From the Sector

The European Union remains largely on track to achieve its 2030 targets to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions, according to the latest annual check-up on EU progress to its energy and climate targets published by the European Environment Agency today. Total net greenhouse gas emissions in the EU fell by a further 2.5% in 2024, according to estimated figures included in the ‘Trends and projections’ report.

The latest data show that collectively, EU Member States expect to achieve a net emissions reduction of 54% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, which is just under the 55% reduction target, provided that EU Member States implement both current and planned policies and measures in full.

The EEA ‘Trends and projections’ report says that in 2024, EU net greenhouse gas emissions (as defined in the 2030 target under the EU’s Climate Law) fell by 37% compared to 1990 levels. Focusing on domestic EU net greenhouse gas emissions, hence excluding emissions from international aviation and maritime transport, the overall reduction exceeds 39%.

As in recent years, the largest reductions in 2024 occurred in the energy supply sector. Year-on-year reductions in other sectors like agriculture, buildings and waste were more limited, while emissions even increased slightly in industry and in both domestic and international transport.

The report notes several developments that will require focused attention in the coming years to maintain progress. These include a year-on-year decline in electric vehicle sales in 2024, stagnation in GHG emission reductions in certain sectors and Member States and the long-term negative trend in carbon sequestration of the EU’s forests and soils. Together, these trends all highlight the need to maintain a strong focus on, and investment in, climate action.

Energy transition well underway
While there is more work to do, Europe’s shift away from fossil energy sources is well underway, the report says. The overall reduction in emissions since 1990 has been mainly driven by the energy transition. The EU has succeeded in significantly reducing the use of the most emission-intensive fuels, such as coal and oil, while accelerating the development of renewable energy.

The EU has set a common target of reaching at least 42.5% renewable energy use by 2030 and of further reductions in energy consumption. The distance to these goals remains significant, the report says. To reach the 2030 renewables target, the annual additions of renewable energy capacity must more than double compared to the previous five-year averages. For final energy consumption, annual reductions must also more than double.

These ambitions are achievable but will require full and broad implementation of legislation as well as maximum efforts to scale up the enablers of the transition. Technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicles play a crucial role to play here, as they can help cut emissions and reduce final energy use compared with fossil-based alternatives.

Progress to 2030 and beyond
The report notes several developments that will require focused attention in the coming years to maintain progress. These include a year-on-year decline in electric vehicle sales in 2024, stagnation in GHG emission reductions in certain sectors and Member States and the long-term negative trend in carbon sequestration of the EU’s forests and soils. Together, these trends all highlight the need to maintain a strong focus on, and investment in, climate action.

This report shows that the foundation for this progress is in place: recent years have seen a rapid acceleration in emission reductions and the emergence of numerous technological and policy solutions. However, it also underscores the scale of the remaining challenge — in particular, the need to strengthen more resilient carbon sinks, accelerate transport decarbonisation and ensure delivery at national level.

Every tonne of emissions avoided reduces future risks and costs. Every renewable installation, building renovation, or electric vehicle deployed represents a step to a cleaner, more energy independent and more resilient Europe.

About the report
The EEA’s Trends and projections in Europe report explores historical trends, recent progress and projected future progress on climate mitigation through reduced greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy gains and improved energy efficiency. It builds on data reported by the EU-27 Member States, five EEA member countries and nine Contracting Parties of the Energy Community.

With this package, the EEA supports the European Commission’s assessment of progress toward meeting the EU’s climate and energy targets. In its upcoming Climate Action Progress Report, the Commission will use recently submitted National Energy and Climate Plans from Member States as an additional information source.

The EEA today also published its latest EEA briefing outlining progress and challenges in Europe’s climate adaptation policies and actions. Both are being released at the same time with the European Commission State of the Energy Union and Climate Action Progress Report 2025.

Happy sheep trotting toward a fresh pasture inspired fiber science major Miriam Lourie’s wool sock design: a creamy white stripe across a textured green knit that puckered like a gently rolling field.

Lourie is one of 9 budding fashion designers in Knitwear Design and Other Applications, a College of Human Ecology class where students are working with New York sheep farmers and wool processors to explore ways to grow the local industry.

New York weather makes sheep farming hard. Feeding hay through the winter means bits of vegetative matter get stuck in the wool. Fine-wool breeds like Merino and Rambouillet do better in drier climates. New York fiber farms tend to be small, producing enough wool for a boutique industry aimed at crafters, and meat-focused sheep farms raise breeds that produce wool that is too coarse for industrial knitting machines. But through a series of visits to regional farms and experimentation with local wool, students in the class are discovering its idiosyncrasies and charms.

“Understanding the whole process of how that material got to a finished product adds a level of intimacy with the yarn that I think helps in the design process,” said Melissa Conroy, senior lecturer of human centered design in CHE and the instructor of Knitwear Design.

Melissa Conroy, senior lecturer of human centered design in CHE, reviews work with teaching assistant Madison Feely ’26, a fiber science and apparel design major, during the Knitwear Design and Other Applications class.

