From the Sector

adidas announced it will begin selling some of the remaining inventory of adidas YEEZY products, with an initial release end of May 2023. A significant amount will be donated to selected organizations working to combat discrimination and hate, including racism and antisemitism. These include but are not limited to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change.  

The release will mark the first time that products have been available to consumers since adidas terminated the YEEZY partnership in October 2022. The products will be existing designs and designs initiated in 2022 for sale in 2023.  Additional releases of existing inventory are currently under consideration, but timing is yet to be determined. Today’s announcement has no immediate impact on the company’s current financial guidance for 2023.

Since terminating the YEEZY partnership in October, adidas has been exploring multiple scenarios for the potential use of the existing YEEZY inventory. The process involved seeking feedback and listening to a diverse group of employees, organizations, communities, and consumers for how to responsibly manage the existing product. The company went ahead with already committed production orders after the partnership was terminated. This was done to help protect its supply chain partners from being negatively affected by cancellations.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) and technology specialist Polymateria Limited have signed an exclusive 10-year partnership to help household brands bring biodegradable nonwoven hygiene products to the market through biotransformation technology.

This collaboration provides a new solution for dealing with essential items like facemasks and wipes once they have been used, ensuring they can return safely to nature without leaving behind any microplastics or toxic residue. It is specifically designed to tackle plastic leaking into the environment as unmanaged waste, meaning it is neither collected for landfill nor recycled. Given that most of the plastic in our oceans originates as unmanaged waste on land, addressing the unmanaged waste challenge is key.

IVL’s right to use Polymateria’s unique biotransformation technology for nonwovens supports application in non-virgin resin recycling while providing a solution for ‘fugitive’ used articles, especially those items that end up in the natural environment. This biotransformation process involves the plastic transforming into a bioavailable wax in the open terrestrial environment, whereupon the wax is fully consumed by bacteria, microbes and fungi, leaving just carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. The pulp component is inherently biodegradable under similar conditions.

Nonwovens made by IVL using Polymateria’s technology have been independently tested against, and meet the criteria in, the BSI PAS 9017 standard for the biodegradation of polyolefins in an open-air terrestrial environment published by the British Standards Institution in October 2020. This standard and/or its criteria – the first in the world to ensure plastic can biotransform in the open terrestrial environment without creating any microplastics – is being adopted around the world including in India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Hungary.

Under the motto “People Matter” A+A 2023, a Trade Fair for Safety, Security and Health at Work, will revolve around the most important trends of our time: sustainability and digitalisation. Here, exoskeletons also play a prominent role as tomorrow’s ergonomic tools. An important conference in this field is WearRAcon Europe which will be held at A+A from 25 – 26 October 2023 for the first time.

The Conference will be organised by the Fraunhofer Institute IPA in cooperation with the Stuttgart University and the Wearable Robotics Association (WearRA). The 38th A+A Congress, which is held by Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit (German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health - Basi) will be closely dovetailed thematically and in terms of content with it.

Being able to walk again despite a serious injury, handle heavy parts without outside help or simply do overhead work comfortably and for extended periods of time - the advantages of exoskeletons have already convinced numerous industries. Exoskeletons and wearables are now already being used successfully in industry and commerce, and major machine builders and automakers as well as the medical sector are continuing to experiment with man-machine connections. Currently, the global market volume for exoskeletons is valued by leading analysts at over US$20 billion by 2030.¹

The WearRAcon Europe Conference 2023 will provide new insights into the promising world of exoskeleton systems from different perspectives and, in conjunction with the A+A Congress, set future-oriented impulses. Lectures by renowned exoskeleton pioneers combined with testimonials presented by users from a variety of industries and keynotes by experts will round off the programme. And, like at the previous A+A, a Self-Experience Space will again be set up so that the exoskeleton systems of various manufacturers can be tested in realistic work scenarios.

In parallel with the Self-Experience Space, the large live study Exoworkathlon will also take place again. Trainees from various mechatronic training courses have to complete a concourse and perform holding, lifting and assembling tasks, which have been specially developed with the industry. Data is prospectively collected with different measuring sensors to measure the effects of exoskeletons. In the Exoworkathlon, the IPA focuses especially on prevention for young employees in order to raise awareness of the issue and counteract ailments at an early stage.

