And while individuals can make an impact, these changes ultimately have to be industry-led.

'Textiles are a good example, because if they break quickly, and if you don't have repair services nearby, or if the fabrics are of such lousy quality that it doesn't make any sense to repair them, then it's too much trouble for most people,' Halme says. 'So most solutions should come from the business side. And the attempt should be to make it both fashionable and easy for consumers to make ecologically and socially sustainable choices.'

What will it take?
The ultimate challenge, says Lauri Saarinen, Assistant Professor at the Aalto University Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, is how to shift towards a more sustainable model while keeping companies competitive. But he believes there are ways.

One option is to keep production local. 'If we compete with low-cost, offshore manufacturing by doing things more locally, and in a closed loop, then we get the double benefit of actually providing some local work and moving towards a more sustainable supply chain,' Saarinen says. For example, if clothing were produced closer to consumers, it would be easier to send garments back for repair or for brands to take back used items and resell them.

Local production is yet another example of the need to rethink how we measure societal success. After all, outsourcing and offshoring in favour of cheaper production may appear to cut costs in short term, but this is done at the expense of what Halme and other experts argue really matters – longer-term economic viability, resilience and sustainability.

Shifting towards this kind of thinking isn't easy. Still, Saarinen and Halme have seen promising signs.

In Finland, for example, Halme points to the start-up Menddie, which makes it easy and convenient to send items away for repairs or alterations. She also highlights the clothing and lifestyle brand Marimekko, which re-sells its used items in an online secondhand shop, and the Anna Ruohonen label, a made-to-measurecollection and customer on-demand concept which creates no excess garments.

It's these kinds of projects that Halme finds interesting – and that, through her work, she hopes to both advocate for and pioneer.

At the moment, she says, these changes haven't yet added up to a true transformation. On a global scale, we remain far from a genuine shift towards longer-term resilience. But as she points out, that can change quickly. After all, it has in the past. Just look at what got us here.

'The pursuit of economic growth became such a dominant focus in a relatively short time – only about seven decades,' she says. 'The shift toward longer-term resilience is certainly possible. Scientists and decision-makers just need to change their main goal to long-term resilience. The key question is, are our most powerful economic players wise enough to do so?'

As part of her research, Halme has led projects pioneering the kinds of changes that the fashion industry could adapt. For example, along with her Aalto colleague Linda Turunen, she recently developed a measurement that the fashion industry could use to classify how sustainable a product really is – measuring things like its durability, how easily it can be recycled, and whether its production uses hazardous chemicals – which could help consumers to decide whether to buy. Her colleagues curated a recent exhibition that showcased what we might be wearing in a sustainable future, such as a leather alternative made from discarded flower cuttings, or modular designs to get multiple uses from the same garment – turning a skirt into a shirt, for example.
 
Because all of this requires longer-term thinking, innovation and investment, industry is reticent to make these shifts, Halme says. One way to encourage industries to change more quickly is with regulation. In the European Union, for example, an updated set of directives now requires companies with more than 500 employees to report on a number of corporate responsibility factors, ranging from environmental impact to the treatment of employees. These rules won't just help inform consumers, investors and other stakeholders about a company's role in global challenges. They’ll also help assess investment risks – weighing whether a company is taking the actions necessary to be financially resilient in the long-term.

Source:

Aalto University, Amanda Ruggeri

Photo: Unsplash
13.06.2023

The impact of textile production and waste on the environment

  • With fast fashion, the quantity of clothes produced and thrown away has boomed.

Fast fashion is the constant provision of new styles at very low prices. To tackle the impact on the environment, the EU wants to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This is part of the plan to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

Overconsumption of natural resources
It takes a lot of water to produce textile, plus land to grow cotton and other fibres. It is estimated that the global textile and clothing industry used 79 billion cubic metres of water in 2015, while the needs of the EU's whole economy amounted to 266 billion cubic metres in 2017.

To make a single cotton t-shirt, 2,700 litres of fresh water are required according to estimates, enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years.

  • With fast fashion, the quantity of clothes produced and thrown away has boomed.

