From the Sector

OETI – a member of the internationally active TESTEX Group – has bought the German company ECS to expand its service portfolio in the field of personal protective equipment (PPE).

OETI has been offering testing services for textile work clothing since 1983 – for about 40 years. Since the introduction of CE labelling for personal protective equipment and the enactment of the PPE Directive by the European Union in 1993, OETI has not only been testing textile personal protective equipment, but now on also certifies it in conformity with EU standards. In 1995, OETI was certified in Brussels as a Notified Body (0534) for type-examinations and quality assurance monitoring of personal protective equipment end products. Testing and certification is carried out in accordance with the current PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425.

Testing and Certification Body for Eye and Face Protection, based in Aalen, was founded 15 years ago and is a globally active institution for testing and certification of eye and face protection equipment. The company is one of the leading independent testing institutions for personal protection products in laser applications and for welding work.

ECS tests and evaluates occupational health and safety goggles with and without a filter action, passive and active switching protection filters and shields for welders, and laser protection filters, goggles, and shields. The company also tests the optical properties of sunglasses, sports glasses, ski goggles, swimming goggles and motorbike goggles.

With OETI’s takeover, the ECS location in Aalen is retained, and all employees will continue working at ECS. The new Managing Director of ECS GmbH as of 1 July 2023 is Dipl.-Ing. Rolf Diebolder.

‘We are present on the European market, on the American market and, via a representative office, on the Chinese market. With the aid of the new distribution channels through OETI and TESTEX, we want to steadily advance ECS’ expansion and be present on all five continents’, says Managing Director Rolf Diebolder, explaining his strategic plans for ECS. ‘I would like OETI and ECS to develop a joint strategy in order to be able to offer existing and new customers of both companies a complete package which, when combined, will give us a unique selling point in the marketplace’, says Diebolder.

Diebolder also sees further potential in the cooperation with regard to protective laser clothing. According to him, this is where the laser laboratory commissioned by ECS could be used to make textiles laser-safe. In the future, there will be more and more ‘hand-held’ devices, i.e. laser welding devices, for which gloves and protective jackets are needed.

Leaders assembled at the renowned forum for sustainability in fashion to mobilise action and usher in a transformative phase for the industry.

Hosted in the Copenhagen Concert Hall, on 27-28 June, Global Fashion Summit convened over 1000 revered representatives from brands, retailers, NGOs, policy, manufacturers, and innovators to transform ambition into action. The Summit was presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit organisation that is accelerating the transition to a net positive fashion industry, under the patronage of HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark.

This year’s theme ‘Ambition to Action’, galvanised participants to transform ambitions into concrete actions that can drive the industry towards more sustainable practices, both socially and environmentally. Under this premise, the event presented content experiences focused on tangible and evidence-based impact, with over half of the programme dedicated to educational and action-oriented business case studies.

This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages. The Summit also facilitated more than 10 strategic roundtable meetings that brought together executives and policy makers for productive dialogues on how to address pressing sustainability issues and act accordingly. The content integrated the five priorities of the Fashion CEO Agenda, alongside critical challenges and tangible opportunities relating to some of the key forces that are shaping the fashion industry today: data, policy and storytelling.

Attendees heard from 137 speakers including HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark; Antoine Arnault, Image & Environment, LVMH Group; Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director & Founder, JW Anderson and Creative Director, Loewe; Virginijus Sinkevičius,  Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Commission; Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, Chief Delivery Officer, Maersk; Aude Vergne, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chloé; Nicolaj Reffstrup, Founder, GANNI; Fanny Moizant, Co-Founder & President, Vestiaire Collective; Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike; Óscar García Maceiras, CEO, Inditex; Dr. Lewis Akenji, Managing Director, Hot or Cool Institute; Rachel Arthur, Advocacy Lead, Sustainable Fashion, United Nations Environment Programme; and many more.

Innovation Forum connected fashion companies with sustainable solution providers
This year’s Summit also presented an Innovation Forum, enabling small and large companies to meet with 26 sustainable solution providers – equipping them with the concrete tools to quickly turn words into meaningful actions. More than 350 facilitated business meetings between fashion companies and sustainable solution providers took place during the Summit.