Conroy and doctoral student Paige Tomfohrde received a $10,000 grant from the New York Fashion Innovation Center to work with fiber producers to develop yarn suitable for industrial knitting machines. The students are helping test the yarn and providing feedback. 

“Problem solving is a big part of knitwear design,” Conroy said. “Normally, we start with a design direction that leads us in choosing yarn. This semester, we start with the yarn and see where it takes us.”

The artisanal quality of New York wool can make garments feel less mass produced, even as it presents logistical challenges. 

“Yarn doing weird things is fun for us, as fashion designers,” Conroy said. “It opens a path to discovery.”

Through visits to farmers, processors and fiber artists around the state, including Crooked Creek Sheep and Wool in Brooktondale, New York, and Battenkill Fibers, a spinning mill in Greenwich, New York, Conroy’s students studied every part of the local wool supply chain, from farming to shearing, cleaning and spinning. A grant from the Cornell Center for Teaching Innovation funded their travel. 

Back in the classroom, the students turned yarn specifically made for them at Battenkill Fibers into socks, featuring designs drawn from what they saw and learned during their visits. 

The yarn had a personality of its own.

The class visited sheep farms and wool processors and spinners around New York. Fashion design major Liriana Nezaj ’27 drew inspiration from raw wood she saw there to design lacy socks reminiscent of wood grain.

Fashion design major Lucy Jones ’26 said fine-tuning the tension of the yarn to get her socks just right took patience. “Working with the wool, as opposed to the acrylic we worked with last semester, it feels like a much more human process,” she said. “We met the sheep this wool came from.”

The natural color and texture variation in the yarn reminded fashion design major Liriana Nezaj ’27 of raw wood she saw at the farms. She chose to make mauve socks in a lacy pattern reminiscent of wood grain.

“It’s fun to keep in mind where your materials actually come from,” she said. “There are a lot of steps to get a wool garment to market.”

Those steps start at the farm, where farmers work to keep their flocks healthy. Stress and disease can cause weak spots in a sheep’s wool that can break when spun into yarn.

“The quality of sheep’s wool is intertwined with how well farmers take care of their sheep,” said Lourie ’26. 

Wool is one of the most thermally efficient fibers, and it’s biodegradable, renewable and fire resistant. It can be used for fabric and rugs but also fertilizer, insulation and weed barriers.

“All of us growers, we love wool,” said Crooked Creek Sheep and Wool owner Dr. Amy Glaser, DVM ’87, Ph.D. ’94. “We think it belongs in every household, in every aspect of your life, from what’s on your floors to what’s on your walls to what’s on your beds to what’s on your body.”

The students’ socks and process sketches will be on display, alongside pieces from the processors and designers they met during their field trips, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13 in the Jill Stuart Gallery in the Human Ecology Building. 

The EU project TEX 4.0 is an innovative initiative that aims to revolutionize vocational education and training in the textile industry. The focus was on developing a tailor-made curriculum that takes into account the specific needs of trainers and learners in the field of new technologies. This curriculum provides important tools to help learners acquire digital skills. In addition, the project offers a comprehensive and innovative training package focusing on Industry 4.0 skills to optimally prepare learners for the technological requirements of the modern working world. 

TEX4.0 provides engaging and attractive training materials to make the textile industry more appealing to younger generations. A key objective of the project is to promote active engagement and the use of participatory approaches in vocational education and training to ensure a more interactive and effective learning experience. Through these efforts, TEX4.0 aims to set a new standard in vocational education and training, making it more relevant, attractive, and effective in order to prepare learners for the challenges and opportunities of the digital age in the textile industry.

The project, which began on November 1, 2023, will end on October 31, 2025. The six partners from Greece (KAINOTOMIA), France (IDL – Institut de la Mode), Romania (UPB-CAMIS), Belgium (CAMARABELUX – Chamber of Commerce Belgium-Luxembourg), Italy (Lottozero Textillabore), and Germany (TU Dresden) worked together for two years as part of the EU-co-funded Erasmus+ project TEX 4.0.

The TEX4.0 training suite comprises three different areas:

• E-learning platform with 12 modules on new technologies in the textile industry for vocational training students;
• Trainer's Corner with modules in PPT format and quiz questions for self-assessment in raw format, aimed at vocational training instructors and stakeholders in the textile industry;
• Textile4all area with 18 case studies on the various areas of application of Industry 4.0 technologies in the textile industry, aimed at all target groups. Six case studies were developed using augmented reality (AR) technology to make them more attractive to learners. 

The TUD carried out the national pilot activities in Germany at the Institute for Textile Machinery and High Performance Materials Technology. The aim of these activities was to present the TEX 4.0 project and the developed learning platform to textile trainers and learners. Over 40 participants took part in the pilot trials, including highly qualified lecturers from the textile sector, experts from the textile industry, and future learners. The pilot tests in Germany successfully confirmed the relevance and quality of the TEX 4.0 project and developed the training suite. Participants rated the project positively for improving the digital skills of both learners and trainers and promoting innovation and new technologies in the textile industry.
 