¹ (Interview Trans.INFO mit Armin G. Schmidt, CEO von German Bionic (01/2021).

The launch of the third edition of the Imagining Sustainable Fashion Award started on October 27, 2022. The Imagining Sustainable Fashion Award (ISFA) is the international competition born out of the collaboration between Connecting Cultures, the foundation that guides the Out of Fashion platform, and C.L.A.S.S., an international eco-hub that since 2007 has been advocating for a new generation of fashion in which the union of design, innovation, communication, and responsibility shapes a conscious and competitive business, capable of playing both an economic and social role.

The Imagining Sustainable Fashion Award invites stylists, photographers, designers, illustrators and artists to create visual imagery, a project that highlights awareness, respect for people and the planet that define the values of sustainable fashion in the fashion system.

Award submissions will be examined by an international jury composed of:

• Anna Detheridge, Founder and President, Connecting Cultures
• Giusy Bettoni, CEO and Founder, C.L.A.S.S.
• Rita Airaghi, Steering Advisor, Gianfranco Ferré Research Center
• Paola Arosio, Head of New Brands & Sustainability Projects, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana
• Jeanine Ballone Managing Director, Fashion 4 Development
• Evie Evangelou, Founder and President, Fashion 4 Development
• Sara Kozlowski, Vice President of Program Strategies, Education, and Sustainability Initiatives, Council of Fashion Designers of America
• Dio Kurazawa, Founding Partner, The Bear Scouts
• Renata Molho, journalist, former editor-in-chief of L'Uomo Vogue and former editor-at-large of L'Uomo Vogue, Vogue Italia, Casa Vogue
• Stefania Ricci, Director, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo
• Jovana Vukoje, Senior New Brands Specialist, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana

The winning projects of past editions were Take a Walk on the Green Side by Emma Scalcon (2021 - Italy) and Fashion Affair by Vishal Tolambia (2022 - India), two very different works that highlighted how challenging sustainability issues are in the contemporary communication landscape.

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
The winner will be announced in March 2023 and will receive a cash prize of €3,000.00.

• European textile industry needs to prepare for a paradigm shift, and become global leader in sustainable textiles

Organised by EURATEX in partnership with the Portuguese Textile Association (ATP), the Porto Convention – Sustainability meets Competitiveness: How to Square the Circle? – took place on 13-14 October in Porto, Portugal, with nearly 250 entrepreneurs attending from all over Europe. They discussed the current challenges of the European textile industry and set the grounds for a bright future, based on some strong foundations: innovation, creativity, quality and sustainability.

In his keynote speech, Mr. Pedro Siza Vieira, Former Minister for the Economy and Digital Transition of Portugal, assessed the geopolitical and macroeconomics changes, and how this will impact on the future of the textile industry: nearshoring and friend-shoring, independence from foreign gas through the use of European sustainable energy, as well as circular and automated production lines. While the current turbulence causes uncertainty, he sees a better future for our industry.

The first CEO Panel, addressing the theme of How to Measure and Communicate about Sustainability, focused on the challenges to translate “sustainability” towards the consumers. The panel addressed the issue of greenwashing and the role of brands in communicating about sustainability. It looked at how the new European Commission regulations on eco-label, digital product passport (DPP) and product environmental footprint (PEF) will create a new framework.

The second CEO Panel, discussing Financing Sustainability, looked at the cost of sustainable investments, and how this cost should be managed within the entire supply chain, including the brands and retailers.

Four workshops with industry experts followed in the afternoon, addressing the themes of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Textiles, Digital Product Passport (DPP), Recycling Textile Waste and Labelling Textiles (Product Environmental Footprint). As these initiatives will roll out in the coming years – as part of the EU Textile Strategy – participants got a better understanding of the future framework for our industry.

Dirk Vantyghem, Director General of EURATEX, commented on this: “to prepare for a brighter future requires a new regulatory framework, where quality and durability become the norm, where transparency and sustainability is rewarded, where free riders – who do not comply with rules and standards – are kept outside the market. The EU Textile Strategy aims at creating such a framework, which must be fair and balanced, and requires a close and constant dialogue between the regulator and the industry.”

