From the Sector

Longstanding partnership with Stratasys increases worker safety, and fuels on-demand factory tooling 
Stratasys Ltd. announced that Toyota’s production engineering group is accelerating innovation on the factory floor through its strategic collaboration with Stratasys. The automaker is empowering automotive workers to seamlessly integrate advanced 3D printing technology in their manufacturing process, taking tools, fixtures and jigs from initial concept to working prototype in just one day. 

Through the more than 10-year partnership with Stratasys, Toyota engineers have access to industrial-grade 3D printers and advanced materials designed to withstand tough factory conditions. These Stratasys high-performance polymers reduce reliance on external suppliers and long lead times, giving frontline engineering teams the ability to iterate rapidly and adapt to shifting production needs in real time. 

Toyota is currently using the Stratasys F3300, F900, Origin One, F770, Neo800, H350, F370, J850, and Fortus 450mc printers to produce robust factory tooling, end-use parts, and functional prototypes throughout its North American facilities. 

By integrating Stratasys industrial 3D printing solutions across its North American operations, Toyota can transform ideas into durable, customized tools that support workflows, enhance worker safety, and withstand wear and tear. Much of this work is powered by the Toyota Add Lab, the company’s in-house additive manufacturing center that was opened in January 2023 and dedicated to accelerating R&D and factory innovation. 

“Sometimes we start with nothing more than a sketch on paper or an idea in our heads,” said Dallas Martin, Additive Manufacturing Engineer at Toyota North America. “We can model it digitally and hold a working part in our hands the very next day. That speed lets us move quickly, implement safer solutions, and continuously iterate to improve our processes.” 

The collaboration reflects Stratasys’ broader commitment to helping automotive leaders transform their manufacturing workflows with scalable, cost-effective additive solutions that drive innovation. From jigs and fixtures to ergonomic aids and complex assembly tools, additive manufacturing is helping Toyota team members solve production challenges with unprecedented speed and flexibility. 

“Additive manufacturing has transformed how our teams collaborate and innovate,” said Lisa Bednar, Group Manager, Production Engineering at Toyota North America. “Instead of sending an idea out and waiting weeks for a part, we’re building it ourselves, refining it the same day, and getting it into production faster. It’s not just about speed — it’s about giving our people the tools to think differently and act immediately.” 

Thanks in part to the Add Lab’s innovations, Toyota engineers have used 3D printing to redesign a door assembly fixture, creating a lighter, more ergonomic tool on-site in just a few days. In another case, they developed a custom window alignment jig that turned a multi-person job into a one-person task, boosting both safety and efficiency. 

“Toyota is a standout example of how leading manufacturers are leveraging additive manufacturing to deliver meaningful operational impact,” said Rich Garrity, Chief Industrial Business Officer at Stratasys. “Their teams are using our technology to move faster, adapt on the fly, and build safer, more efficient production environments. We’re proud to support a partner that’s turning bold ideas into real-world, measurable improvements on the factory floor.” 

In a major push to advance circularity and environmental accountability in the technical textiles sector, Techtextil India 2025 will launch the dedicated ‘ReCycle Zone’ in collaboration with the Society of Plastics Engineers India (SPE India). Reclaim, Reuse and Reimagine are among the key features of the zone at the upcoming edition of Techtextil India scheduled from 19th – 21st November 2025 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.
 
As industries across the globe adopt circular economy models and sustainable production practices, the ReCycle Zone will serve as a vital platform for stakeholders working to transform textile and plastic waste into value-added materials. The initiative reflects Technical India’s ongoing commitment to driving responsible innovation by converging recyclers, solution providers, machinery manufacturers startups and policy enablers under one roof. This new industry focused zone will spotlight sustainable innovation and next-gen recycling technologies.
 