Fast fashion is the constant provision of new styles at very low prices. To tackle the impact on the environment, the EU wants to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This is part of the plan to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

Overconsumption of natural resources
It takes a lot of water to produce textile, plus land to grow cotton and other fibres. It is estimated that the global textile and clothing industry used 79 billion cubic metres of water in 2015, while the needs of the EU's whole economy amounted to 266 billion cubic metres in 2017.

To make a single cotton t-shirt, 2,700 litres of fresh water are required according to estimates, enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years.

The textile sector was the third largest source of water degradation and land use in 2020. In that year, it took on average nine cubic metres of water, 400 square metres of land and 391 kilogrammes (kg) of raw materials to provide clothes and shoes for each EU citizen.

Water pollution
Textile production is estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finishing products.

Laundering synthetic clothes accounts for 35% of primary microplastics released into the environment. A single laundry load of polyester clothes can discharge 700,000 microplastic fibres that can end up in the food chain.

The majority of microplastics from textiles are released during the first few washes. Fast fashion is based on mass production, low prices and high sales volumes that promotes many first washes.

Washing synthetic products has caused more than 14 million tonnes of microplastics to accumulate on the bottom of the oceans. In addition to this global problem, the pollution generated by garment production has a devastating impact on the health of local people, animals and ecosystems where the factories are located.

Greenhouse gas emissions
The fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions – more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

According to the European Environment Agency, textile purchases in the EU in 2020 generated about 270 kg of CO2 emissions per person. That means textile products consumed in the EU generated greenhouse gas emissions of 121 million tonnes.

Textile waste in landfills and low recycling rates
The way people get rid of unwanted clothes has also changed, with items being thrown away rather than donated. Less than half of used clothes are collected for reuse or recycling, and only 1% of used clothes are recycled into new clothes, since technologies that would enable clothes to be recycled into virgin fibres are only now starting to emerge.

Between 2000 and 2015, clothing production doubled, while the average use of an item of clothing has decreased.

Europeans use nearly 26 kilos of textiles and discard about 11 kilos of them every year. Used clothes can be exported outside the EU, but are mostly (87%) incinerated or landfilled.

The rise of fast fashion has been crucial in the increase in consumption, driven partly by social media and the industry bringing fashion trends to more consumers at a faster pace than in the past.

The new strategies to tackle this issue include developing new business models for clothing rental, designing products in a way that would make re-use and recycling easier (circular fashion), convincing consumers to buy fewer clothes of better quality (slow fashion) and generally steering consumer behaviour towards more sustainable options.

Work in progress: the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles
As part of the circular economy action plan, the European Commission presented in March 2022 a new strategy to make textiles more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable, tackle fast fashion and stimulate innovation within the sector.

The new strategy includes new ecodesign requirements for textiles, clearer information, a Digital Product Passport and calls companies to take responsibility and act to minimise their carbon and environmental footprints

On 1 June 2023, MEPs set out proposals for tougher EU measures to halt the excessive production and consumption of textiles. Parliament’s report calls for textiles to be produced respecting human, social and labour rights, as well as the environment and animal welfare.

Existing EU measures to tackle textile waste
Under the waste directive approved by the Parliament in 2018, EU countries are obliged to collect textiles separately by 2025. The new Commission strategy also includes measures to, tackle the presence of hazardous chemicals, calls producers have to take responsibility for their products along the value chain, including when they become wasteand help consumers to choose sustainable textiles.

The EU has an EU Ecolabel that producers respecting ecological criteria can apply to items, ensuring a limited use of harmful substances and reduced water and air pollution.

The EU has also introduced some measures to mitigate the impact of textile waste on the environment. Horizon 2020 funds Resyntex, a project using chemical recycling, which could provide a circular economy business model for the textile industry.

A more sustainable model of textile production also has the potential to boost the economy. "Europe finds itself in an unprecedented health and economic crisis, revealing the fragility of our global supply chains," said lead MEP Huitema. "Stimulating new innovative business models will in turn create new economic growth and the job opportunities Europe will need to recover."