From the Sector

TINTEX Textiles announced its acceptance as a participant of the United Nations Global Compact initiative - a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices. A real demonstration of the “Naturally Advanced” ongoing commitment to responsible business action. Expertly controlled processing, and advanced dyeing and finishing solutions drive material innovation to create responsible supply chains to transform fashion systems.
 
“Being part of the UN GLOBAL COMPACT means to publically commit with all the principles that are the basis of our business” – [ Ana Silva Tavares Head of Sustainability ]

Assuming social responsibility and acting sustainably has been Autoneum's focus since it became an independent company. In order to achieve the best results possible, the Company last year has defined a number of quantitative and qualitative targets in the areas of “Sustainable Products and Production Processes”, “Fair and Attractive Workplace”, “Good Corporate Citizenship” and “Responsible Supply Chain Management” for 2025. In all these areas Autoneum has achieved important successes already in 2018.

Through the consistent implementation of environmental efficiency projects – a total of over 80 worldwide – Autoneum reduced its environmental impact further in 2018. For example, both the amount of waste (–5.9%) and water consumption (–13.4%) have fallen sharply. At the same time, various plants – particularly in Asia and North America – have expanded their recycling capacity, significantly increasing the amount of production waste reused in the manufacturing process (14.9%).

To further improve working conditions especially in production, measures were taken in all Business Groups in 2018 to enhance occupational health and safety and well-being in the workplace. A global employee satisfaction survey conducted in fall last year has confirmed the first positive effects of these measures.

A complete overview of all targets and activities during the past year can be found in the Corporate Responsibility Report 2018 and is available at www.autoneum.com/corporateresponsibility/.

wear2wear is an innovative industrial partnership dedicated to high-quality and sustainable clothing. Five expert partners in Europe have come together to cover the entire recycling loop. On cutting-edge production systems, textile fibres from used clothing will be turned into functional fabrics. Schoeller Textil AG is supplying a wholistic textile portfolio for the workwear area. At Schoeller Textil, the recyclable, functional fabrics from the wear2wear concept belong to the Inspire fabric group. These are high-quality protective workwear fabrics made of 100 percent polyester, which offer the greatest clothing comfort and often feel just like cotton. They are also compliant with the stringent requirements of the bluesign® system.

The sustainable wear2wear concept is synonymous with high-quality, responsible clothing. In European operations, textile fibres from used garments are used to produce new functional fabrics. Depending upon the area of intended use, they also meet strict waterproofing, breathability, protection and comfort requirements. To ensure that the raw material cycle comes full circle, these textiles can be recycled again when they reach the end of their service life. As a result, there is no waste, and they go on to produce new garments. As the wear-2-wear partner companies guarantee that – from the quality of the raw materials to the guaranteed recycling end process – these are 100 percent recyclable, functional fabrics made of recycled textile fibres. Water- and dirt-repelling technologies based on renewable raw materials, along with the most advanced membrane technology, will ensure that the textiles are manufactured and impregnated entirely without the use of PFC in the future too.

Five partner companies  
The five European partner companies in the wear2wear cooperation cover the entire recycling loop. Heinrich Glaeser Nachfolger GmbH is a German fibre and yarn producer and the “recycler” in the loop. Märkischen Faser GmbH (D) is the “upcycler” and fibre manufacturer. Carl Weiske GmbH & Co. KG (D) develops the polymers, fibres, yarns, chemical additives and textile systems, and TWD Fibres GmbH (D), a fully-integrated filament yarn producer, covers the entire range of polyester and polyamide 6.6 continuous filament yarns. Schoeller Textil AG, the innovative Swiss company, is responsible for textile production and manufactures sustainable high-tech fabrics with maximum clothing comfort. The matching climate-neutral and similarly 100 percent recyclable PTFE and PFC-free membrane, as well as recycled outer materials and linings, are supplied by Sympatex Technologies (D), the ecological alternative among the textile function specialists. DutchSpirit is a Dutch company which has been dedicated to environment-friendly clothing since 2010. Its mission is to significantly increase the awareness for sustainable clothing and offer recyclable clothing in the workwear segment. DutchSpirit is the initiator for the development of the Inspire products from Schoeller Textil and provided the inspiration for the wear2wear concept. Further garment-making partners who now also belong to the cooperative group include: Anchor Workwear BV (NL), Hüsler Berufskleider AG (CH), Groenendijk Bedrijfskleding BV (NL), Bedrijfskledingdiscounter BV (NL) and Rifka'S (NL).