Spotlighting on Textile Waste Management and circularity, this ReCycle Zone will host companies specialising in: 

• Garment, agro-textiles and medical textiles waste recycling
• Plastic and PET waste recycling for textile applications
• Fibre to fibre and yarn regeneration 
• Sorting, shredding and advanced recycling machinery 
• EPR compliance, traceability and green certifications 
• AI and automation in waste management systems 

This initiative aims to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation by connecting buyers, suppliers, R&D specialists and sustainability officers.
 
To deepen the technical engagement, SPE India will curate a series of focused knowledge sessions and panel discussions within the ReCycle Zone. Experts from academia, policy think tanks and leading corporates will weigh in on topics such as circular product design, industry compliance and mandates, advances in waste recovery, and investment outlook in green tech.
 
The launch of ReCycle Zone aligns with India’s national efforts towards sustainable manufacturing, driven by programs like LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and PM MITRA Parks (Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel). As technical textiles play an increasingly important role across sectors such as defence, healthcare, automotive and agriculture, integrating recycling and circular design into their production processes has become essential.
 
The zone further reinforces Messe Frankfurt India’s role in nurturing a sustainable business ecosystem through its leading industry platforms. Techtextil India will mark the 10th edition of India’s most comprehensive exhibition for technical textiles, nonwovens, and composites. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, the show will cover 12 diverse application areas from protective wear and functional fabrics to smart textiles, filtration and mobility solutions.
 
Scheduled from 19th – 21st November 2025 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, the show will bring together global and domestic exhibitors, solutions providers, institutional buyers, research organisations and key industry bodies for three days of business, innovation and networking.
 
Adding momentum to the industry dialogue the India edition of the Dornbirn Global Fibre Conference one of the most prestigious global conferences for fibre and material innovations, will take place on 18th November 2025 also at NESCO, Mumbai – one day prior to Techtextil India show.

The Discover Natural Fibres Initiative (DNFI) was created in January 2010 as an outgrowth of the International Year of Natural Fibres 2009, declared by the United Nations General Assembly. DNFI is an organization that works to further the interests of natural fibres by serving as a platform for information exchange and by raising awareness of the benefits of natural fibre industries to the world economy, environment and consumers. 

Celebrating Breakthroughs in Natural Fibre Innovation – DNFI Award 2025 
The DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award 2025 shines spotlight on groundbreaking developments in the world of natural fibres. Its mission: to highlight innovative achievements, amplify the work of leading researchers, innovators and producers, to create new pathways for commercial impact. From sustainability to smart materials, the award honors those pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with nature’s finest resources. 

The DNFI Award 2025 will be judged across three categories: Innovative products, components or applications; innovative processes or procedures; and research and science projects. Entries will be evaluated based on outstanding scientific work and technical feasibility, the extent to which the innovation improves or increases the effectiveness of existing products or processes, and its potential to open up new markets or sectors for products made from natural fibres.

Candidates for the DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award 2025 are requested to send the application with the appropriate submission form by email to: Secretariat[at]dnfi.org.
 
Entries will be accepted until 30th September 2025. The winner will be announced in a press release in October 2025 and invited to attend the DNFI plenary session on 14 January 2026. The award ceremony will take place the following day, 15 January 2026, at the Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The 2025 award will once again be sponsored by the DNFI member organisation The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF).

Under the motto “Closing the Loop. Opening Potential,” BB Engineering (BBE) and Barmag will be presenting innovative and profitable technologies for sustainable plastics processing at K 2025. BBE will be focusing on high-performance extruders, highly efficient melt filters, and integrated recycling solutions for highquality rPET melts. A special highlight: the parallel Open House event at the BBE Technical Center with live demonstrations. 
 
BB Engineering (BBE) will once again be appearing at K 2025 together with its parent company Barmag (a member of the Swiss Oerlikon Group) and its associated brands, showcasing its expertise in extrusion, filtration, and recycling. Under the motto “Barmag Recycling Technologies – Closing the Loop. Opening Potential,” the companies will place a clear focus on profitable sustainability at their joint booth 10H12 and provide information about a wide range of products and services. 

