From the Sector

26 European business associations, representing a wide array of industries and businesses, express their full support for the swift ratification of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement:

Together, the associations’ members cover a significant portion of the total trade in goods and services of over 153 billion euros in 2024 between the EU and the Mercosur region, as well as the approximately 380 billion euros of mutual investment in our two regions in 2023. In this unprecedented time when the rules-based global order is being critically undermined, this free trade agreement represents a beacon in the EU’s diversification strategy. It is therefore a critical element in ensuring the EU’s long-term competitiveness. 

By 2040, according to DG Trade’s calculations, the agreement is expected to add 77.6 billion euros to the EU GDP and 9.4 billion euros to the Mercosur GDP. At the same time, the agreement will result in a 39% increase in EU exports to Mercosur and a 17% increase in Mercosur exports to the EU. 

The EU-Mercosur is a modern agreement, driven by modern principles. It will deliver increased market access and improved access to resources, while preserving key sectors in European domestic markets, diversifying secure supply chains, and fostering investments for both sides. It will also help to deepen the cooperation on sustainable development, in areas such as fighting climate change, preserving biodiversity, and advancing labour and social rights. 

European businesses wholeheartedly support the EU-Mercosur Agreement and call on the Council and European Parliament to swiftly ratify the EU-Mercosur interim Trade Agreement (iTA) and the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA). To this end, it is key to streamline the ratification process and to ensure timely completion and avoid procedural delays. This is a crucial opportunity for Europe which will support growth and prosperity for one-fifth of the global economy – benefiting about 750 million people. 

In a significant advancement for supply chain transparency, TextileGenesis has introduced a new feature in its advanced digital traceability solution, the Fiber-to-Retail (FTR) module, enabling suppliers to upload Haelixa DNA/Forensic Traceability Certificates via a dedicated dropdown menu: ‘DNA/Forensic Traceability Certificate’. This integration bridges the gap between physical and digital traceability, offering brands and suppliers a unified platform to verify material authenticity from source to retail.  

The textile industry continues to face growing risks of fiber adulteration, blending, and fraudulent claims, particularly when it comes to premium materials such as organic cotton, recycled fibers, cashmere, and other high-value fibers. By combining Haelixa’s forensic DNA markers, which are embedded directly into the fiber, with TextileGenesis’ blockchain-inspired digital chain of custody, this integration enables a multi-layered traceability system, providing irrefutable scientific evidence alongside transparent, tamper-proof digital records. 

“Traceability must go beyond trust—it must be verifiable,” said Gediminas Mikutis, Founder & CTO of Haelixa. “By embedding natural DNA markers at the fiber level, we offer forensic proof of origin. When paired with TextileGenesis’ digital platform, brands gain unprecedented visibility and assurance over the authenticity of their materials throughout the supply chain.” 
  
“Supply chain transparency demands both depth and integrity,” adds Amit Gautam, Founder & CEO of TextileGenesis. “This integration with Haelixa is a powerful example of how digital and physical traceability methods can complement one another. It allows brands to consolidate all traceability data, transactional, certified, and forensic, into a single, trusted system of record.” 
  
As global regulatory frameworks increasingly emphasize evidence-based sustainability claims, this collaboration supports brands and suppliers in strengthening their traceability infrastructure, reducing compliance risks, and reinforcing consumer trust through authenticated data and science-backed proof of origin. 

About Haelixa 
Traceability is in high demand across industries as regulatory pressures increase. Haelixa offers a bulletproof DNA-based traceability solution that empowers responsible textile brands to verify material authenticity and track product origins from fiber to finished garment. Natural DNA from Swiss mountain herbs, compliant with GOTS and Oeko-Tex 100, is applied. With this technology, Haelixa complements digital traceability by providing secure, physical proof of origin.  

Backed by the expertise of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Haelixa is a globally recognised leader in supply chain transparency. Trusted by major brands such as C&A, OVS, and Hugo Boss, Haelixa traced over 30 million garments in 2024, according to their sales records. 

About TextileGenesis: 
Founded in 2018, TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that enables fashion brands and sustainable textile manufacturers to ensure a reliable, secure and fully digital traceability of their textiles, from the fiber to the consumer, and thereby guarantee their authenticity and origins. The platform provides traceability for textiles, leather and footwear, employing fiber forwards traceability for sustainable and certified materials and Supply Chain discovery approach to traceability for conventional materials. 
  
Its innovative traceability mechanism, which addresses both ends of the textile value chain, as well as its network of partners for material certification, and its technology platform guarantee the exchange and tracking of reliable and secure data throughout a material's life cycle. TextileGenesis platform also identifies and flags supply chain compliance/legal risks across the value chain from tier 1-4 for brands. 