• Lenzing’s mission: Greening up the value chain
• Putting the Sustainable Development Goals into practice
• Partnering with US brands in Earth Day campaign to plant trees

For the Lenzing Group, sustainability is a core value, key business driver and stimulus for innovation. In its new Sustainability Report, which will be sent from Earth Day, April 22, readers will learn about the wide range of activities the company is engaged in pursuing its mission of greening up the value chain. The Report is entitled “Partner for Change”, a concept that also inspires the latest TENCEL™ campaign on occasion of Earth Month, launched on April 1, 2019 and continuing until April 30, 2019.

Sustainability is an increasingly important element of Lenzing’s brand promise. The current TENCEL™ Earth Month Campaign “From Trees, For Trees” is a brand collaboration supporting the replanting of trees in the California forests recently devastated by last year’s wildfires that burned over c of forest. From April 1 to April 30, 2019, TENCEL™ brand invites the public to get involved in helping them donate trees by liking and sharing Earth Month related posts on their branded Instagram channel as well as their retail partner’s Instagram channels (https://www.tencel.com/earth-day).

March 2019: For decades, Schoeller Textil has been meticulous in observing its responsibility to humans and the environment. Developed and produced in Switzerland under the most stringent conditions, the high-tech textiles and textile technologies encompass a spirit of innovative and outstanding quality. With a focus on sustainability, the groundbreaking, ecological portfolio includes, among other things, genuine upcycled products with ECONYL®-Garn, 100 % recycled, recyclable wear2wear woven and knitted fabrics or bio technologies based on sustainable raw materials.

High-quality textiles have a long service life and can remain in use for longer. The fabric properties are further improved by smart textile technologies such as water- and dirt-repelling functions. This helps preserve the environment and cuts down on the use of resources. In its manufacturing, Schoeller Textil AG always considers the ecological compatibility of its products. Therefore, since 2001, production at the Swiss site has always complied with the stringent guidelines of the bluesign® system. By conviction, Schoeller devotes itself to sustainable climate protection and takes part in the Energy Agency of the Swiss Private Sector programme to actively reduce carbon emissions and optimise energy efficiency.

Hexcel has joined forces with a Lyon-based startup, LAVOISIER COMPOSITES. This company has developed CARBONIUM®, a new generation of material sourced entirely from carbon composite by-products generated by the French aerospace sector.

Hexcel supplies high-performance composite materials for the latest generation of aircraft such as the Airbus A350 XWB (53% composite structure). This has greatly contributed to the reduction of the aircraft's weight, thereby reducing its fuel consumption and carbon footprint. Composites are a significant first step toward tackling environmental and economic challenges, and eco-sourcing of the industry by-products also plays a key role.

CARBONIUM®, which was developed with a process based on three patents pending, reduces overall environmental impact by 40-50%, compared to equivalent products derived from virgin materials. Based on the "climate change" factor, the life cycle assessment carried out with Hexcel revealed that the up-cycling of by-products from the aerospace composites industry leads to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 13kg per kg of CARBONIUM® used.
In its first year of operation, LAVOISIER COMPOSITES has already enjoyed commercial success, including the launch of two top-of-the-range watch models by Swiss luxury watchmaker ULYSSE NARDIN using this new material.

From aircraft fuselages to watchmaking, the composites manufacturing cycle presents opportunities for reducing our impact on the environment.

Denim Expert Ltd. joined the Fashion Industry Charter for ClimateAction alongside other brands and suppliers.
Denim Expert Ltd. is the first manufacturer in Bangladesh to join the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and currently taking climate action in line with the goals established by the Paris Agreement of 2015. The company is limiting their Green House Gas (GHG) emissions supporting the world reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty, which entered in to force on 21st March 1994, having being ratified by a sufficient number of countries. The ultimate objective of the convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.

