From the Sector

A closed-loop recycling project has successfully transformed 24 tons of post-consumer textiles into nearly 50,000 garments for Dutch retailer Zeeman, with each product containing a high-rate of 70% recycled content. This achievement represents a major milestone in accelerating textile-to-textile recycling in Europe.  

The project was initiated by the Boer Group, with financing support from Refashion, both active partners of ReHubs. The entire value chain was established within Europe. Textiles were collected and sorted in France, before being prepared by mechanical recycling specialist Frankenhuis (part of the Boer Group) in the Netherlands, where colour sorting and defibration took place. Blue and white textiles were selected to naturally influence the colour of the final yarn. The feedstock was then transferred to Italy, where Spinaker spun the yarn and Stella Sky knitted the fabric. Zeeman, as the final customer, played a vital role by defining the type of product to be created and ensuring it aligned with consumer expectations. 
 
The project, which ran over eight months, was designed to test both the technical and financial feasibility of producing garments with high levels of recycled content in Europe. The project successfully showcases that post-consumer textiles can be transformed into high-quality yarns and garments, as well that a circular value chain with collaboration across collection, sorting, recycling, spinning, and manufacturing can be achieved within Europe. An accompanying environmental impact report confirmed the benefits of this approach by replacing conventional yarn with the yarn developed in this project, the environmental footprint of the product is significantly reduced, including lower GHG emissions, reduced water use, and decreased energy consumption. 

ReHubs’ recently updated strategy aims to break the supply-demand deadlock in which recyclers struggle to scale without brand commitments, and brands are lacking access to cost-competitive, reliable recycled fibers. This project shows how collaboration across the value chain from collection and sorting to recycling, spinning, and retail can deliver real products to the market.  

This project’s success highlights the power of collective action in transforming Europe’s textile waste into valuable new products. By uniting stakeholders with a shared vision, it has proven that closed-loop recycling is both technically possible and commercially viable. With a circular European value chain now demonstrated, this project sets a benchmark for future initiatives and strengthens momentum towards scaling textile-totextile recycling across Europe.  

ALLIED Feather + Down, a global leader in high performance, responsibly sourced, and sustainably processed down, recently secured Okeo-Tex® Standard 100 Certification and bluesign® approval for their ExpeDRY Ultra Dry Down insulation. 

Designed to outperform current chemistry-intensive hydrophobic down treatments and approved for safe use by the textile sustainability authorities at Okeo-Tex and bluesign, ExpeDRY is both cleaner and better performing than standard down treatments in real world situations. It is the result of years of research into how down and moisture interact inside of an insulation chamber. 

After bringing the world’s first hydrophobic down insulation to market, ALLIED learned that these traditional chemistries not only introduce PFAS and other questionable chemistries into the environment, but also lack performance as they tend to slow evaporation and retain moisture inside jackets and sleeping bags. While the down itself stays dry, water droplets can become trapped inside the insulation chamber, slowing dry times and compromising warmth. 

ExpeDRY uses FUZE Technologies’s unique gold micro particles to actively reduce moisture in the entire insulation chamber by slowing the formation of water droplets and speeding evaporation. Gold itself is inert, and with FUZE’s ability to control the size and shape of the particles, there is no concern over nano or cytotoxicity. And due to the minute size of the gold material, the amount needed in a common down jacket equates to roughly two grains of salt. Because of this, ALLIED is able to secure Oeko-Tex standard 100 certification and bluesign approval.

“For decades, there has been a fear of using metals to enhance performance, but this is all based on toxic, outdated, silver, zinc or copper ion release technology,” said Andrew Peterson, CTO of FUZE. “FUZE’s parent company is heavily involved in the biomedical space and its proprietary gold meta material technology aids in targeted pharmaceutical therapeutics and medical device development. By using this pharmaceutical grade material, ExpeDRY addresses all environmental and safety concerns, and we are glad to see the certifications backing this technology.” 

“As material innovation evolves and incorporates new solutions, globally recognized certifications play an increasingly important role in supporting sustainability claims and building trust with product developers and brands,” said Daniel Uretsky, President of ALLIED Feather + Down. “The Okeo-Tex Standard 100 certification and bluesign approval bring credibility to what we already know: ExpeDRY takes down, which is arguably the lowest impact insulation on the market, and elevates it to the highest performing insulation, all with less impact on the material than traditional hydrophobic chemistry.” 

ExpeDRY has been adopted worldwide by ALLIED partner brands and demand has quickly overtaken ALLIED’s own hydrophobic down treatment. Now, brands will have even more reason to adopt it. 