The ELUCENT project has successfully moved bio-based pigments from laboratory research to industrial readiness, delivering the world’s first plastic-free, toxin-free and fully biodegradable reflective pigment. Funded by Innovate UK, the 18-month collaboration brought together three partners: Sparxell, the University of Cambridge spin-out pioneering plant-based bioinspired colour technology; PANGAIA, the global materials science company applying next-generation innovations to fashion; and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), one of the UK’s leading independent research and technology organisations.

Together, they have demonstrated how science, design and engineering can deliver scalable, sustainable alternatives to conventional pigment systems. By combining Sparxell’s pioneering cellulose-based colour platform, PANGAIA’s expertise in design application, and the MTC’s ability to scale processes for industry, the project shows how interdisciplinary collaboration can reduce environmental impact without compromising creativity or performance. Sparxell, founded in 2023 out of the Cambridge laboratories by Dr Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, led the technology development. Their patented process uses cellulose, the world’s most abundant biopolymer, to create vibrant colour particles inspired by nature. Unlike conventional pigments, these are free from plastics and toxins and are fully biodegradable.

As design partner, PANGAIA tested the pigments on textiles in collaboration with London-based Orto Print Studio, producing printed fabric prototypes and testing durability. This step bridges lab innovation with real-world applications of these bio-based colourants in fashion and beyond. 

This work is part of PANGAIA’s commitment to supporting next-generation material innovators by bringing to market solutions-driven breakthroughs in material science that transform the environmental impact of fashion and design through purposeful collaborations, merging cutting-edge science with scalable applications.

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) ensured the pigments could be scaled beyond the lab, building custom production systems and validating performance at an industrial level. 

The completion of this Innovate UK project ELUCENT marks a step change for sustainable colour. Together, Sparxell, PANGAIA, and the MTC have shown how fashion and technology can join forces to deliver circular, biodegradable alternatives to today’s synthetic pigments. 

Sparxell has successfully transitioned from university research to a technically validated platform, demonstrating significant improvements in pigment formulation, liquid dispersion, and film casting performance. A commercial launch is projected for 2026.

A joint declaration presented at the Première Vision trade fair: On the occasion of the Première Vision trade fair in Villepinte, the leading European textile and clothing federations issued a solemn call for urgent action against the rapid rise of ultra fast fashion.

This model, driven by major non-European e-commerce platforms, already accounted for 4.5 billion imported parcels in the European Union in 2024—representing 5% of clothing sales (20% online)—and continues to grow at a staggering pace.

The signatories warn of the severe consequences of this phenomenon:

• Explosion of textile waste due to the overproduction of items with a very short lifespan.
• Unbearable pressure on European SMEs, committed to strict social and environmental standards.
• A direct threat to local retailers, accelerating the decline of city centers.
• Practices in breach of European rules, such as VAT fraud, counterfeiting, and unfair competition.

Key demands
The federations call on the European institutions and Member States to act without delay to:

• Enforce the reform of the European Customs Code adopted on 27 June 2025.
• Strengthen controls and sanctions through the DSA and DMA.
• Require e-commerce platforms to appoint legally authorized representatives, so they can be held accountable.
• Introduce taxation on small parcels and abolish the customs duty exemption below €150.
• Ensure VAT collection on these massive flows.
• Engage in dialogue with the Chinese authorities to regulate the practices of their platforms.

European consumers are also invited to choose durable products and support companies investing in quality and innovation.

An unprecedented and united European mobilization
The joint declaration was co-signed by Euratex – The European Apparel and Textile Confederation, UFIMH - Union française des Industries de la mode et de l’Habillement, UIT - Union des Industries Textiles, Confindustria Moda - Federazione Tessile e Moda (Italy), Fedustria (Belgium), Atok (Czech Republic), DM&T - Danish Fashion & Textile (Denmark), Finnish Textile & Fashion (Finland), Textil+Mode (Germany), SEPEE - Hellenic Fashion Industry Association (Greece), LATIA - Lituanian Apparel & Textile Industry Association (Lithuania), Modint (The Netherlands), ATP - Associação Textil e Vestuario de Portugal (Portugal), Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (Serbia), Consejo Intertextil Espanol (Spain), Swiss Textiles (Swiss), WKO - Fachverband der Textil-, Bekleidungs-, Schuh- und Lederindustrie (Austria), Anivec Apiv (Portugal), TEKO - Sveriges Textil- & Modeföretag (Sweden), Creamoda - Belgian Fashion (Belgium), Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp (european alliance of flax and hemp), PIOT - Federation of Apparel & Textiles Industry Employers (Poland).

A call to action
“Ultra fast fashion cannot become the norm. The European Union has both the means and the duty to act immediately to protect its businesses, its workers, and the environment.” – Declaration of the European textile and clothing federations