The parties to the convention have met annually from 1995 in Conferences of the Parties (COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was concluded and established legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in the period 2008–2012. The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference produced an agreement stating that future global warming should be limited to below 2.0°C relative to the pre-industrial level. In 2015 the Paris Agreement was adopted, governing emission reductions from 2020 onwards, through commitments of countries in Nationally Determined Contributions, lowering the target to 1.5°C. The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016.

Emphasis on Process, Third-party Validation and Outcome-based Testing

Healthcare laundry and linen provider Hospital Central Services (HCSC) has earned the Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification for its Baltimore plant, reflecting their commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and their capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

The Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification confirms the organization’s continuing dedication to infection prevention, compliance with recognized industry standards and processing healthcare textiles using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, a focal point for Hygienically Clean inspectors’ evaluation. The independent, third-party inspection must also confirm essential evidence that:

• Employees are properly trained and protected
• Managers understand regulatory requirements
• OSHA-compliant
• Physical plant operates effectively

To achieve certification initially, laundries pass three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare textiles and diminished presence of yeast, mold and harmful bacteria. They also must pass a facility inspection. To maintain their certification, they must pass quarterly testing to ensure that as laundry conditions change, such as water quality, textile fabric composition and wash chemistry, laundered product quality is consistently maintained. Re-inspection occurs every two to three years.

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, today announced that Thailand-based Absolute Denim will be the first denim manufacturer to switch 100% of its production to aniline-free* indigo dyeing.

Absolute Denim is a Thailand-based denim manufacturer producing high quality denim with a focus on eco-friendlier materials and processes. The company can produce up to 2 million meters of denim per month (that's approximately 1.5 million pairs of jeans!), for customers that include some of the biggest brands and retailers in the world.

Archroma’s Denisol® Pure Indigo 30 liquid dye was first launched in May 2018 as a non-toxic way to produce the traditional, iconic indigo blue that consumers associate with denim and jeans.

During production, some of the aniline stays locked into the indigo pigment and is difficult to wash off the fabric. The remainder of the aniline impurity, approximately 300 metric tons annually, is discharged during dyeing. This can be an issue as aniline is toxic to aquatic life. In addition, exposure levels to factory workers can be high. As a result of its toxicity (more hazardous than alkylphenols) it is now starting to feature on the restricted substance lists (RSL) of some major clothing brands and retailers.

The new Denisol® Pure Indigo 30 liq was therefore developed as an aniline-free* indigo solution for designers, manufacturers and brand owners who long for authentic indigo inspiration.

Archroma tested Denisol® Pure Indigo at Absolute Denim mill in Thailand. Archroma wanted to be sure that the new indigo dye would perform exactly the same as conventional indigo.

James Carnahan, Head of Sustainability at Archroma, comments: “At Archroma we continuously challenge the status quo in the deep belief that we can make our industry sustainable - but we cannot do it alone. Without forward-thinking manufacturers such as Absolute Denim to consciously adopt these eco-advanced innovations in their daily production, like our aniline-free* Denisol® Pure Indigo, we will not be able to move this industry forward on our resource-constrained world we live in. As consumers are increasingly aware of, and concerned about, climate change and ecological threats, this is not only the right thing to do - it is also good for business.”

“Deep down inside most of us want the world to be a better place for our loved ones and for future generations,” insists Vichai Phromvanich, Board Member, Absolute Denim, “starting with how we live, what we eat, what we wear, still trying to be cool, fashionable, still trying to be environmentally conscious. Archroma’s aniline free indigo project is therefore something we as a new generation manufacturer have supported from the beginning, by opening our doors for tests in the project phase, and now by sending out our articles to many of our customers. For us, after all, a nice pair of jeans looks even nicer without aniline!”

* Below limits of detection

• conceptual and commercial garments presented at exhibition in London

After two years of research Mistra Future Fashion is honoured to present, in collaboration with Centre for Circular Design at University of the Arts London and Filippa K, an exhibition pushing the limits of ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ fashion. Started in 2017, the industry-embedded project Circular Design Speeds takes a unique systemic approach, showcasing what could be accomplished using existing value chains as well as what the future of sustainable fashion holds. Ground-breaking textile research from University of the Arts London is questioning normative use and design of garments in creating prototypes to be worn across a spectrum of 24 hours to 50 years. By implementing research into existing value chains, Filippa K have produced a coat that is 100% recycled and recyclable, as well as a concept dress that is 100% bio-based and biodegradable. The research results and garments will be presented at the launch event at the University of the Arts London, on November 23rd and open to public on the 24th and 25th of November.