Global Fashion Summit: Boston Edition will take place on 27 September 2023, which will mark the second time the Summit has been hosted outside of Copenhagen in its 14-year history.

From 9 to 11 August 2023, IFCO, Istanbul Fashion Connection will be held for the fourth time at the Istanbul Expo Center at 6 Halls. The fashion fair is organised by ITKIB Fairs, a subsidiary of Istanbul Apparel Exporter's Association, the umbrella organisation of the Turkish fashion and apparel industry.

IFCO has developed into a hub for fashion enthusiasts, designers, buyers and trendsetters and has established itself as an important international platform for the global fashion industry. IFCO brings together around 400 exhibitors from all product groups of the apparel and fashion industry under one roof in six clearly structured halls: womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, denim, sportswear, evening and occasion wear, bridal wear, lingerie, hosiery, leather and fur, shoes and accessories.

From high-end tailoring to streetwear and sustainable fashion, the fair will present a wide range of styles and trends. IFCO Brands present market leaders such as İpekyol, Climber, Damat, Kiğılı, B&G Store, Lufian, Jakamen, NaraMaxx, Giovane Gentile and Lee Cooper using IFCOto further expand their international network.

THE CORE ISTANBUL, successfully launched at IFCO in February, once again features a fascinating mix of established and emerging important Turkish designerswith their creative and innovative creations.

One focus of the fair will be the topic of sustainability. Companies will show their innovations. Ekoteks, the association's sustainability laboratory, supports the development of sustainable production and will also have a stand at IFCO to present the latest developments in this area.

The extensive supporting program with fashion shows and trend zones inspires visitors with the latest fashion trends and styles, while the seminars and workshops address current topics in the fashion industry such as digital transformation, smart clothing, technical textiles and sustainability.

30,000 visitors from more than 100 countries are expected at the upcoming IFCO, mainly from the EU, UK, Eastern Europe, CIS, North Africa, Middle East and the USA. The show also offers networking events, such as B2B Speed Dating, which brings together fashion designers, brands, manufacturers, buyers and industry experts to exchange ideas and forge potential business relationships. This is an important aspect of the fair that has helped to position Istanbul Fashion Connection as a key meeting place for the fashion industry.

As a trade fair for safety and occupational health in China, the 104th China International Occupational Safety & Health Goods Expo (CIOSH 2023), organized by China Textile Commerce Association (CTCA) and Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (MDS), will be grandly held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) Hall E1-E7 from 13-15 April 2023. Following three years of epidemic prevention and control measures, the situation has stabilized in China, allowing the labor protection market to enter a phase of rapid recovery and rebound. CIOSH 2023 will attract over 1,500 exhibitors from 14 countries, showcasing their latest protective equipment and technology in an exhibition area exceeding 80,000 square meters.

Integrating Online and Offline Platforms
CIOSH 2023 encompasses four major sectors: Safety at Work, Security at Work, Health at Work, and Emergency Rescue Management. Renowned domestic and international exhibitors, including 3M, Honeywell, Ansell, SATA, JSP, MSA, DELTAPLUS, Lakeland, Cortina, UVEX, CM Chaomei, Xing Yu Gloves, DS, East Asia Glove, Hanvo, SOMO Zhongmai Safety, SAFETY-INXS, and TELPS, will assemble on site. At the same time, CIOSH 2023 has introduced an innovative online platform - CIOSH VIRTUAL. By offering online displays, live streaming, interactive features, and real-time communications, it breaks time and space constraints, facilitating exhibitors and visitors to continue their business exchanges and cooperations beyond the physical exhibition. So far, nearly 1,300 companies have joined the CIOSH VIRTUAL, showcasing more than 3,000 products online and attracting over 70,000 views.