During the 2nd day of the convention, participants had the opportunity to visit state of the art textile companies (Têxteis J.F. Almeida, RIOPELE, and TMG Automotive) and the Portuguese textile  research centre CITEVE. They showcased how the Portuguese textile industry is making this transition, while remaining globally competitive.

Alberto Paccanelli, President of EURATEX, concluded: “We need to attract creative people in our companies, we need to produce top class quality products, and we need to become more sustainable. That is the recipe for our success in a globalised and highly competitive industry.” Paccanelli is positive about the future: “While we face very tough times, I am optimistic about the future of our European textile industry. The rest of the world is watching us, as we move forward with our strategy. We should become their benchmark and Europe should become a global leader in sustainable textiles.”

Tonello will be unveiling the release of their new, more efficient and more responsible Laundry (R)Evolution, including three tools, at Kingpins Show in Amsterdam, from October 19-20.

Configurator
The new Configurator allows clients to choose the technologies, software, and accessories for their next laundry, combining diverse solutions and thus obtaining a real projection of energy and resource consumption, as well as savings and sustainability benefits.

B.O.P. (Be On Point)
The seamless integration with THE Laser, B.O.P. is based on the most recent developments in Computer Vision It makes positioning laser designs on garments automatic and rapid It allows a choice of different production modes and detects up to 8 garments at the same time.

Metro
Metro is a software that automatically and transparently measures the actual consumption of a laundry, summarizing these figures in each garment’s “environmental passport”.

At the show, Tonello will also demonstrate their technologies by washing the MSP Collection, in collaboration with PVH Europe, Kingpins, and designed by Piero Turk.

On 13-14 October, EURATEX in partnership with ATP is organising the 10th European Textile & Apparel Convention in Porto, Portugal; the convention marks also the 24th Textile Industry Forum for Portugal.

The Porto Convention – titled Sustainability meets Competitiveness: How to Square the Circle? – will look at how companies can anticipate the new European regulatory framework, embrace innovation, and develop a business model where sustainability becomes a source of competitiveness and growth. In the current economic, social and political environment, Europe is facing many challenges: increased energy prices, unforeseen inflation and climate change, which add to the day-to-day challenges of running a business. Embracing the European Union’s commitment to a green and digital transformation, the textile industry needs to also move towards a new circular economy where recycling is at the core of the design process supported by digitalisation, innovation and new skills, and creativity. The conference will address explore solutions to turn quality and sustainability into a source of competitiveness.

The Porto Convention will see representatives of national and European institutions, experts from the industry and like-minded entrepreneurs come together to discuss ideas, share experiences and find solutions to face common challenges.

The Lenzing Group and VERBUND, an energy transition company, launched the first development stage of the largest ground-mounted photovoltaic system in Upper Austria. Together with its energy partner VERBUND, Lenzing is also paving the way for the transition to zero-emission mobility. The installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the company’s premises underlines Lenzing’s commitment to the energy transition process.

Thanks to the ground-mounted photovoltaic system at the “Ofenloch” landfill site, Lenzing, in conjunction with VERBUND, is consistently moving forward on the path to a carbon-free energy supply and has commissioned the first half of the new photovoltaic system with a peak power of 2,780 kWp. Full commissioning of the system with a peak power of 5,560 kWp is envisaged in mid-October. Annual electricity production will amount to 6,000,000 kWh, which is expected to cut CO₂ emissions by some 4,400 tonnes per year. The Austrian pioneer in fiber production already commissioned three rooftop photovoltaic systems in spring/summer of 2022, with a peak power of 1,454 kWp and annual electricity production of some 1,508,000 kWh. The electricity flows directly into the company’s on-site production and will also power electric charging stations in future. In the first development stage, 16 wallboxes are set to be installed by the end of the year. A further 32 charging points are planned for 2023. The charging stations will be accessible to staff, visitors and the company’s own vehicle fleet.

“VERBUND’s photovoltaic operator model allows us to make the transition to solar power without incurring investment costs or risks. Thanks to the constant expansion in renewable energy, we remain on course to ecologize the value chain, while optimizing our carbon footprint, cutting costs and reducing the load on the grid, as we are using nearly 100 percent of photovoltaic power in our production,” explains Christian Skilich, Chief Pulp Officer of the Lenzing Group.