ALLIED will be exhibiting at Performance Days in Munich, Functional Fabric Fair in Portland , and ISPO in Munich. 

ISKO presents its SS27 collection at Kingpins Amsterdam, highlighting new developments in fabric innovation that bring together denim heritage and forward-looking design. Through unique fiber blends, summer denim is redefined by unprecedented material concepts and responsibly engineered fabrics. 
    

• Mechanica: a mono-material stretch concept delivering real elasticity through construction alone, made entirely from organic and recycled cotton, without synthetics. 
• Wondersoft: fabrics offering superior softness and comfort, crafted for a premium handfeel. 
• Lightweights: special fiber blends combining durability and breathability for summer wear. 
• Authentik: preserves the true denim look while adding wearability for everyday comfort. 
• Contemporary: expressive, character-driven constructions using new slubs and twills. 
• Expanded rigid range: new ring-spun slubs, twills, and textured constructions that enrich denim's natural depth and character. 

To meet evolving consumer demands and market trends, ISKO SS27 explores diverse thematic stories that combine heritage inspiration, contemporary style, and functional innovation: 

• Heritage: slub-heavy fabrics inspired by '70s workwear and Japanese denim. 
• Utility: rugged 2/1 constructions and linen wefts for authentic workwear appeal. 
• Neo Vintage & Y2K: resinized handfeels and nostalgic washdowns for a fashion-forward statement. 
• Sunbleached: lighter, faded tones and fresh overdyes for seasonal versatility. 

Color is a central element, with sun-faded shades in Sunbleached, grey tones such as Xenon Grey and Blue Stone, and raw, lived-in Dirty Whites. 

The collection further includes developments from ISKO™ Luxury by PG, blending advanced fabric innovation with refined design to bring denim into the luxury space. 

Finally, event-goers get to experience City Glam and D-Lite, two fabric concepts that explore a more fashion-driven approach to color and finishes, giving designers new opportunities to create expressive, contemporary denim while retaining authentic character. 

“SS27 is a clear expression of ISKO’s vision: to align creativity with market performance and sustainability,” said Tayfun Akbay, Chief Commercial Officer at ISKO. “This collection strengthens our offer to brands and designers seeking premium denim with lasting appeal: high-performing, responsibly made and rich in authentic character. Kingpins is where these ideas meet the market and where the next season’s opportunities begin.”

BW Converting announced that its Baldwin TexCoat® G4 precision spray finishing system has been validated through collaboration with Fashion for Good and Apparel Impact Institute (Aii). Following extensive trials and analysis, the technology is now recognized within Aii’s Climate Solutions Portfolio Registry as a proven solution for lowering carbon emissions and resource consumption across the global textile supply chain.
 
TexCoat G4 replaces traditional pad-based applications with non-contact precision spray technology, applying chemistry only where it is needed. The system delivers 40–50% energy savings, reduces water consumption and chemical use by up to 50% and eliminates chemical waste during job changeovers. These benefits help mills achieve significant sustainability targets while improving profitability and throughput.
 
The validation follows successful field trials in Europe and Asia, where TexCoat G4 has demonstrated substantial resource savings with no compromise to fabric quality. As part of Aii’s registry, the technology will now be visible to leading apparel brands and retailers that are actively sourcing scalable solutions to decarbonize textile wet processing. 
 
TexCoat G4’s patented non-contact spray process also streamlines operations by reducing downtime, enabling rapid changeovers and supporting traceability through full Industry 4.0 integration.

“Being recognized by both Fashion for Good and Aii underscores the impact of TexCoat G4 not only as an innovative finishing technology but as a verified climate solution,” said Yiannis Vasilonikolos, Global Sales Leader, Textiles, BW Converting. “We are proud that the data confirms what our customers experience every day: measurable reductions in energy, water and carbon footprint, paired with consistently high finishing quality. Together, this validation strengthens our ability to help textile producers meet the dual goals of sustainability and competitiveness.”

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg Apparel) celebrates the grand opening of a major expansion at its manufacturing facility in Chennai, India, on October 14, adding 20,000 square feet of production space and introducing new production lines tailored to the Indian apparel market. This strategic investment is aimed at significantly reducing lead times and enhancing the availability of high-quality, locally produced interlinings for the fast-evolving apparel sector in India and South Asia.

The expansion increases the facility’s manufacturing area from 40,000 to 60,000 square feet and introduces specialized production lines for 100% cotton interlinings and 100% polyester interlinings. These new lines especially enable local production of Chinese-equivalent polyester bi-elastic shirt and polyester woven interlinings, meeting rising demand for innovative, premium materials with faster delivery.