All learning materials developed are freely accessible on an online platform, so that everyone—from vocational students and teachers to small business owners—can explore the materials, earn certificates of completion, and apply new skills directly in their professional practice.

Kornit Digital LTD., a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production technologies, announced today UK-based Snuggle has expanded its investment in the Kornit Atlas MAX PLUS direct-to-garment platform  to meet increasing customer demand and maintain its exceptional time-to-market and its reputation for quality apparel.

Leveraging the Atlas MAX PLUS, Atlas MAX POLY, and a Kornit Titan Smart Textile Dryer, Snuggle can produce more than 24,000 pieces daily – all offering consistent world class print quality. The Peterborough company serves a broad range of online retailers and decorators with an array of print-on-demand services. Growing alongside customer needs, Snuggle has expanded its production space more than 3x since 2017.

“We were the first Atlas MAX customer in the UK when it was unveiled over five years ago, and have always been delighted with its ability to deliver consistent quality and an economical cost per print to ensure profitability in any quantity,” said Akil Thathia, Director and Founder at Snuggle, Ltd. “A key element of our business growth is directly tied to the power of Kornit technology – which is why we have invested so heavily in their advanced direct-to-garment systems over the years. Our partnership with Kornit is strategic to our continued planned growth and success.”

“If you’re looking for a real-world example of how digital textile production is transforming the industry – look no further than our partnership with Snuggle. The company has been at the forefront of high-quality, on-demand fulfillment since it was founded more than a decade ago – and continues to evolve and grow alongside customer requirements to match demands of a market requiring speed, adaptability and quality,” said Guy Yaniv, President of Kornit Digital Europe. “We’re proud Snuggle has chosen Kornit as the foundation of their digital textile production environment. Working together, we’ve enabled them to produce with the agility today’s market requires to rapidly grow their business. Partnership is the foundation to our joint success.”

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

• Each European generates 132 kg of food waste and 12 kg of clothing and footwear waste per year 
• 2030 targets to reduce food waste 
• Producers to cover costs of collecting, sorting and recycling waste textiles  

September, 9 the European Parliament gave its final green light to new measures to prevent and reduce waste from food and textiles across the EU.

Cutting down food waste
The updated legislation will introduce binding food waste reduction targets, to be met at national level by 31 December 2030: 10% from food processing and manufacturing and 30% per capita from retail, restaurants, food services and households. These targets will be calculated in comparison to the amount generated as an annual average between 2021 and 2023. Following Parliament’s request, EU countries will have to take measures to ensure that economic operators having a significant role in the prevention and generation of food waste (to be identified in each country) facilitate the donation of unsold food that is safe for human consumption.

Producers to cover costs of collecting, sorting and recycling waste textiles
Producers that make textiles available in the EU will have to cover the costs of their collection, sorting and recycling, through new producer responsibility (EPR) schemes to be set up by each member state, within 30 months of the directive’s entry into force. These provisions will apply to all producers, including those using e-commerce tools and irrespective of whether they are established in an EU country or outside the Union. Micro-enterprises will have an extra year to comply with the EPR requirements.

The new rules will cover products such as clothing and accessories, hats, footwear, blankets, bed and kitchen linen, and curtains. On Parliament’s initiative, EU countries may also set up EPR schemes for mattress producers.
Member states should also address ultra-fast fashion and fast fashion practices when deciding on financial contributions to the EPR schemes.

According to the second reading rules, the President announced in plenary that the proposed act was deemed adopted (the position was already agreed by Council earlier this summer).

Next steps
The law will now be signed by both co-legislators, ahead of its publication in the EU Official Journal. EU countries will have 20 months following its entry into force to transpose the rules into national legislation.

Background
In July 2023, the Commission proposed a revision of the EU rules on waste, targeted at food and textile waste. Every year, almost 60 million tonnes of food waste (132 kg per person) and 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste are generated in the EU. Clothing and footwear alone account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person every year. It is estimated that less than 1% of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new products.

The new science web section https://echa.europa.eu/science serves as a one stop shop for ECHA’s science related work, improving its visibility and facilitating access to discussions on scientific topics. The new pages enhance the transparency of the scientific work supporting ECHA’s core tasks.

Mike Rasenberg, Director of Hazard Assessment, said:
“Science is at the heart of ECHA’s vision; chemical safety through science, collaboration and knowledge. It is a key driver helping us to reach our goals, and scientific evidence is the basis of all our regulatory decisions, opinions and advice. Our scientific knowledge base is built on close collaboration with researchers, industry and other regulatory bodies.”

The pages describe the work of ECHA’s scientific committees and expert groups and provide details on the scientific partnerships and collaborations, and highlight the Agency’s regulatory research needs. 

A new section focuses on the knowledge hub where ECHA shares the latest scientific and technical updates in the field of chemical safety. The section compiles the science seminars, conference presentations and scientific publications.

Background
ECHA is a science-based EU Agency aiming to protect health and the environment through its work on chemical safety. As a public body, it operates with transparency and integrity, prioritising the interests and well-being of EU citizens. ECHA’s funding comes from both the European Union and administrative fees from companies.