Extrusion technologies 
BBE's origins lie in extrusion: the company can look back on decades of experience and many thousands of extruders delivered. Its single-screw extruders are suitable for a wide range of polymers such as PP, PET, rPET, PA, and PE, and are particularly well suited for demanding applications in film production, synthetic fiber spinning, and high-quality PET recycling. With screw diameters ranging from 30 to 360 mm, the systems cover a wide processing spectrum and enable throughputs of 3 to 6,000 kg/h, depending on the material and process requirements. In addition to singlescrew extruders, BBE also offers extrusion cascades for high output rates while meeting the highest quality requirements. 

Efficient filtration for melt qualities 
BBE perfectly complements its extrusion technology with a comprehensive range of melt filters – including the innovative COBRA filter, which sets new standards in continuous polymer filtration. This powerful system features automatic valve switching and integrated inline intermediate cleaning. This equipment enables continuous, uninterrupted operation with consistently high filtration quality – a clear advantage, especially when processing recycled plastics with varying material properties. With a maximum filter area of 24 m² and a throughput of up to 4,000 kg per hour, the COBRA filter impresses with its high efficiency and stable process conditions. 

Integrated recycling solutions for high-quality rPET melt 
For many years, BBE has been dedicated to developing highperformance technologies for plastics recycling. In addition to a broad portfolio of extruders, melt filters, and the VarioFil® R filament spinning system, which are designed for PET recycling, BBE offers VacuFil®, a fully integrated system for PET recycling via liquid-state polycondensation. 

VacuFil® combines large-area, gentle melt filtration with precise IV control, thus ensuring consistently high quality of the rPET melt. The modular system concept allows flexible adaptation to different material qualities and areas of application in the recycling process. The capacity is 150-4,000 kg/h. The central component of the system is Visco+®, the liquid-state polycondensation unit for targeted viscosity adjustment. Continuous adjustment of the IV results in a homogeneous melt with optimal processing properties – ideal for high-quality end products in the fiber, film, or packaging industry. 

Open House at the BBE Technical Center 
At the BBE Technical Center in Remscheid, visitors can experience the entire product portfolio live, thanks to its proximity to the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center. Here, BBE is hosting an open house event on two days of the K show, where PET waste is recycled on the test facilities and spun directly into high-quality recycled yarn (POY). The new COBRA filter will also be on display here. The yarn produced is then further processed using BBE's JeTex® airtexturizing system with a new auto-doffing unit. (October 10 and 13, 2025, participation by individual invitation) 

The Lenzing Group, a supplier of regenerated cellulosic fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, reported both revenue and earnings growth year-on-year in the first half of 2025. In the second quarter, however, international tariff measures and the resultant uncertainty led to tangible stress along the textile value chain and slowed the Lenzing Group’s recovery. Market prices remained at a low level while costs for raw materials, energy and logistics continued to be high. 
 
The Lenzing Group generated revenue of EUR 1.34 bn in the first half of 2025, which was higher than in the same period of the previous year. The operating earnings trend benefited significantly from the positive effects of the performance program. EBITDA grew by 63.3 percent to EUR 268.6 mn, which included positive exceptional effects from the sale of surplus EU emission allowances amounting to EUR 30.6 mn and the valuation of biological assets amounting to EUR 12.5 mn. The EBITDA margin rose from 12.5 percent to 20 percent. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) amounted to EUR 109 mn (compared with EUR 18.9 mn in the same period of the previous year), which corresponds to an EBIT margin of 8.1 percent (compared with 1.4 percent in the same period of the previous year). Earnings before tax (EBT) amounted to EUR 22.1 mn (compared with minus EUR 22.3 mn in the same period of the previous year). Earnings after tax improved significantly to EUR 15.2 mn (compared with minus EUR 65.4 mn in the same period of the previous year).  
 
“Lenzing made further progress on its path to operational recovery in the first half of 2025. Our performance program is making a clear contribution to earnings improvement. At the same time, we are seeing tangible effects from the growing uncertainties in international trade in the second quarter – particularly as a consequence of the aggressive tariffs policy. These developments not only affect our visibility, but also our earnings. For this reason, we are all the more determined to continue our measures to secure our turnaround in the long term and further strengthen our margins,” notes Rohit Aggarwal, Lenzing Group CEO.  
 