Significantly shorter lead times
Equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, the extended facility enhances quality assurance and accelerates production processes. Lead times for Indian manufacturers will be reduced from the 6–8 weeks needed for China imports to just 1–2 weeks with local production. Additionally, customers can expect a cost advantage compared to duty-paid imported goods.

Support network for Indian textile industry
Since the company expanded into India in 1998, Freudenberg Apparel has developed a support network for the Indian textile industry, including technical solution studios in Chennai, Bangalore, and Gurgaon. These studios provide technical consultations, solution services, technical seminars, trend collection and mockups, interlining recommendation reports, and fusing press audits – services that complement the expanded manufacturing capabilities. 

The new production lines join existing paste dot, 3P printing, and powder dot printing capabilities at the Chennai facility, broadening the range of products that can be produced locally.

Source Fashion, the UK’s leading responsible sourcing show, announced Redress as the headline catwalk partner for its return to Olympia London from 13–15 January 2026, spotlighting pioneering designers who are reshaping fashion through circular and sustainable design.

The Source Fashion Catwalk will take place three times daily, showcasing responsibly produced collections, trend-led designs, and cutting-edge innovation. Each show will present a compelling story of sustainability in practice, inspiring buyers with practical ideas they can implement directly from the show floor.

Based in Hong Kong, Redress is an Asia-focused environmental NGO on a mission to accelerate the transition to a circular fashion industry by educating and empowering designers and consumers to reduce clothing’s negative environmental impacts. In response to fashion’s unsustainable linear model of ‘take, make, use, and waste,’ Redress champions a circular economy that takes responsibility for a product’s entire lifecycle and its impact on the planet.

At the heart of its work is the Redress Design Award, a leading sustainable fashion design competition, which has built a global network of over 300 emerging designers pioneering circular and waste-reducing practices. This makes Redress an ideal partner for Source Fashion, as both organisations share a commitment to innovation, education, and driving real-world change in the fashion industry. Together, they are empowering the next generation of designers to reshape fashion’s future through creativity and responsibility.

For Source Fashion January 2026, Redress will select two to three Redress Design Award alumni to headline the catwalk. Their curated showcase will highlight innovation, circular design thinking, and a strong commitment to reducing environmental impact. The dynamic catwalk will run three times a day, offering a visual narrative of how responsible design and creative excellence can join forces to redefine the future of fashion.

“This partnership with Redress marks an exciting next chapter for the Source Fashion catwalk,” says Suzanne Ellingham, Director of Source Fashion. “Redress has been instrumental in nurturing some of the most forward-thinking designers working in sustainability today. Their alumni are proof that creativity and responsibility are not opposing forces, they’re the foundation of fashion’s future. By bringing their work to our stage, we’re giving buyers and brands a glimpse of what truly circular design can look like in practice.”

Christina Dean, Founder of Redress, “Our partnership with Source Fashion creates the perfect stage to show that sustainable fashion isn’t just a passing trend, it’s the future. By putting our Redress Design Award alumni in the spotlight, we’re proving that circular design can be innovative, beautiful, and commercially viable. This partnership is about inspiring the industry and showing that responsibility and creativity go hand in hand.”

Teysha Technologies has successfully validated KarmaCane, its patented sugar-derived biopolymer, in extreme field conditions. Products manufactured from KarmaCane withstood sub-zero temperatures and intense UV exposure during the record-breaking Mission: Everest expedition.

This real-world trial marks a turning point for the material platform, showing that biopolymers can perform under the harshest conditions while offering a safe and fully biodegradable end-of-life. KarmaCane has achieved OECD 310 biodegradability certification, confirming that it breaks down into non-harmful natural sugars rather than microplastics or acids.

A Versatile Materials Platform
The Everest test underscores KarmaCane’s ability to serve a wide variety of applications beyond eyewear. The platform can be engineered into very different formats:

• Hard solids for durable goods such as frames, tools, and structural components.
• Sticky liquids as natural film-formers in cosmetics, replacing synthetic polymers.
• Water-based dispersions as hydrophobic coatings for paper and cardboard packaging.
• Filaments for 3D printing, opening pathways for additive manufacturing.

This flexibility allows industries to adapt KarmaCane to specific needs, from packaging and consumer goods to medical devices and marine applications.

Manufacturing & Scale
KarmaCane has already been validated across multiple production methods:

• Extrusion into pellets and filaments.
• Injection moulding at lab scale.
• Hydrophobic coatings for fibre- and paper-based packaging.

Teysha is preparing to scale monomer production to tonne-level manufacture, using third-party industrial assets to expand rapidly without infrastructure bottlenecks. Early modelling indicates KarmaCane products will be cost-competitive with PET, ABS and other mainstream plastics once at scale.