CIOSH Industry Technical Seminar, Sustainable Development Emerges as the Key Focus
The annual Industry Technical Seminar, held concurrently with CIOSH, serves as a platform for professionals to discuss product solutions, share industry insights, and exchange ideas on relevant policies. In 2021, China integrated climate change mitigation measures into its 14th Five-Year Plan, established a 2030 carbon peaking action plan, and proactively pursued the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. Under the development objectives of "carbon peaking" and "carbon neutrality," the sustainable development of the personal protective equipment (PPE) industry has become the primary theme of this year's seminar. Experts from China Carbon Low-carbon Certification (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., China Certification Centre, Inc., and SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd., will examine related policies, the effects of "carbon neutrality" on the PPE industry chain and the industries using PPE from different angles. They will also explore the future direction of PPE and offer professional guidance for the transformation of relevant enterprises.

Fall Protection Zone
Falls from height are one of the most common accidents that cause serious injury or death to workers. Effective fall protection requires not only protective equipment, but also professional instructions and training. Therefore, CIOSH set up a new Fall Protection Zone in 2021, which received unanimous acclaim. CIOSH 2023 has continued to invite SKYLOTEC, rothoblaas, JECH, Mode and NTR Safety, five companies that specialize in protection at height, to conduct on-site demonstrations on fall testing, fall protection solutions and aerial rescue, and provide visitors with the most professional fall protection guidance and training.

Occupational Health
CIOSH has always implemented the strategy of expanding the business scope in a diversified way, which devotes itself to providing innovative opportunities and new driving forces for the sustainability of the occupational safety and health industry. This year, focusing on the "occupational health" sector, the exhibition will launch an Ergonomics Zone and an Exoskeleton Technology Zone for the first time.

The steering committee for the Denim Deal has announced that Haelixa, the Swiss standard in physical traceability, is approved as a new signature. The Denim Deal is an international collaboration of more than 50 private and public sector companies united in the commitment to produce denim more circularly.

The Denim Deal aims to close the loop and achieve change in the value chain. Based in Amsterdam, the group is working towards a circular economy where textile waste no longer exists. The brand and manufacturing members pledge to work towards using 5% recycled post-consumer cotton in all future denim collections and produce 3 million denim jeans made with 20% recycled post-consumer cotton.

Coordination of the Denim Deal is led by Roosmarie Ruigrok, where the objective is to unite potential allies who have made the journey to circularity a priority. She has been working to improve sustainability in textiles for more than two decades and is an expert on enrolling the correct stakeholders to instigate change. Ruigrok states, "a circular supply chain in the textile industry is like a well-prepared machine - it ensures that every part of the production process runs smoothly, from sourcing post-consumer materials to delivering well-made finished products to customers. It not only drives efficiency and profitability but also builds trust among stakeholders and fosters sustainable practices - we welcome Haelixa who offers a trustful traceability solution."

Over the last few years, the demand for the technology in recycled denim has grown as brands are asked to validate their recycling claims. Haelixa’s unique DNA solution marks and traces fibers from the source to retail. Using DNA to mark the recycled post-consumer cotton, Haelixa substantiates claims by testing the final garment to validate that the marked waste is present.

The Denim Deal is pushing to lead the change in how denim is made. Changing the standards of operation is always challenging, and traceability is a key to authenticating recycled claims. “We are committed to promoting the use of recycled fibers through traceability and thrilled to align with this group,” said Holly Berger, Haelixa’s Marketing Director. “The goals of the Denim Deal support our vision for a circular economy.”

Textile waste is a problem in Europe. Out of 7-7.5 million tonnes of textiles discarded every year, 30-35 % are collected separately – and of that quantity, 15-20 % are sorted by medium and larger sorting facilities within the EU. After sorting, 60 % still qualify as wearable clothes, however after a second or third collection-loop, all of the textiles become non-wearable sooner or later. Therefore, fibre-to-fibre recycling is becoming increasingly important to preserve the valuable resources.
 
The textile recycling value chain is not yet mature, but we are on the verge of a turning point, as different fibre-recycling technologies are deployed on a large scale. If successful, the textile recycling industry could reach a recycling rate of 18 to 26 percent of gross textile waste in 2030. This would create economic, social and environmental value that could total 3.5 to 4.5 billion euros in 2030.