The Lenzing Group’s performance program is comprehensively geared towards strengthening long-term crisis resilience and enhancing agility in the face of market changes. The aim is to sustainably improve EBITDA and generate free cash flow through increased profitability and consistent cost excellence. Measures such as acquiring new customers for key products and expanding into smaller markets were implemented in order to strengthen sales activities and thereby revenue growth. At the same time, Lenzing is implementing measures to significantly improve its cost structure, which are being reviewed and further developed on an ongoing basis. Over EUR 130 mn in cost savings were already achieved in 2024. Progress was made especially in terms of product costs and product quality. The Managing Board also expects further efficiency gains in the coming quarters, especially in production costs and overhead functions. The ongoing improvements in structures, processes and personnel expenses are expected to lead to an increase in both revenue and margins. The Managing Board anticipates cost savings of in excess of EUR 180 mn in the current financial year.  
 
Lenzing has also successfully strengthened its capital structure over the course of the year to date. A syndicated loan of EUR 545 mn was concluded in May. The structure of the loan comprises a EUR 355 mn term loan with a three-year term and a revolving line of credit of EUR 190 mn, also with a three-year term and extension options totaling two years. In addition, a new EUR 500 mn three-year non-callable hybrid bond was successfully placed on the market. With these measures, Lenzing secures its financing until 2027 and can continue to focus fully on implementing its successful performance program to enhance margins and free cash flow as well as to improve the cost position. 
 
Outlook
For 2025, the IMF forecasts global growth of three percent, followed by 3.1 percent in 2026 – marking a slowdown compared to the previous year (2024: 3.3 percent). The projection remains below the pre-pandemic historical average. At the same time, the IMF warns of persistently high risks to the global economy: a renewed escalation of trade conflicts, geopolitical tensions, or tighter financing conditions could dampen growth and reignite inflationary pressures.  
 
In an environment characterized by uncertainty and a persistently high cost of living, consumers are anticipated to remain cautious. This is exerting a lasting negative impact on their propensity to spend. Given the announced tariff increases, the rise in spending on apparel in the USA in the first half of the year is to be regarded as a temporary, one-off effect and is unlikely to continue over the course of the remainder of the year. 
 
The currency environment is expected to remain volatile in regions relevant to Lenzing.  
 
In the global bellwether market for cotton, market analysts’ current forecasts anticipate a slight increase in stocks to around 16.3 mn tons for the coming 2025/26 harvest season. 
 
Lenzing will continue to consistently implement its performance program and will conduct ongoing evaluations in order to leverage further cost potentials and further improve its revenue and margin generation.  
 
At present, the Lenzing Group confirms its guidance for the 2025 financial year of year-on-year higher EBITDA.  
 
The ongoing tariffs conflict and associated uncertainty are negatively affecting market expectations and are continuing to exert a very restrictive effect on earnings visibility.   
 
In structural terms, Lenzing continues to expect growing demand for environmentally responsible fibers for the textile and apparel industry as well as the hygiene and medical sectors. Lenzing is therefore very well positioned with its strategy and is pushing both profitable growth with specialty fibers and the further expansion of its market leadership in the sustainability area. 

• Weak demand from semiconductor customers weighs on Group sales and earnings performance
• Restructuring of Carbon Fibers business unit successfully on track
• EBITDA margin almost stable at 16.0% in half-year comparison 
• Sales forecast for 2025 slightly adapted, adjusted EBITDA expectations confirmed

Increasing uncertainty about the future development of global trade, tariff increases between the US and Europe, and weak demand in some of their markets are weighing on SGL Carbon's sales and earnings performance. On the other hand, the restructuring of SGL's Carbon Fibers business unit is showing initial signs of success. After six months of fiscal 2025, SGL Carbon generated sales of €453.2 million, down 15.8% on the previous year (H1 2024: €538.0 million).