Commercial Potential Across Sectors
KarmaCane’s design directly addresses regulatory and commercial pressures:

• Cosmetics: Eliminates the need for microplastics used as thickeners, stabilisers and film-formers. Replacing these polymers could remove up to 8,700 tonnes annually from the cosmetics sector alone.
• Packaging: Early coating trials show water-resistant barriers for paper and cardboard without plastic laminates.
• Marine environments: Rapid aquatic biodegradation without persistent fragments makes KarmaCane suitable for coastal and offshore use.
• Medical: Degradation into alcohol and CO₂ rather than acids could reduce inflammation risks compared to existing biodegradable polymers.

Market Context
Global regulation is driving urgent demand for sustainable alternatives:

• The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is rolling out restrictions on microplastics in consumer products.
• International bans on single-use plastics are accelerating the need for scalable biodegradable solutions.

Matthew Stone, CEO of Teysha Technologies says that “The Everest test proves KarmaCane can survive the harshest environments. But more importantly, it shows that our polymer platform can be engineered to meet the needs of very different industries — from packaging to cosmetics to medical applications.”

Karen Wooley, CTO and inventor at Teysha Technologies explains, “KarmaCane is not just one product. It’s a materials platform. We can design it as a solid, a liquid, or a water-based suspension, depending on the application. That versatility sets it apart from other biopolymers and is key to scaling sustainable solutions.”

Teysha Technologies develops biodegradable polymers from natural sources to replace petroleum-based plastics across multiple industries. Founded in 2017, the company has secured multiple patents for its KarmaCane biopolymer platform and maintains research partnerships with Texas A&M University and other leading institutions.

“We delivered another very strong quarter as our pivot to becoming a DTC-first, head-to-toe denim lifestyle retailer is driving a meaningful inflection in our financial performance,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “With strength across channels, segments and categories, we are raising our full-year outlook and are well-positioned for the holiday season. While the macro environment remains complex, the consistency of our performance and operational agility gives me confidence that we will deliver sustained, profitable growth into 2026 and beyond.” 

“Our Q3 results demonstrate the power of our strategic transformation, with strong financial performance exceeding expectations across all key metrics including sales, gross margin, adjusted EBIT margin and adjusted diluted EPS,” said Harmit Singh, Chief Financial and Growth Officer of Levi Strauss & Co. “With four consecutive quarters of high-single-digit growth and record gross margins driven by our focus on profitability across the organization, we are raising our full-year revenue and adjusted diluted EPS expectations. We have built strong momentum that positions us well to continue delivering strong shareholder value next year and in the years to come.”

Financial Highlights 

• Net Revenues of $1.5 billion were up 7% on a reported and organic basis versus Q3 2024:
• In the Americas, net revenues increased 6% on a reported basis and 7% on an organic basis. Within the Americas, the U.S. grew 3% on an organic basis. 
• In Europe, net revenues increased 5% on a reported basis and 3% on an organic basis. 
• In Asia, net revenues increased 12% on a reported basis and organic basis. 
• Beyond Yoga® net revenues increased 2% on a reported and organic basis. 
• DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) net revenues increased 11% on a reported basis and 9% on an organic basis. DTC growth on an organic basis reflected a 7% increase in the U.S., a 4% increase in Europe and a 14% increase in Asia. Net revenues from e-commerce grew 18% on a reported basis and 16% on an organic basis. DTC comprised 46% of total net revenues in the third quarter. 
• Wholesale net revenues increased 3% on a reported basis and 5% on an organic basis. 

The CHT Group is taking another step towards innovation and digitization in the textile industry: With the investment in the TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer from emtec, the CHT Group is enhancing its capabilities for the objective assessment of textile surfaces. The testing device is used to evaluate the softness for an objective quality assessment of the effect of finishing agents, for example. 

Until now, this assessment of the hand feel has mostly been a manual test that requires a great deal of experience and knowledge. Since this assessment is subjective and also influenced by cultural factors around the world, an independent assessment similar to the existing color assessment and evaluation (colorimetry) in the global textile industry is an important step towards digitization in communication between individual business partners. 

In the run-up to this, many measurements were compared manually and using a TSA measuring device and evaluated for correlation. The comparisons carried out showed a good correlation of the measured values on different textiles (knitted fabrics, terry cloth, and woven fabrics).

In sicherheitsrelevanten und technischen Textilanwendungen – etwa bei Schutzkleidung für Polizei, Feuerwehr oder Medizin – sind PFAS bislang technologisch unverzichtbar. Südwesttextil fordert daher Ausnahmeregelungen für kritische Anwendungen sowie angemessene Übergangsfristen, um die Entwicklung und Umsetzung sicherer Alternativen zu ermöglichen.