Today, there is a sorting gap to achieve a circular economy for textiles in Europe. To feed this new circular value chain, a significant sorting-capacity increase is needed with 150 to 250 sorting and recycling facilities nearby, as the McKinsey-study “turning waste into value” assessed.

There is also a technology and capacity gap in sorting for reuse and recycling to ensure that high quality raw materials from non-wearable textile waste can be made available on a large scale. This is why the “Transform Textile Waste into Feedstock” project was initiated by TEXAID, within the ReHubs initiative together with well-known stakeholders of the textile value chain.

The major outcome of this project will be a sorting-factory blueprint fulfilling the requirements to the future needs of fibre-to-fibre recycling, enabling the future of more sustainable textiles by using recycled fibres. TEXAID, who is leading the project, is committed to build and operate scalable sorting facilities across Europe, the first with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes by the end of 2024.

Companies like Concordia, CuRe Technology, Decathlon, Inditex, Indorama Ventures, L’Atelier des Matières, Lenzing, Marchi & Fildi, PurFi, Södra, Worn Again and others are taking part in the project to jointly evaluate technologies and the business case for scaled sorting for reuse and recycling. ITA Academy GmbH (in cooperation with RWTH Aachen) together with CETIA has been commissioned for the assessment of technologies. The outcome will be an innovative sorting system 4.0, building on cross-functional technologies with digitalization and automation are at the heart.

CHIC - China International Fashion Fair starts the new year with a new date and fresh ideas. The unrestricted entry to China is possible again and CHIC March will be postponed by three weeks to facilitate visa applications.

From March 28 to 30, 2023 around 1,600 exhibitors will meet on 117,200 sqm at CHIC at the National Exhibition & Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai.

In 5 halls the fair presents itself in clearly structured segments with the big players and young, up-and-coming designers as well as exciting niche brands in the areas of womenswear, menswear, kidswear, denim, shoes, bags and accessories, young fashion, sportswear, designer brands and overseas brands.

Around 120,000 trade visitors are expected at the upcoming CHIC, serving all major distribution channels in China such as large shopping malls and department stores, agents, distributors, buyers from multi-brand and concept stores, live stream providers, etc. The CHIC organizers invest in intensive visitor marketing measures. CHIC Matching, the successful networking system of CHIC, brings exhibitors and visitors together efficiently and individually. New contacts can be made and cooperation opportunities explored. Comprehensive marketing activities via all relevant channels such as the CHIC WeChat Public Account (> 200,000 subscriptions), the CNGA WeChat mini program (> 100,000 subscriptions) and TikTok ensure visibility.

New: CHIC Showroom, the innovative young showroom concept in Beijing, which is to be expanded and will enable international brands to enter the Chinese market in the medium term.

From February 8th to 11th, 2023, the third edition of IFCO, Istanbul Fashion Connection will take place in the Istanbul Exhibition Center.

The fair with over 600 exhibitors in 9 halls gives an overview of the new collections in the areas of womenswear, menswear, kidswear, denim, shoes, leather & furs. Separate platforms at IFCO are LinExpo for lingerie and hosiery and FashionIST with a wide range of wedding dresses, evening wear and suits. IFCO Sourcing, a new area at IFCO, offers the opportunity to find numerous companies for sourcing capacities.

Also new is the partnership with Igedo Exhibitions, Düsseldorf, which is responsible for the EUROPEAN SELECTION area at IFCO. International fashion labels present themselves at the fair as part of this participation.

More than 25,000 visitors from over 100 nations from all sales channels, from department stores and boutiques to online platforms from Eastern Europe, the Central Asian markets and the Arabian Gulf region, alongside buyers from Türkiye are expected at the show.

The declared goal of the organizers is to offer a "one-stop shopping solution" with IFCO that shows the creativity of the Turkish fashion scene, enables access to new sales markets and at the same time establishes the connection to potential production partners for supply chain optimization. The competitive advantages of production in Türkiye are evident:
short delivery times, high production quality, young and well-trained employees, the possibility of small minimum order quantities, a vertical textile and clothing industry that allows "one-stop shopping".