The decline in sales within the Group is primarily attributable to negative volume effects, while currency and price effects played only a minor role. In particular, the continuing weak demand from semiconductor customers in the Graphite Solutions business unit weighed on sales development. Furthermore, the Carbon Fibers business unit reported lower sales as a result of the discontinuation of unprofitable business activities as part of the restructuring.

The cost savings resulting from the restructuring of Carbon Fibers and a slight improvement in adjusted EBITDA in the Process Technology business unit were unable to offset the shortfall in earnings contributions from the decline in the high-margin semiconductor business. Adjusted EBITDA, an important key figure for the Group, decreased by 16.2% compared to the first half of 2024 to €72.5 million (H1 2024: €86.5 million). The adjusted EBITDA margin remained almost unchanged at 16.0% compared to the previous year (H1 2024: 16.1%).

Taking into account depreciation and amortization of €25.8 million (H1 2024: €27.0 million) and non-recurring and special items of minus €49.9 million (H1 2024: €3.6 million), EBIT for the first half of 2025 amounted to €3.2 million (H1 2024: €55.9 million). The non-recurring and special items result in particular from restructuring expenses of €47.0 million.

The restructuring announced in February 2025 showed initial success in the first half of 2025, with positive adjusted EBITDA for the Carbon Fibers (CF) business unit. The discontinuation of loss-making business activities resulted in a 15.1% decline in sales to €93.5 million (H1 2024: €110.1 million) but also led to an increase in adjusted EBITDA for CF from minus €4.4 million to €5.2 million year-on-year.

"As part of the CF restructuring, production at our site in Lavradio (Portugal), which mainly produced acrylic fibers and precursors for carbon fibers, was closed down. Production and consequently also our business activities in the acrylic fibers and precursors product areas were completely discontinued at the end of June 2025. CF will focus in future on profitable products with greater differentiation from the international competition," said Dr. Stephan Bühler, member of the Executive Board responsible for this area.

It should be noted that the adjusted EBITDA of the CF business unit includes an earnings contribution of €4.7 million from its equity-accounted joint venture BSCCB (H1 2024: €7.9 million). The decline in BSCCB's earnings contribution is due to the costs of expanding production capacity and volatile demand from automotive customers. Excluding the earnings contribution of the equity-accounted BSCCB, adjusted EBITDA for CF would have been €0.5 million (H1 2024: minus €12.3 million).

The Composite Solutions (CS) business unit was also unable to avoid the increasing uncertainty in the automotive industry about future growth prospects. CS sales declined by 11.7% to €59.1 million in the first half of 2025 (H1 2024: €66.9 million). It should be noted that the first six months of the previous year still included sales from a contract with an automotive customer that expired in the second quarter of 2024.

As a result of lower volumes and the associated lower utilization of production capacities, CS's adjusted EBITDA decreased by €2.7 million to €5.4 million (H1 2024: €8.1 million) compared to the same period last year. Accordingly, the adjusted EBITDA margin of CS declined to 9.1% (H1 2024: 12.1%).

Outlook
Increasing trade barriers, especially due to US tariff policy, are having a negative impact on the business development of their customers and sales markets. In particular, the high level of uncertainty about future developments in the automotive industry is currently weighing on demand for the company’s products. This also includes expected sales of electric vehicles, which are the main drivers of demand for silicon carbide semiconductors. Special graphite components from SGL Carbon are required to manufacture these high-performance semiconductors.

In light of the current economic environment and the expectations for developments in the sales markets in the upcoming months and taking into account restructuring measures in the Carbon Fibers business unit, the sales forecast for fiscal year 2025 is adjusted on July 14, 2025. Consolidated sales for the full fiscal year 2025 are expected to decline by 10% to 15% compared with the previous year (2024: €1,026.4 million). Previously, SGL Carbon had expected sales to decrease by up to 10% (slight decline) compared with the previous year.