Die Europäische Union arbeitet derzeit an einer umfassenden Regulierung von per- und polyfluorierten Alkylsubstanzen (PFAS). Diese soll den Einsatz der Stoffgruppe deutlich reduzieren und langfristig vollständig verbieten.

Substitution von PFAS: Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie geht voran
Als innovative Branche engagierte sich die Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie frühzeitig dafür, PFAS in verschiedenen Anwendungsbereichen durch umweltfreundliche Alternativen zu ersetzen. In Konsumgütern wie Heimtextilien, Zelten, Outdoor- und Sportbekleidung kommen schon zunehmend PFAS-freie Alternativen zum Einsatz, die vergleichbare wasser- und schmutzabweisende Eigenschaften aufweisen.

Technische Textilien: PFAS bislang unverzichtbar
In anderen Bereichen sind PFAS bislang technologisch unverzichtbar, sodass die geplante Regulierung zu tiefgreifenden Auswirkungen führen würde. Bei Militär- und Polizeibekleidung gewährleisten insbesondere seitenkettenfluorierte Polymere (C6-Chemie), Polytetrafluorethylen (PTFE) eine extrem widerstandsfähige textile Schutzschicht. Ihre besondere Molekularstruktur sorgt dafür, dass Wasser, Öle und Chemikalien effektiv abgewiesen werden, ohne die Atmungsaktivität und den Tragekomfort der Kleidung zu beeinträchtigen. Gerade im Einsatz, wenn es um Schutz vor Gefahrstoffen, Körperflüssigkeiten, Ölen und Witterungseinflüssen geht, bewahren Textilien wie schusssichere Westen oder flammgeschützte Bekleidung für die Feuerwehr selbst nach vielfachem Waschen oder extremer Beanspruchung ihre Schutzfunktion. Andere Materialien wie silikonbasierte Imprägnierungen oder Wachsbeschichtungen bieten auf molekularer Ebene nicht die gleiche Kombination aus chemischer Beständigkeit und multifunktionalen Oberflächeneigenschaften.

Zu den weiteren Anwendungsbereichen, in denen PFAS unverzichtbar sind, zählen Medizintextilien wie Wundpflaster, Verbandsmaterialien oder Infektionsschutzausstattung, die nicht der EU-Medizin-Produkte-Verordnung unterliegen. Textilien, die vor Hochdruckstrahl oder Schnitten schützen stehen ebenso auf der Liste wie Fallschirme, Lawinen-Airbags oder Sicherungsseile. Die Stoffgruppe spielt außerdem eine wichtige Rolle im Bereich von Transport, Bau und Umweltschutz. So können PFAS in Feuerschutzvorhängen, ölabweisenden Druckausgleichsmembranen, textilen Elektroisolationsmaterialien oder Transportbändern mit hohen Hygieneanforderungen aktuell noch nicht substituiert werden.

Für wettbewerbsfähige Textilindustrie: Ausnahmen und Übergangsfristen gefordert
Vor diesem Hintergrund formuliert Südwesttextil für die EU-Regulierung zwei wesentliche Forderungen. Zum einen müssen die vielfältigen PFAS-Einsatzgebiete der Textilindustrie mit ihren spezifischen Funktionen und Risiken differenziert betrachtet werden. Dort, wo die einzigartigen chemisch-physikalischen Eigenschaften von PFAS in sicherheitsrelevanten und technischen Textilanwendungen unverzichtbar sind, gefährdet ein pauschales Verbot der Stoffgruppe die Aufrechterhaltung kritischer Versorgungssysteme, die Einhaltung von Standards und den Schutz von Menschenleben. Ein Verbot innerhalb der EU würde den Bezug von PFAS-haltigen Produkten auf Märkte außerhalb Europas mit weniger strengen Standards verlagern. Für diese Produktgruppen, in denen PFAS-bedingte Eigenschaften bislang technisch nicht ersetzbar sind, fordert Südwesttextil daher Ausnahmeregelungen.

Für eine wirksame Regulierung gilt es aus Perspektive von Südwesttextil, einheitliche Bewertungs- und Analyseverfahren sicherzustellen sowie eine Harmonisierung mit bestehenden Regulierungen durchzuführen. Weiterhin braucht es vor einer Substituierung für Südwesttextil angemessene Übergangsfristen, die die tatsächlichen technischen und wirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen der Branche berücksichtigen. Die Entwicklung, Zulassung und industrielle Umsetzung von Alternativen erfordern umfangreiche Forschung, Entwicklung und Investitionen.