On Friday November 23rd the exhibition Disrupting Patterns: Designing for Circular Speeds opens up at University of the Arts London. The exhibition is the results of a two-year research project called Circular Design Speeds aiming at pushing the limits of ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ fashion by testing new concepts for sustainable design in an industry setting. On display are exploratory prototypes, as well as commercial garments produced by industry partner Filippa K using existing value chains. In addition, research results on innovative materials, consumer acceptance, composting studies and Life Cycle Assessments are presented. The aim of this project is to implement research results in a real fashion industry context, focusing on speed of use and maximising fabric value retention in products.

The Service Shirt developed by Professor Rebecca Earley is designed to last for over 50 years. The concept garment explores the multiple complexities, challenges and opportunities associated with design for circular business models in extended use contexts. The Service Shirt was designed as a ‘deliberate extreme’ to have a total lifecycle of 50 years. This lifecycle includes in-house and external remanufacturing processes, as well as various use cycles – often moving between single ownership and rental and sharing contexts. It becomes the lining for a jacket and then crafted in to fashion accessories, before finally being chemically regenerated in the year 2068.

On the opposite side of the spectrum the Fast-Forward concept, developed by Prof Kay Politowicz and Dr Kate Goldsworthy, explores alternative modes of production and use for a sustainable ‘fast-fashion’ application. Advantages with regards to climate impact are enabled through lighter material choices, nonwoven fabric production, no launder, clear routes to recovery and redistributed manufacturing systems. A sliding scale of ‘speed’ from ultra-fast forward through to a more widely accepted length of use, with adaptations to production processes and end of life, is presented. The prototypes are made from a new bio-based nonwoven material co-developed with Dr Hjalmar Granberg at RISE Research Institute of Sweden & University of the Arts London. The composition of the paper is a mix of cellulose pulp and bio-based PLA fibre, making the garment 100% biodegradable or recyclable in existing paper recycling systems.

Working closely with industry partner Filippa K made commercial testing possible. By implementing research into existing value chains, Filippa K was able to produce a coat that is 100% recycled and recyclable, as well as a concept dress that is 100% bio-based and biodegradable. The garments are a part of Filippa K’s Front Runner series and will be available in selected stores on November 26th. With a focus on products’ length of use and maximizing fabric value retention, Filippa K are dedicated to becoming fully circular by 2030.

“Being part of the fashion industry comes with many challenges, especially when considering the fact that we are the second most polluting industry after oil. Our industry needs to change and we believe adapting to circular models, like nature’s ecosystem, is one important solution. We want to be able to offer beautiful clothing and to make business within the planetary boundaries.”
- Elin Larsson, Sustainability Director, Filippa K

To validate the design research presented, a Life Cycle Assessment was performed on the prototypes. Mistra Future Fashion affiliated Dr. Greg Peters, Chalmers University of Technology, together with additional LCA Researchers at RISE, conclude that the production of fibres and fabrics are the main processes impacting the environment during the garment life cycles. Therefore, to extend the lifetime of existing garments and design for re-use, as done in the Service Shirt, is indeed the superior alternative compared to a reference garment.

“Compared with garments of the same mass, the extended life garments represent a large improvement in environmental performance over the reference garments, outperforming the reference garments in all effect categories. This superiority is primarily a consequence of avoiding garment production via reprinting and reassembly of the initial garment to extend its useful life.”
- Dr Greg Peters, LCA Researcher at Chalmers University of Technology

Another way to circumvent the impacts of fast fashion is to develop materials with considerably lower impacts during production, and which also avoid the barriers to recycling faced by conventional garments. Instead of hinder consumers from buying new, the act of acquiring a new garment could in fact be sustainable. The paper-based short life garments considered in this assessment show considerable impact savings when compare to the benchmark garment. Dr. Peters says,

“The paper-based garments benefit from the lower impacts of the material (fibre production, spinning and knitting) compared with conventional cotton, from their relatively light weight and also on account of the lower impacts in garment production and use.”