Due to the discontinuation of loss-making business activities in the Carbon Fibers business unit and cost savings as part of the successful restructuring and associated improvement in profitability, the forecast for the Group's adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2025 remains unchanged in the range of €130 million to €150 million.

On the 1st and 2nd of July, 19 textile, clothing, leather, and footwear representatives from 8 European countries gathered at Amsterdam Fashion Institute in the Netherlands to drive forward the Erasmus+ Blueprint AEQUALIS4TCLF project. This bold initiative is set to transform the TCLF industries through a strategic, educational, and social lens, paving the way for more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready sectors.

One of the project’s key deliverables is the upcoming European TCLF Skills Strategy, designed to respond to the impact on companies’ workforce of the rapidly technological, circular and social transformations. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative insights from stakeholders, ranging from businesses and policymakers to education providers, the updated strategy will inform the development of consecutive tailored national skills strategies. These strategies will then be rolled out by national project partners, with strong support from industry, education and institutional actors.

AEQUALIS4TCLF is also pioneering change in the classroom. Eight brand-new curricula focused on sustainable and digital fashion have already been developed, and then respective training content are under development. To ensure accessibility and engagement, partners are creating an array of innovative learning resources, from interactive e-books and videos to hands-on activities and assessments. All materials will be available online and free of charge, equipping learners and educators alike for the green and digital transitions.

At its heart, AEQUALIS4TCLF is also a social project. A rich programme of workshops, both online and in person, is being rolled out across all partner countries, addressing critical topics such as diversity, innovation, and wellbeing in the workplace. Meanwhile, a TCLF network-building effort is underway to boost collaboration at both local and European levels. This includes the creation of regional TCLF Pacts for Skills, tailored to the unique needs of local economies, and two European-level networks: one uniting education providers to share best practices and foster excellence, and another engaging regional public authorities in supporting TCLF education for the new era.

The AEQUALIS4TCLF project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, an international sustainable chemical company, announced it has recycled more than 150 billion post-consumer PET bottles since 2011. This significant milestone underscores the company’s long-term commitment to circular economy practices and its sustained investment in global recycling infrastructure. 

With more than 20 recycling facilities across 11 countries, supported by strong business partnerships and optimized operations, Indorama Ventures collectively recycles 789 bottles every second — transforming used PET into high-quality recycled PET (rPET) resins and other circular materials. These are used across various industries globally, supporting Indorama Ventures and its customers in achieving their sustainability goals. 

Since beginning its recycling journey in 2011, Indorama Ventures has accelerated its impact. The company reached its first major milestone of 50 billion bottles recycled in March 2020 and doubled that figure to 100 billion bottles in 2023, just three and a half years later. Now the company has reached the 150 billion mark which reflects both growing global demand for recycled content and the company’s strategic investments in infrastructure, partnerships, and innovation to scale up recycling at speed. 

By recycling 150 billion PET bottles, Indorama Ventures has helped avoid an estimated 3.8 million tons of CO₂ emissions over the product lifecycle and diverted 2.8 million tons of plastic waste from landfills and the environment.  

By partnering with a wide network of collection organizations, Indorama Ventures ensures a consistent supply of high-quality post-consumer PET, supporting the integrity of circular supply chains. In parallel, the company works with leading technology providers to deploy advanced recycling solutions that improve processing efficiency and reduce environmental impact. 

As global demand for recycled materials grows, Indorama Ventures reaffirms its commitment to expanding recycling capacity, investing in innovation, and working with stakeholders across the value chain to accelerate the shift toward a circular economy. 

A new study led by the University of Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) has found that the price of a t-shirt is no reliable guide to how well it will wear over time.

LITAC PhD candidate Kate Baker presented the research, which was conducted in partnership with climate action NGO WRAP, at the Product Lifetimes and the Environment (PLATE) Conference in Aalborg, Denmark. It forms part of a clothing durability project through the UK Textiles Pact - WRAP’s ten-year industry initiative to bring greater circularity into the UK clothing market.