The manufacturing sector is an important sector for the industry, with over 80% of companies in Türkiye engaged in this sector. Türkiye has the fastest economic growth among the G20 after Saudi Arabia at 7.6% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2022, according to the Turkish Statistics Authority. Export is one of the most important pillars of growth.

The trade fair concept is being supported by the government with several programs. These include the cooperation with IMA, Istanbul ModaAkademisi, which regularly produces design talents becoming an integral part of the international fashion scene. IMA was founded in 2007 by ITKIB / IHKIB with the help of the IPA I program ((IPA: Instrument for Pre Accession Funds, provided by the EU for the EU candidate countries). Young design talents are brought to the stage at IFCO in cooperation with the ‘’Koza Young Fashion Designers Contest’’.

The Supervisory Board of adidas AG resolved upon the succession for adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted. Effective January 1, 2023, Bjørn Gulden is appointed as member of the Executive Board and CEO of adidas AG. Kasper Rorsted and the Supervisory Board mutually agreed that he will step down as CEO and leave the company upon expiry of November 11, 2022. Harm Ohlmeyer, Chief Financial Officer of adidas AG, will lead the company in the interim until December 31, 2022. The Supervisory Board had announced a CEO transition on August 22, 2022.

Bjørn Gulden is 57 years old, Norwegian and has been CEO of Puma SE since 2013. Bjørn Gulden looks back at a tenure at adidas as, amongst others, Senior Vice President of Apparel and Accessories from 1992 to 1999. Additionally, he was CEO of Danish jewelry brand Pandora, Managing Director of footwear retailer Deichmann, President of Rack Room Shoes, and held various management positions at outdoor apparel company Helly Hansen. He also holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Salling Group, Denmark’s largest food retailer.

“We are very pleased to welcome Bjørn Gulden back at adidas. Bjørn Gulden brings almost 30 years of experience in the sporting goods and footwear industry. As a result, he knows the industry extremely well and draws on a rich network in sport and retail. Bjørn Gulden already served adidas successfully for seven years in the 1990s. As CEO of Puma, he re-invigorated the brand and led the company to record results. The Supervisory Board of adidas AG is convinced that Bjørn Gulden will head adidas into a new era of strength and is looking very much forward to a successful cooperation,” said Thomas Rabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of adidas AG. 

Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda Ente del Terzo Settore renews its commitment in the field of responsible, eco-friendly fashion with a new ad hoc initiative for Fashion Graduate Italia: FASHION SCHOOLS FOR DESIGN - DRIVEN SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION. The project has been set up in a partnership and with the support of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity, Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy).

The project “Fashion Schools for Design - Driven Sustainable Innovation” is presented at the eighth edition of the event organised by Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda, staged from 3 to 5 November at BASE Milano.

Embracing the theme of this edition of Fashion Graduate Italia, “Sustainable Innovation”, Piattaforma Moda has invited students from fashion schools, academies and associated institutes to participate in a training course regarding the planning and creation of an outfit in compliance with a responsible fashion approach: starting with the design, including the choice of sustainable materials supplied by some of the hub’s partner companies, and also involving a look at the communication strategy for the project.
To create their looks, the selected students followed two training courses organised by C.L.A.S.S.: “Introduction to next-generation Fashion” and “Introduction to smart ingredients”. These courses covered the values of next-generation fashion (integrating sustainability with design and innovation) and the characteristics of innovative and sustainable materials to produce the outfits.
 
The development process of the 11 final looks was followed in person by creative director Olivia Spinelli - Coordination and Creative Direction at IED Moda Milano and member of the Artistic Committee of FGI 2022 - and by tutor Camilla Carrara - founder and zero-waste designer of ZEROBARRACENTO -, the project coordinator of C.L.A.S.S.

The partners of C.L.A.S.S. that contributed by supplying their materials are: Berto, Brunello, Iluna Group, Re.VerSo™ by A. Stelloni Collection by Mapel and Tessitura Grisotto;  IED - European Institute of Design and ZEROBARRACENTO also gave support in the implementation of the initiative.