• Monomaterial solution contains renewably-sourced polypropylene from the Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins
• Trexel employs its proprietary MuCell® technology to deliver a range of lightweighting benefits
• EverMinds™ in action: reuse and design for recycling are focus of value chain collaboration

Borealis and Trexel, an expert in foaming injection and blow moulded parts, announce that they have co-developed a new plastic bottle based on a grade from the Bornewables™ portfolio of polyolefins made using renewable feedstocks derived 100% from waste and residue streams. The lightweight bottle – which will be showcased at the Borealis stand at the K 2022 (from 19 to 26 October 2022 in Düsseldorf) – is reusable and fully recyclable. It boasts a significantly lower overall CO₂ footprint because it is composed of renewably-sourced feedstock and produced in the foaming process.

The Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins helps reduce the carbon footprint while offering material performance equal to virgin polymers. Using Bornewables grades allows for design freedom and colour flexibility, and helps retain a premium look and feel. The grades – which are commercially available in Europe – help conserve natural resources because they are derived solely from waste and residue streams, for example from used cooking oil. Reusing waste already in circulation instead of fossil fuel-based feedstocks enhances the sustainability of applications made using the Bornewables grades.

The reusable new bottle developed by Borealis and Trexel retains its value over many life cycles thanks to the use of Trexel’s proprietary technology in tandem with Bornewables grades; as a material solution, the new bottle minimises the use of valuable raw materials. Moreover, converters consume less energy in the production process when using the MuCell® technology. The bottle thus helps close the loop on plastics circularity by way of design for recycling, the use of renewable feedstocks, and excellent material performance across multiple life cycles.

The Discover Natural Fibres Initiative DNFI published their statistical World Natural Fibre Update this month. The world production of natural fibres is estimated at 33.7 million tonnes in 2022, a slight increase compared with a preliminary 33.3 million tonnes in 2021 and 31.6 million in 2020.

The DNFI Natural Fibre Composite Price dropped 2% in July 2022 to US 219 cents/kg, compared with US 223 cents the previous month. The DNFI Composite is an average of prices in major markets for cotton, wool, jute, silk, coir fibre, and sisal, converted to US$ per kilogram and weighted by shares of world production.

• The DNFI Composite was pulled downward primarily by a 9% decline in the Eastern Market Indicator of wool prices in Australia, which fell from US$ 10.27 per kilogram in June to US$9.38 in July.
• October cotton ICE futures (the nearby contract) finished July marginally lower, closing at 228 US cents per kilogram, compared with 229 at the end of June.
• Prices of jute fibre in India quoted by the Jute Balers Association (JBA) at the end of July were unchanged from a month earlier, but with depreciation of the Rupee versus the dollar, calculated prices fell from 84 cents to 82 cents per kilogram.
• Prices of silk in China equalled US$29.5 per kilogram in July 2022, coconut coir fibre in India held at US cents 21 per kilogram, and sisal in Brazil finished July at US cents 41 per kilogram.

Cotton prices were the highest in a decade during 2021/22, and world cotton production is estimated by the International Cotton Advisory Committee at 25.8 million tonnes during the 2022/23 season which began August 1, up from 25.4 million in the season just completed. Extreme drought in Texas, the largest producing state in the United States, is limiting the rise in world production that would otherwise be occurring.

World production of jute and allied fibres is estimated unchanged at 3.2 million tonnes in 2022 compared with 2021. High market prices in 2021 motivated farmers to expand planted area in both Bangladesh and India, but dry weather in jute-growing areas during June and July has undermined earlier optimistic hopes for yields. Rainfall was approximately half of normal in the city of Kolkata from early June to mid-July.

Production of coir fibre rose by an average of 18,000 tonnes per year during the past decade, and production was record high at 1.12 million tonnes in 2021. Production is expected to remain high in 2022.

Flax has also been trending upward, rising by an average of 27,000 tonnes per year, and production in 2022 is estimated to remain above one million tonnes.
World wool production is forecast up by 5% in 2022 to 1.09 million tonnes (clean), the highest since 2018. Wetter weather in the Southern Hemisphere, following eight years of drought, is allowing farmers to rebuild herds.