The LITAC team tested the durability of 47 t-shirts (24 male, 23 female designs) from UK clothing brands, including luxury items. Testing included physical properties and washing using a standard mixed 30°C wash cycle followed by a tumble dry 50 times. The t-shirts were graded for pilling (or bobbling - when small balls form on the surface of an item and the number one reason people dispose of t-shirts), as well as colour fading, shrinkage and general appearance.

A key finding was that there is no correlation between price and durability. Of the top ten best performing t-shirts, six cost less than £15, outperforming many more expensive tees including the most expensive costing £395.

LITAC’s Dr Eleanor Scott, a Lecturer in Fashion Design: Creative Knit & Innovation at the School of Design, said:
“If circularity in fashion is to be truly effective, durability must come first. Durability underpins the reuse and resale market, as well as keeping our loved items in use longer. Crucially, these findings show that durability is not a luxury reserved for the few - it’s achievable at any price point.”

LITAC PhD candidate Kate Baker added:
“This research is another step forward on the road to developing a way of measuring how durable the clothes we wear are. Improved clothing durability is critical for the future of circularity and providing the opportunity for people to wear the clothes they love for longer. It was an honour to present our work on garment durability at the renowned P.L.A.T.E conference in Aalborg this year.”

The research found more hard-wearing t-shirts tend to have a percentage of synthetic fibres in the composition including polyester, polyamide, and elastane. Cotton t-shirts tended to have higher shrinkage than synthetic ones, which can be exacerbated with tumble drying. However, the research suggests well designed 100% cotton t-shirts can be hard-wearing and good value for money – 4 of the 10 top garments were 100% cotton.

The study identified several common characteristics among the most durable garments tested:

• Heavier weight cotton t-shirts tend to perform better than lightweight ones
• T-shirts with a blend of cotton and synthetic fibres, such as polyester or elastane, generally offer greater durability
• Price is not a reliable indicator of how hard-wearing a t-shirt will be.

By 2030, global apparel consumption is projected to rise by 63% to 102 million tonnes. In the UK, 711,000 tonnes of textile waste were sent to landfill or incineration in 2021, with 72% through the kerbside residual waste stream. WRAP believes designing for durability is critical to moving the industry to a more sustainable model and can be done while still offering value for money for consumers.

WRAP also found that the average person buys around 28 new items of clothing every year. That’s typically 8kg each, or 586,000 tonnes in total, and typically one quarter of every UK wardrobe is unworn for more than a year.

Mark Sumner, WRAP’s Programme Lead on Textiles and a former researcher at the University of Leeds, said:
“Most shoppers use price as an indicator of how hard-wearing clothes are ‘the more I spend, the more I’m bound to get out of my purchase’. But our study shows this is totally misleading. The most expensive t-shirt we tested cost £395 and ranked 28th out of 47, while a £4 t-shirt was placed 15th. The most durable t-shirt cost £28, but the one ranked second worst was £29! So, if you’re judging on price alone – buyer beware.”

The study’s testing methodology for durability is ready to be adapted for other regions and WRAP is now exploring partnerships with EU and US brands to co-create durability and performance standards tailored to their national needs.

At Isomi, the company has defined their approach by an ambition to work with materials in their purest, most purposeful form. With the Knit One Chair, they are taking this commitment further exploring how 3D knitting technology can unlock a more resourceful, intelligent way to make furniture. 

3D knitting is, at its essence, a digital manufacturing process that transforms a spool of yarn into a fully formed, three dimensional textile shape created directly on the knitting machine, without the need for cutting, stitching or excess trimming. This precise method has already reshaped industries like sportswear and footwear, celebrated for its ability to produce complex forms with minimal waste and remarkable structural integrity. In furniture, however, the possibilities of 3D knitting are only just beginning to be realised. Traditionally, upholstery involves layering foams, fabrics and fillers, glued and stapled into place, a process that generates off cuts, requires multiple materials, and makes recycling complicated at best. Knit One rethinks this entirely.